New Google Phone Details Leaked

Although Google itself has not yet officially announced it, there have been many news reports on this company's plans to release a mobile phone. All of these, though, have been very short on details.

GigaOM, however, claims to have been leaked some information on this smartphone by an unnamed "reliable source."

The Google phone will supposedly be based on a version of the Linux operating system, and the applications written for it will be written in Java.

It will reportedly include a web browser that, like Opera Mini, lets users scroll around on large web pages before zooming in on a specific area..

The source indicated that Google's phone will be able to handle audio and video.

As for hardware, the search giant is said to be showing around several prototypes. What these supposedly have in common is a relatively small screen and a built-in keyboard. HTC has been named as the possible designer and manufacturer.

It's a Google Phone

Whether GigaOM's source is correct or not, its a safe assumption that any phone released by Google will support at least some of this company's wide array of online services, from email to maps to spreadsheets.

The real question is which of the array of services will be part of thee device, and what it will cost to use them.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google is exploring the idea of introducing an advertising supported phone. Instead of paying a monthly service fee, users of this device would listen to or look at advertisements. Exactly how this will work is not yet known.

The WSJ indicated that the Google phone should be released next year, but a separate report coming out of India says that this device will debut later this month.

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