The Google Phone is Out There!

Image via CrunchBase

Is it good for service providers to go into the hardware side of the business? We all know that Google's Android has been slaughtering the competition (except for the iPhone that is) and now Google seems to be branching into the smartphone market with the ominously titled, "Google Phone".

Yep, it's been confirmed and Google employees are getting it--unlocked--as the tweets from the following Google employees show:

We noticed a Twitter message from a Google Program Manager, who writes “Stuck in mass of traffic leaving work post last all hands of 2009. ZOMG we had fireworks and we all got the new Google phone. It’s beautiful.”

Another guy, Jason Howell, says he had his hands on the device, which he says is made by HTC and is running Android 2.1: “The new Google Phone runs on HTC hardware. I saw it w/ Android 2.1. Homescreen has new visual enhancements like animated desktop wallpaper.”

“Supposedly, Google employees were given tons of these phones today. unlocked,” he adds.

What does this mean for current hardware manufacturers and developers like Motorola, etc. and the Android carrying lot? Does this mean that Google will focus more on making their Operating System work better on their phones over the others or will they still support their comrade at arms in the smartphone business? Nevertheless what Google decides, I know it's going to be a game changer in the smartphone industry as the Google brand alone will attract a lot of geeks out there to at least try out.

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