Apple's iPhone keeps peeking in and out of the rumor mills, but the grist is now focused on Google and Orange, who are planning to steal the thunder, according to a report in the British tabloid, The Observer.
Reports are that a Google-branded gadget replete with G-apps like Google Earth and GMail is in the works. The machine will apparently be manufactured by HTC and will run on...yes...Windows Mobile!!
The report also states that Orange honchos traveled to Google's headquarters, or 'Googleplex', for exploratory talks on this deal. An unidentified source told The Observer that Google and Orange believe they have a winner here.
"Google are software experts and are doing some amazing work compressing data so that the mobile user gets a much better experience. They don't know so much about mobiles, but they are eager to learn from Orange's years of experience," the source added.
Google is also working on ways to make its latest acquisition, YouTube, accessible on mobiles. While Google has not commented on the latest rumors, the Observer's source said that the Google-Orange collaboration might hit markets only in 2008.
