Google could have a March launching for its wireless service, and it will be exclusively available to its current flagship device the Nexus 6.
The wireless service - which once emerged as a rumor and dismissed as unlikely to happen - is confirmed by Google's senior vice president for Android Sundar Pichai at Mobile World Congress.
Pichai emphasized that it has no plan of becoming a network operator at scale, for it rather intends to work with US-based carrier partners like Sprint and T-Mobile. Google will become a kind of virtual mobile operator by buying access to these carrier networks and selling it on to clients.
Google spearheads an experiment like this with the hope to drive new technology that will serve its purpose, that is, make cellular and WiFi services "work together in a seamless fashion." Google will make this possible by supplementing Fiber-sourced WiFi using LTE, but it hopes that major carriers will adopt any new technology as well.
Google will reveal more about pricing and possible carriers in the coming months, and hopefully help enlighten some folks who have questions left in the wake of this announcement, such as: "What good is cell service that doesn't operate on a large scale?" "Why would you start cell service that doesn't have the ability to work in multiple geographical areas?" If it's a MVNO setup, wouldn't there be roaming nationwide? Or better yet, "What does Google mean by large scale?"
Yes, it does take seamless integration of hardware and software for a handset to work well on MVNO (Google's wireless service) and it does not help that many manufacturers often modify Android. But who does not? Offering explanations like this only reiterates what Google had already clearly stated. That Google is venturing on a relatively unchartered territory here with the hope to shed some light at some point down the journey not only for its own benefits but for the concerned industries as well. The purpose is good but it's the honesty that is commendable. At least it does not promise anything for the heck of gaining supporters only to disappoint them later.
The Wall Street Journal reports that this wireless service could launch later this month, the same month that the Nexus 6 is rumored to be arriving on Verizon but only a little earlier.
Meanwhile, reports about the upcoming Google Nexus 2015 are still raw although there are a few interesting rumors emerging now like there are two versions coming on its way. One developed by LG and the other by Huawei.
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