Google Gives Free Wi-Fi, Except to iOS and Windows Phone

Google Play is partnering with Wi-Fi  company Boingo to offer 4,000 hotspots across the country  this month, but not if you have iOS, Windows Phone or BlackBerry.

The hotspots are for Android users, although Google did throw a bone to OS X and Windows laptops, and will include 15 airports, namely New York's John F. Kennedy International and Seattle-Tacoma, according to a Boingo press release. The other hotspots will be located in a mixture of  hotels, cafes, shopping malls and other public spaces and will continue through September.

“Google Play is the first to take part in our newly expanded Wi-Fi sponsorship network, which reaches millions of consumers each month with place-based brand engagements,” Dawn Callahan, vice president of consumer marketing for Boingo Wireless said in a statement. “Sponsorships like this give users the free Wi-Fi they crave, advertisers the consumer interaction they need, and venues the revenue to offset the costs associated with providing a high-bandwidth Wi-Fi experience.”

Google has given free Wi-Fi before as a thank-you over the holidays, which is generally a good PR move, but this time is a bit more purposeful. Only Android mobile devices can use Wi-Fi, making a distinction about who the company is actually helping. Still, OS X and Windows laptop users can't really complain -- the free Wi-Fi benefits them as well.

Contact Us