Google Nexus One dead? Well, not quite.
Nexus One is dead. Long live the Nexus One. Just a few weeks after we waved goodbye to the Nexus One, a smartphone built by HTC and sold by Google, the handset has apparently enjoyed an unexpected revival – courtesy of an unexpected source. According to Google employee Tim Bray, a couple of weeks ago, Google began offering unlocked Nexus One units to registered Android developers on the Android Marketplace.
"We think [The Nexus One is] a good development platform and a nice phone," Bray wrote on the Android Developers blog. "Apparently, you agree. Somewhat too many of you, in fact; we blew through the (substantial) initial inventory in almost no time, and they’re back-ordered from HTC, who are doing a pretty good job of managing runaway success amid a worldwide AMOLED shortage."
The Nexus One received a warm reception from critics when it launched in January, but Google reportedly sold only 135,000 Nexus One handsets in the first 74 days the phone was available – a relatively sluggish launch for a would-be iPhone killer. In May, Google began offering the Nexus One – which was previously available exclusively online – in selected retail outlets, in an attempt to gin up interest in the phone.
At the time, Google VP Andy Rubin said the company may have overestimated the number of consumers who would purchase a Nexus One without having a chance to take the thing for a test drive.
"As with every innovation, some parts worked better than others," Rubin said. "While the global adoption of the Android platform has exceeded our expectations, the Web store has not. It’s remained a niche channel for early adopters, but it’s clear that many customers like a hands-on experience before buying a phone, and they also want a wide range of service plans to chose from."
But the retail outlet plan failed to significantly boost Nexus One sales, and in July, Google pulled the plug on its phone completely. Or not. Although Bray did not specify the exact size of the Nexus One inventory supplied to developers, the interest in the phone indicates that the all-but-dead Nexus One is experiencing a nice little life after death.
