Google Phone - What's in it for me?

On December 12th, Google blogged about the 'Android dogfood' that its employees are getting for the holidays. A blog good enough to stir the pot. Incidentally, I was at Google's Mountain View campus on that day and attended their Christmas party later that evening. Though I have been to the campus before, this was the first time I actually got to see the interiors, meet some employees and have a feel of the actual company. The campus was lively and you could feel the aura getting to you. If a visit could generate such a feeling, how does it feel to work work for the company and take part in its innovations?

Anyways, coming back to the main point, it is time that a smart-phone came out from Google's stable. It is almost out. The fanatic pace of innovations from Google are really mind-boggling. Also, dogfooding gives Google access to vital information - feedback about features, shortcomings and positives. It is vital information that is hard to buy, even for Google. And it makes perfect sense to have this information before releasing a product. Tested waters you see! Then there is another possible masterstroke. The company may sell these unlocked phones online. It hardly appears to be a big deal. But, make no mistake, a big deal it is. Again, it is user-information. By purchasing the phones online (obviously through Google accounts), the company can get access to users' preferences and search habits which translate to dollars in advertising. Keyword-targeted advertisements can be better optimized and revenue can shoot up. Makes sense, doesn't it?

So, what can this mean to users and cellular providers? More obviously than not, it is good for the users. Competition coerces innovative products. And users flock to innovation. On the contrary, it can be devastating to cellular providers. I don't think it will be that bad, but it can hurt them significantly. It all depends on what the Gphone offers. I'd look for a phone that is fast, convenient and loaded. In short, a one-stop-shop. Also, an unlocked GSM phone lets you get rid of the existing 2-year contracts, which look ridiculous at times. An unlocked phone also lets you use pre-paid cards internationally. And more importantly, I'd like the phone to be way better than iPhone. If it is merely 'as good as', I may as well stay with my current phone. On the other hand, if the Gphone has an obtrusive feature like 'Watch a short TV commercial before you make this phone call', I am not going anywhere near! So, I am just waiting too see what Google has in store. I'm eager to see how their strategy unfolds.

Gphone, NexusOne, Passion or whatever! What's in a name?