On Engadget, I noticed a post about much-rumoured “Google Phone”. Apparently, they have it on good authority that the people over at Google are working on their own Mobile OS. The interesting bit, though, is that Google has been working very closely with Apple on the iPhone project. If they launch their own Google Phone (gPhone, Googlephone, whatever…) they will be in direct competition.
What I wonder, however, is whether Google and Apple are playing even closer together. Imagine two companies more able to launch intuitive products and acquire companies and methods in order to put them to better use within a larger structure. Google, recently, has been launching its Web Office while hoovering up smaller developers to bring in the very best of web-based and hybrid (web/desktop) applications. What does Google need next?
Brilliant hardware. Who builds better hardware than Apple?
This is only a guess, but what happens if Google and Apple work closer on mobile tech? Instead of direct competition (which would only result in a proliferation of one-upmanship devices and platforms with little long-term customer satisfaction) a JV of some description could result in the best of breed mobile devices (and why just mobile) with a very long shelf life!
What do you reckon?