When it’s not iPhone rumours, it’s Google phone rumours. If the Wall Street Journal is right, Google is about to announce a suite of advanced software and services for mobile phones. Not only would phone manufacturers be able to incorporate these ad-powered services into their phones, but Google could even make the operating system completely open, allowing independent developers to add their own features.
Among the services that this mobile suite will offer will be the usual suspects, including Google’s search engine, Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail.
Among manufacturers rumoured to have been approached by Google are HTC (who has perhaps gone as far as building prototypes) and LG Electronics. Google is also looking to partner with mobile operator such as T-Mobile and Orange.
The announcement is expected within the next two weeks and Google-powered mobile handsets could arrive by mid-2008.