Google’s gPhone is NOT The iPhone
Google’s gPhone is not Google’s attempt to follow Apple’s lead. Apple is a hardware company that licenses al lot of its software form company’s like Microsoft and other software companies. Apple is not a service provider. Google is a service provider. Google had been just a search engine.
However, when Google joined forces 5 years ago with Earthlink to provide WiFi service to cities throughout the US, it was clear that Google was more than a search engine. Every action of Google is an indication of its movement toward the service provisioning business.
Apple and Google may enter the 700 MHz spectrum auction of 2008. Some people say it will not happen but that would be premature. If Apple wants to dictate to device manufacturers like themselves they need to control access to the consumer. Carriers control access to the consumer/end user. Telecom vendors learned that lesson long ago. Apple is still trying to learn that lesson. Google already learned that lesson years ago.
Apart from the touch user interface technology, the iPhone is really no different than Verizon’s Voyager or even the gPhone. The iPhone is about as fast as the new Trax device. What the average consumer does not understand is the iPhone came pre-loaded with links; i.e., the important sites are cached. Google’s gPhone is a marketing gimmick that is designed to get you and I to talk about Google. This Lesson One on building company market valuation: Have the industry and marketplace talk about the company.