Google has a wireless service coming . We donât know when, or who can get in on it, but thanks to a new leak we now know a lot more of the (possible) details. And some of these (potential) features sound (hopefully) pretty great.
The new info comes by way of an app file that Android Police dug up. Inside this app fileâwhich looks pretty legit even if itâs not proven to beâare a whole bunch of lines of code that hint at some really neat features, some of which would be novel, and others of which that would just be great. Also itâs apparently called Project Fi. That could just be a code name, but Iâm gonna use it from here on out.
Pay for what you use
It looks like Project Fi could take a page from the playbook of MVNOâs (alternative carriers who use other carriersâ networks) like Ting and Zact (RIP) and only charge you for what you use. We already knew that Project Fi was probably going to rely heavily on wifi to keep data costs downâshoutout to Republic Wireless âbut code in the app suggests that uses wonât necessarily need a âplanâ but can instead pay by the GB for data. Also it seems US-to-US calls are free, and international ones are charged by the minute.
Switch between phones with ease
Much like Google Voice (which is melting into Hangouts ), it seems Project Fi will let you have multiple phones with the same number. But even better, code in the app suggests users could switch which one acts as the primary just by tweaking settings instead of switching SIMs. Granted âtoo many phonesâ is geeenerally a tech blogger problem, but for anyone who has a beater phone they like to take out for wild nights on the town, this could sure be handy.
Auto-switch between multiple carriers for better coverage
Earlier leaks have suggested that T-Mobile and Sprint (the two smallest and scrappiest carriers in the US right now) would be the two launch partners for Googleâs wireless service, and that users would auto-switch between them for their data. The Android Police apk seems to confirm, and lists both carriers in its code, but only those two. You wouldnât really expect Verizon to play along with this, would you?
Free international roaming
This one isnât in Android Policeâs found apk, but previous rumors have suggested that on Project Fi, going overseas might not cost you any extra money. Googleâs been talking to at least one carrier in the UK about setting up a deal so that Project Fiâs network of partner carriers wonât just be stateside.
Get your Google Voice on
Does some of this sound an awful lot like Google Voice? Yeah! It looks like Project Fi isnât actually an extension of Google Voiceâthe code shows accounts remaining separateâbut it does look like youâll be able to easily port your hallowed Google Voice number over easily, and help it escape from the zombified husk of that once super-promising service .
But...
This all sounds great but caveats abound. For one, itâs not clear when this whole thing will launch. Google has confirmed the plans, but it could still be a long ways out. Maybe as early as this summerâs Google I/O but who knows. That, and itâs going to be very limited at launch (and maybe forever). Google has said the plan is for this to be small, and rumors hint that it may be restricted to users of the Nexus 6 and beyond . Even if this is great, you might not get in.
Still, Googleâs wireless service is looking better and better. Sure, some of its best ideas arenât new but instead borrowed from smaller, scrappier MVNOs that already exist, but in Googleâs hands these features could become way more well-known and common, even if you personal canât use Googleâs pet service. Hereâs to hoping.
