Google GPhone To Be First JavaFX Phone?
Rumours about a Google mobile phone continue to do the rounds. If we put some “facts” together, they point to an interesting conclusion: that Google’s new phone could be the first phone to be based on the JavaFX Mobile phone operating system.
JavaFX Mobile is Sun’s new mobile phone OS. The OS is based around a Linux/Java stack. Here’s a picture showing a development version of JavaFX Mobile, giving a feel for what it looks like, compared to the iPhone. In JavaFX mobile, the user interface, and all applications are written in Java (including both Java ME and Java SE), and can be programmed by using the new scripting language, JavaFX Script.
The first piece of evidence that’s compatible with JavaFX Mobile being the GPhone OS comes from Om Malik, who cites a “reliable source” saying,
Google Phone is based on a mobile variant of Linux, and is able to run Java virtual machines… All applications that are supposed to run on the Google Phone are Java apps… The entire UI is said to be done in Java…
So, JavaFX Mobile seems to fit…. Except… is there any evidence to suggest that any company has taken a license to JavaFX Mobile? It turns out there is. On 20 August, Scott McNealy, Sun’s Chairman gave an interview to India Business Today. In the article, he is quoted as saying - We just signed one (a JavaFX Mobile licensing deal) last night.
So, there we have it. Just some speculation really. It could make sense though - JavaFX Mobile might be just the combination of “off-the-shelf” vs “customizable” that Google would want to enable it to rapidly deliver a differentiated product into the market place.
Having said all that, it’s probably rather more likely that Google has developed its own mobile phone OS. Google acquired a company called Android in 2005. Android was never public about the work it was doing, but it has been said that Android was working on a mobile phone OS that was very similar to, but rather better than, the SavaJe phone OS that went on to become Java FX Mobile.
GoatTuber wrote:
There are some nice concept images of the Google Phone on the web. The image here shows an FIC Neo1973 that should be running OpenMoko, which is worthy of an article itself. Rumor has it that Google is developing on a series of HTC phones. This is going to be very interesting.
Posted 04 Sep 2007 at 5:22 pm ¶
Lally wrote:
That’d explain the sudden focus on Google Web Toolkit. Compiles to Javascript _and_ JavaFX Mobile’s APIs?
Still, this puts in question the relationship between Apple & Google…
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 3:42 am ¶
simon wrote:
Lally, do you have a link to GWT and JavaFX Mobile APIs? I haven’t seen that anywhere.
Not sure it puts the relationship between Google and Apple into too much question. Surely, Google wants its services to be accessible from everywhere, including all mobile phones… including iPhone. Apple did all the work to create the iPhone Google apps; Google just let Apple hook into their web services. So it’s not like Google has any major resources dedicated to iPhone.
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 9:21 am ¶
Lally wrote:
Oh, I didn’t mean it does JavaFX right now. Just that another compiler backend wouldn’t be out of the question.
Notice how the new iPod has Wifi, safari, but no Google Maps? Google’s Eric Schmidt is on Apple’s board.
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 6:43 pm ¶
Asam Bashir wrote:
Maybe they didn’t mention it but until the iPod Touch launches it’s pure speculation as to if it has Google Maps or not. I don’t see any conflict between Apple and Google, the mobile phone market is obviously huge so there is enough room for both of them, and more as Microsoft Mobile whatever decreases market share.
Interesting news regarding the iPhone prices today, drops of $200. Haven’t fully digested all the news from Apple today, but maybe the drop is related to a different marketing strategy and price plan for the European iPhone, which should be out next month. At the same time we should the introduction of the iPhone Nano, candy bar form factor, so maybe it will look very similar to the short and fat iPod Nanos released today.
The huge range and diversity of the iPod range today is just amazing and truely reflects just how large the market has become. The Apple phone market will follow in the same manner.
Microsoft and Nokia and others in the industry should be very worried today, I think we just saw the death of the Zune Squirt and Nokia Internet Pad.
Now if Apple opens up the iPhone/iPod Touch OS X officially (all ready open in the underground) and GPS enabled iPhone/iPod accessories start shipping, it will kill the GPS navigation market and the likes of TomTom and Navman, which is what Nokia has been going after.
Also it seems Apple is working on car interfaces now with Mercedes and BMW due for 2008/200 models. With VW it’s building an iCar
The whole damn thing, the dials in the dashboard, the GUI of the speedo, built in navigation and iPod.
Bring it on Apple
Posted 06 Sep 2007 at 3:18 am ¶