“Now it is drafting specifications for phones that can display all of Google’s mobile applications at their best, and it is developing new software to run on them. The company is conducting much of the development work at a facility in Boston, and is working on a sophisticated new Web browser for cellphones, people familiar with the plans say.”

Could this be what they’ll have that browser hacker working upon?

Yesterday, Michael Arrington at TechCrunch reminded us yesterday that Google has also invested in the Maxthon Browser not long ago, so there’s even more indication that Google could still intend to launch their own general web browser as well. The Maxthon Browser is apparently used particularly in China.

In any case, if the WSJ reporters’ sources are correct, we now have confirmation that Google is indeed working upon writing their own browser software.

Due to my interests in local search, I’m further fascinated that Google’s plans for the mobile phone specify that it should include GPS capability:

“The specifications Google has laid out for devices suggest that manufacturers include cameras for photo and video, and built-in Wi-Fi technology to access the Web at hot spots such as airports, coffee shops and hotels. It also is recommending that the phones be designed to work on carriers’ fastest networks, known as 3G, to ensure that Web pages can be downloaded quickly. Google suggests the phones could include Global Positioning System technology that identifies where people are.” 

I recently wrote an article on Geolocation, and it’s clear to me that Google’s inclusion of GPS in these devices is so that they can target locally-oriented ads and content directly to the users. GPS-enabled devices would have the highest degree of geolocational accuracy of any of the methods for associating real-world locations with the virtual-world internet users.

Zalewski has an established history of exposing security holes in various software products, particularly the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers…

I can’t help but wonder if they could be wanting him specifically to help vet a Google Browser. As you may recall, there’s been supposition for years now that Google could be looking to build their own browser. Although Google executives have previously demurred, saying they would only build a browser only “…if we thought there was a real user benefit,” whois records show that they must’ve considered that very possibility since they registered a domain name for “gbrowser.com“.

Of course, Zalewski’s talents could be intended to be used on any of a number of other applications such as the Google Toolbar.

We can’t completely escape the fact that having their own browser could be very advantageous and complimentary to their various other products and initiatives, particularly as they are now competing overtly with the various products from Microsoft.