Frienemies? Now Verizon Wireless And Google Will Work Together?

from the funny-what-a-little-competition-will-do dept

Wed, Oct 31st 2007 4:41pm — Mike Masnick

There's lots of talk in the news today saying that Google is pretty close on a deal to have Verizon Wireless be the first to offer Google's new wireless bundle of software that many people are referring to as the "GPhone" (which still hasn't officially been announced). This might seem like an odd pairing to some. After all, it seems like the two companies are pretty vehement in disagreeing on some key telecom issues concerning things like 700 MHz spectrum and network neutrality. Besides, Verizon Wireless is infamous for being the US carrier most focused on walled gardens, while a big part of the supposed point of the GPhone is to force more openness into the wireless arena. So why the pairing? It's actually fairly simple. Blame Apple. Verizon Wireless famously turned down the chance to be Apple's partner for the iPhone, claiming that Apple had too many strict rules to make it worthwhile. So how do you fight back against the juggernaut of the iPhone? Yup, with the GPhone. It's got nothing to do with openness, the features the Gphone provides or any of the other disputes. It's all about Google's brand and the fact that it's, perhaps, the one brand on a phone that will attract enough attention to (maybe) come close to the hype surrounding the iPhone.

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Filed Under: competition, gphone
Companies: apple, at&t, google, verizon wireless

13 Comments

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Nick Dynice (profile), 31 Oct 2007 @ 5:08pm

I can't imagine that Apple and Google's requirements for the carrier would be too different. Unless Verizon has wised up and decided the it will meet the demanding requirements for a good user experience and functionality and features that the expects without stupid restrictions, Google is settling and the GPhone will be inferior to the iPhone.
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- Sean, 31 Oct 2007 @ 7:44pm
  
  Re: Inferior to the Iphone
  Inferior to the Iphone??
  
  The Iphone was outdated at its launch by releasing it with an edge(aka 54k dial up.. lol er almost as slow) card.. this is not a superior phone in many respects and has a lot of kinks that need to be worked out..
  
  The IPhone does one thing cool.. CD Browsing and multimedia functions... that's it.. lot's of hype .. i'll admit though lots of potential too
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dave, 31 Oct 2007 @ 6:12pm

It might have google sw on it
But it'll still be crippled! Verizon can't have one phone work well on their network, and all the rest work like crap... They'll have to make this one work like crap as well. But they'll try to latch onto the name 'google'.
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Max Powers at http://ConsumerFight.com, 31 Oct 2007 @ 7:29pm

Google Anything Sells
Do you think anybody from Google or Verizon learned anything from the Apple and AT&T consumer relations disaster?

Attaching anything to the name Google is the new game. I wouldn't be surprised to see Google and Kellogg's come out with a new cereal.
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- dorpass, 1 Nov 2007 @ 9:55am
  
  Re: Google Anything Sells
  Apple and AT&T consumer relations disaster... you mean the one that sold more than a few iPhones?
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IronChef, 31 Oct 2007 @ 7:37pm

24 hours after and T-Mobile already lost exclusivi
This is odd. I'm going off of 3rd party info here, but Robert Dotson at T-Mobile USA always said that the next advance in wireless communications will be on the hardware side, yet his team passed on the RockR.

They didn't keep in touch with Apple, after they said "Next time we're going to make the hardware ourselves"

Which led to the iPhone.

Now he can't get his hands around exclusivity for the GPhone? Yesterday's WSJ article said that T-Mobile USA would be the provider of the GPhone stateside. What happened?

It really sounds like he needs to flatten his organization and have better communication to what really matters.

He should know by now that exclusivity matters. After all, He got the Sidekick. Differentiating strategy matters.

I guess I have to give kudos to Verizon for their quick thinking, making it happen.

I still think that John Stanton should pull his old team together again and build the beachfront 700MHz network. After all, the last sentences in the link provided below say that:

"It's no exaggeration to call John Stanton one of the great entrepreneurs of the American wireless industry," said Murray. "If you take his career and all the companies he's worked for, I don't think anyone has had a greater impact. Certainly that may be heresy in Seattle, but John Stanton's impact on McCaw Cellular and the industry is as great as Craig (McCaw)."

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2005/05/30/focus2.html
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Anonymous, 31 Oct 2007 @ 8:36pm

What about synergies b/w Google and Apple?
Doesn't this make Google a competitor of some sort to Apple Inc. I thought we were seeing synergies between Google and Apple in some areas like software and board members ..
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- Gprophet, 31 Oct 2007 @ 9:22pm
  
  Re: What about synergies b/w Google and Apple?
  The Google is not limited by the things like us mere mortals. The Google is omnipresent, The Google can work with everyone and still have time for us, The Google's lowly servants. The Google does not compete, The Google conquers.
  
  Pie Google domine, dona eis requiem.
  *thwack*
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Joseph Beck, 31 Oct 2007 @ 9:44pm

Google Reforms Verizon?
Will Google really change Verizon and get them to put an open phone on the market?

Will it be as open as a PC, or will it just be able to run Google apps?

Will I be able to move my photos from my phone to my computer without having to pay a ransom to Verizon?
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JS Beckerist, 1 Nov 2007 @ 5:12am

NICE
I am already on a month-to-month with Verizon as my contract ended a few months ago. If they release a phone that's not eye-gouging expensive, I'm all for it. I use more Google websites than any other network. Gmail especially is my primary means of email, my homepage and RSS reader is iGoogle and my .com's are all hosted on google space! The only thing I'd be worried about is having to change my plan to account for the new data usage. Again, I hope they keep it inexpensive.
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Danny, 1 Nov 2007 @ 8:54am

Oh great...
Apple + AT&T

Possible Google + Verizon

I'm going to play analyst and say MSN + Sprint/Nextel is next. Yeah right...
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Jim, 2 Nov 2007 @ 11:03am

Google & VerizoN Wireless
Partners in the 700Mhz C Block Auction ?? What a disruptive package that would be, VW providing a Real Broadband data network using Googles 700Mhz (maybe WiMAX based) Upper Band C Block License on their Towers with direct links (Fiber) to Google Nationwide Data Centers for all their Apps. VW could them refocus their efforts on redirecting all their spectrum to delivering a high quality TDM based Voice network using EVDO. This would also help them work better with the Cell partner Vodaphone and allow them to compete with AT&T activity in the Lower 700Mhz Spectrum markets.

Jim
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IronChef, 3 Nov 2007 @ 6:45pm

Google/Apple Wireless Network
Huh? What are you talking about?

Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google is on the board of directors at Apple. This is common knowledge.

Apple and Google need to get off their duffs and together and go to John W Stanton with a stack of cash and say:

"I want a network" He's the only one who can do it for Apple/Google. Personally, I can't speak higher of Stanton. I have many examples.

John is the only one in the United States who can lead the effort, and make it happen.

See:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?p=10038774#post10038774
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