Well golly, it looks like Michael Arrington’s source was right — Google has created its own phone, sort of. Last month, Arrington wrote of a new Google-branded Android handset. Many journalists, myself included, were skeptical. After all, Google executives repeatedly denied the rumors. There were many good reasons for Google not to get into the handset game. For one thing, producing hardware is an entirely difference process than creating Web services. You have to worry about things like supply chains and material costs. Just ask Apple about that.

Another good reason is that Google would go into competition against its own customers. Currently, all Android devices on the market are co-branded with handset and cell phone carrier companies. A Google phone — particularly one that isn’t tied down to a specific carrier — would go into competition with these other devices. We usually refer to this practice as “biting the hand that feeds you.” These companies have helped Android become a viable smart phone platform. It would seem strange for Google to strain those relationships by marketing its own phone.