• Marketing Week, Thursday, January 31, 2008 11:30 AM

First WiMax, now the Gphone: Indeed, the hot rumor of the day is that Google and Dell are planning a mobile phone that will be unveiled during next month's 3GSMS telecom conference in Barcelona. Last year, there were widespread rumors that Google was building a "Gphone" to rival Apple's "iPhone," although the company later quashed those rumors with the introduction of Android, a Linux-based mobile operating system.

Google said its goal, rather than entering the handset business, was to put Android, with its suite of free ad-supported services on phones, which would help subsidize the cost for consumers.

Google insiders denied the report. However, computer maker Dell revealed last year that it was planning a move into mobile phones with the hire of former Motorola exec Ron Garriques to run its global consumer group. Dell already makes PDAs, although analysts claim the effort has "pretty much flopped."

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