Since Google anounced it’s partnership with LG Electronics it becomes more and more obvious that Google will launch it’s own branded handset in the very near future. The news today on TechCrunch that Google is in acquisition discussions with telephone management startup GrandCentral is just another logical step by Google to enter the ‘mobile connected services’ space the company is already quite present. I mentioned about GrandCentral and The Mobile VoIP-wave coming to us in this article I wrote a couple of months ago for Read/WriteWeb.
The basic idea around GrandCentral is “one phone number for all your phones, for life.” As we change jobs, homes and cell phones, there are a lot of phone numbers to keep track of, and keeping everyone up to date with your most recent phone numbers is a real cost. If you use GrandCentral you can give out a single phone number. What happens when that person calls that number depends on his/her relationship to you, and what you are doing at the time.
While many are focused on the iPhone launch later this week, some other rumours are popping up about Google involved in Apple buyout rumours circulate as iPhone launch nears. In any case, the mobile space becomes more and more strategic and competitive, just look at the brands – we couldn’t even think of being mobile this year – only a few years ago… MySpace, YouTube, eBay, Yahoo!, Google, Apple, Prada, just to name a few… Oh God I love my job 
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3 Responses to Google: One Phone Number for Life?
about.me
Rudy De Waele
Enabling Next Generation Mobile Products & Services
Rudy De Waele is CEO & co-founder of Nyota Media - the world's first growth agency for innovative African entrepreneurs, start-ups and international companies that use technology to improve the lives of Africans.
He is a Mobile Strategist, Business Angel and Appreneur with over 18 years of experience in Internet technology, specialising in mobile innovation and start ups since 1999.
He is a co-founder of dotopen, Mobile Premier Awards, AppCircus and MobileMonday in Barcelona Spain, and is a member of the Mobile 2.0 Advisory Committee in both San Francisco and Barcelona.
Rudy has curated ground-breaking presentations in Mobile Trends 2020 (2010), Mobile Trends 2020 Africa (2011), and most recently Mobile Opportunities in Africa - Engaging the next Billion (2012).
He has consulted for Telefonica, Vodafone, MTN, Orange, Telcel, Millicom, Samsung, Nokia, BlackBerry, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Admob (acquired by Google), Louis Vuitton, Philippe Starck, Young & Rubicam, Cheil Worldwide.
A graduate from Singularity University, he has lectured at Web 2.0 Expo, The Next Web, PICNIC, next, MIDEM, Mobile 2.0, Mobile Monday and MIPTV.
[...] Is Google going to launch a Google-branded handset? A short post asks this question citing Google’s announced partnership with LG Electronics. [...]
[...] Nun lese ich via Rudy bei TechCrunch, dass Google offensichtlich GrandCentral übernehmen will oder es sogar schon getan hat. The basic idea around GrandCentral is one phone number for all your phones, for life. As we change jobs, homes and cell phones, there are a lot of phone numbers to keep track of, and keeping everyone up to date with your most recent phone numbers is a real cost. If you use GrandCentral you can give out a single phone number. What happens when that person calls that number depends on his/her relationship to you, and what you are doing at the time. [...]
If you love the idea of having a single phone number, why do you have several email addresses?
To avoid spam. To filter professionnal emails from private emails.
That’s why you need also several phone numbers, several Masque Numbers.
They are “Kleenex” numbers you can activate and drop whenever you want. Very convenient for eBay, for online dating. Or to publish online, on your forum or MySpace or YouTube.
You are not disturbed since you choose when people can call you, plus you can see on your phone which Masque Number is calling.
It works on any phone, in less then 5 minutes, without anything to download. It works on your iPhone, too…
Yes you have a great job, and so do we.
- Del