Meanwhile, RIM may try to outbid Google for the wireless technology patents held by Nortel, Bloomberg reports.
One alleged example has come to light in a private lawsuit, filed against Google by Skyhook Wireless Inc.
Providing wireless networks would allow Google to circumvent incumbent cable companies and wireless carriers.
WSJ: Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets
But Google has also been pushing hard at the wireless industry and that has led to others questioning whether Google wants to be a partner or totally control the wireless space.
Google also has free wireless in its hometown of Mountain View, California, as well as other cities where it has data centers.
Was this pressure the reason that Motorola and Verizon Wireless featured Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt as a surprise guest during the introduction of their new Droid X smartphone?
Outside titans like Apple and Google reliant on mobile wireless networks may view the current consolidation dance of spectrum and reselling partnerships as a threat to future smartphone usage, and jump into reselling arrangements with a Clearwire, LightSquared, Sprint or even Dish to add competitive spectrum.
The app wouldn't appear to pose a direct threat to Google because it could potentially help phone makers and wireless carriers sell more Android devices, which include Google's revenue-generating search service, YouTube, Google Maps and other services, rather than those made by rival Apple.
In addition to sales through wireless carriers, Google sells the phone directly through an online store, taking a small cut of the sales.
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Rather than create one flagship Android phone and giving it only to one wireless carrier, Google will reportedly attempt to sell devices directly to consumers and provide them for all networks.
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For such wireless networks, Google has publicly supported the possibility of using small, inexpensive cellular devices, called "micro cells" that would be located at the access points and would harness the TV airwaves to broadcast the equivalent of a 3G or 4G wireless signal for devices within a quarter-mile radius.
WSJ: Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets
Companies such as Amazon, Google and others are changing the wireless device landscape, but first a little history is in order.
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It takes about 4 hours to fully charge Google's flagship phone using wireless power -- check out the gallery above for some action shots.
Google is also working on a wireless version of the platform that could be embedded in a cellphone or even a piece of jewelry like a ring.
He is a member of the Wireless Founders Coalition, which, along with Google and several consumer rights organizations, is asking the FCC to require winning bidders in an upcoming auction of wireless spectrum to open up their networks to all devices.
Simply publicizing its involvement should help achieve Google's goal of liberalizing the wireless industry, points out Sarva.
In addition, Google Wallet does not even use a wireless network, because the application requires near absolute proximity of about one inch distance between devices.
If Google made a serious play for the wireless spectrum, the search company could sell ads to subsidize a service that Apple's customers could connect to.
The HopeLine app can be downloaded on a wide range of Android smartphones and tablets from Verizon Apps, from the Verizon Wireless online Media Store and Google Play.
The decision is a huge win for the motley collection of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and tech companies such as Google who have been pushing to make wireless networks more like the Internet.
But what worries them most today is Google ( GOOG) and its interest in wireless broadband.
Apple also purchased mobile advertising Quattro Wireless, moving into a business Google has pursued.
Verizon Wireless for example has contracts with Google's (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) YouTube.
An aspect of the project that wasn't generally known at the time was Google's collection of data about individual wireless networks, including those in people's homes.
Google's November surprise will rattle the wireless industry for months.
According to the WSJ, Google would provide its own "recently developed wireless technologies" for at least some of the networks, some of which are said to involve TV whitespace technology.
Since the open-source platform was first unveiled in 2007, Google has let developers, device makers and wireless carriers, and more recently even Facebook, modify the platform to suit their business interests.
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But what's for certain is that if Google's conditions are met, the wireless carriers will have a much more interesting set of problems on their hands than what to do about the iPhone.
Some of Google's steps toward giving emerging markets wireless access are public, with the company working with other organizations to convince governments in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia to change regulations to create new wireless networks using previously restricted airwaves.
WSJ: Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets
Last week, in a severely redacted FCC filing by Google we learned that Google is asking to proceed with a new wireless concept it is developing that will use the very same 2.5 Ghz spectrum that Clearwire has and that everyone has disparaged for years.
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