Google Phone Speculation Runs Wild

We have speculated before about the potential for a Google phone and an ad-supported network to back it. Google may have an early version of the device ready to go.

Even if a Google phone emerges soon, we aren't inclined to think that it will be the end result of the company's development efforts. Ever since they purchased mobile software firm Android in 2005, we have wondered how Computerworld report cited some of the shortcomings of efforts by other companies, and Google, with regards to privately-branded phones and networks. They noted Disney's multiple failures with its ESPN Mobile service and its sparsely populated Disney Mobile devices.

Analyst Jeff Kagan described the performance of ad-supported wireless networks over the past ten years as "not successful." This is where people may be reading too much into the idea of Google debuting a prototype ad-supported phone right now.

It's simply too soon to judge a device Google produced in-house unless, and this is a big caveat, they had help from the world's most prominent technology design house, a company where Google CEO Eric Schmidt just happens to sit on the board of directors.

That would be Apple. Of course, Apple just debuted its iPhone in June. It's a high-end device in price and capabilities. Google isn't going to kick the legs out from under Steve Jobs. Not because they don't want to, but mostly because they can't yet.

Google has been