Google Shows Off Ad-Supported Cell Phone

taoman1 writes "Today Google showed off a ad-supported cellphone that the company plans to offer for free to interested parties. The product could reach the marketplace within a year, and will offer Google search, email, and a web browser. 'The move would echo another recent product launched by a phone industry outsider, Apple Inc.'s iPhone. But Google's product would draw its revenue from a sharply different source, relying on commercial advertising dollars instead of the sticker price of at least US$499 for an iPhone and $60 per month for the AT&T Inc. service plan. Negotiating the fairest way to split those advertising revenues with service providers could be a big hurdle for Google, one analyst said. Another problem is the potential that consumers could be scared off by the prospect of listening to advertisements before being able to make phone calls, said Jeff Kagan, a wireless and telecommunications industry analyst in Atlanta.'"

Comments

Call ads

[omalley-the-alley-ca]

bundling advertisements with its search engine, e-mail and Web browser software applications They'll prolly find a way to bundle adds to the phone service too. "Your call will be placed after a word from our sponsors!"

Re:listen to ads?

[iamhassi]

"what happens when a teenager driving a car and listening to an ad isn't paying attention to the road. "

If you go by that logic then let's throw out the radios because they play ads too.