Google Inc. is searching for growth in cellphones.

The company, which has made billions of dollars in Web advertising on computers, is courting wireless operators to carry handsets customized to Google products, including its search engine, email and a new mobile Web browser, say people familiar with the plans. It wants to capture a big chunk of the fast-growing market for ads on cellphones.

Google Pushes Tailored Phones To Win Lucrative Ad Market [online.wsj.com]

Another article on the subject.

[washingtonpost.com...]

Interesting to see if Google can make this model work. The article says it will prove difficult, but time will tell. Google just may have the name to make it work.

For sure, their brand is strong, but Google is a "search" company. It'll have to work harder to become a telco.