Google forms phone coalition

Google confirmed this morning it has formed a coalition of partners with whom it will develop an open operating system for a planned Google phone. The coalition reportedly includes several wireless carriers, among them Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA. It's unclear whether Verizon is part of the group or not--some reports say yes, but others suggest no agreement has been reached.

Such a coalition could radically change the tenor of relations between Google and the major telco/wireless carriers, so stay tuned.

For more:
- The Washington Post has the latest
- USA Today reports on the plan

Related articles:
- FierceWireless.com has more on the awaited announcement