Google phone changes everything

Described yesterday as “SMS gone wild” and a “whole new platform thing,” Google CEO Eric Schmidt pointed to software as how Google will make its foray into cell phones successful. Schmidt went on to mention their goal is to create service for cell phones that other developers can incorporate into their designs.

For those paying attention, Google announced a partnership with Samsung back in January and rumors have gone round that Q4 will bring the results of Googles efforts. Whether that means a new phone, a free phone, or free phone service remains a mystery.

Schmidt goes on to discuss that Google is involved in mid-layers of cell phones that allow the Google apps to operate on. This sounds like a new OS to me; which would make sense as Google hopes to make personalized advertising available on the cell phone. Schmidt mentions this kind of advertising is very profitable.

So a new OS coupled with new Google apps. Throw in “cell phones should be free” (a quote from last year) and you’ve got something rather interesting. Can Google make the cell phone as simple as say Google search? Will the verb “to google” someone change to mean “to phone” in the future?

Read [Wall Street Journal]