Apple, watch out: The FCC approves the Google Phone

Dec. 14, 2009 (3:40 pm) By: Christian Zibreg

Naysayers won’t like this: A Google-developed smartphone dubbed Nexus One has been given the FCC blessing, turning a rumored gizmo into a done deal.
When a product filing emerges in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) database, it’s when rumors turn into reality. All electronic products must be checked for interference and approved by the FCC before they can be sold in the US. The FCC publicly posts approved filings on its website that media outlets use as an unofficial source of upcoming new products.
According to the FCC filing discovered by Engadget on Monday, the so-called Google Phone is actually a HTC device (code-named “Bravo”) with a model number PB99100, marketed as “NEXUSONE.” The document reveals a few “boring” engineering specs rather than Earth-shattering new features. Nexus One will contain Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 802.11b/g wireless networking, contrasting some rumors that have called for the fastest 802.11n standard. Storage-wise, Nexus One will accept microSD cards like almost any other Android-powered smartphone on the market. When it comes to the supported band frequencies, the filing is a bit ambiguous. The bands listed suggest that Nexus One will be a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE phone supporting both UMTS and high-speed 3HSUPA for 2Mbps uplink and 7.2Mbps downlink, both available on T-Mobile and AT&T.
However, the publication suggested that AT&T may not be supported because the test lab incorrectly listed 815-880MHz frequencies as part of band VIII. Engadget later updated the original article with the following note:

Only WCDMA Band IV was tested in the Part 22H / 24E / 27 Report, leading us to believe that the Nexus One is going to be HSPA 900 / 1700 / 2100 (a pretty common tri-band 3G setup) plus quadband EDGE. Sorry, AT&T, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.

Check out our list of eight HTC phones that you’ll crave for in 2010 for more juicy details about the Android 2.1-powered Nexus One. You may also want to browse Engadget’s exclusive image gallery showcasing the phone’s sleek appearance.
Read more at Engadget.

Christian’s Opinion

The FCC’s approval of the Nexus One leaves little room to doubt the existence of what the media has pompously dubbed a Google Phone. All that remains now is for Google’s marketing folks to press the “launch” button. With the FCC filing now public and the CES 2010 almost upon us, I bet that Nexus One will launch in January 2010, as most rumors have predicted. I believe that the question of the bands listed raised in Engadget’s report will soon be sorted out. Frankly, I’d find it hard to believe Google would limit the flagship device to T-Mobile’s network only.
T-Mobile is the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier that reported 33.4 million users in the third quarter. Should Nexus One launch on both T-Mobile and AT&T (81.6 million subscribers reported for the third quarter), the device will be tapping the potential addressable market of nearly 120 million subscribers. The figure represents roughly 40 percent of the nation’s population and it also eclipses Verizon Wireless’ 89 million subscribers reported in the third quarter. On the other hand, it’s quite possible that AT&T wouldn’t risk its cosy relationship with Apple by greeting a possible iPhone killer on its network. If it does, then it won’t be too long before the iPhone hits T-Mobile’s US network, as suggested in an earlier report.

Get the news from this site