Google’s (GOOG) so-called “superphone” Nexus One will soon get a second official US carrier as Sprint Nextel (S) is reportedly planning to market the device in near future. The third largest US carrier will unveil pricing and the launch date shortly.
Manufactured by Taiwanese handset vendor HTC, Nexus One is Google’s own branded Android smartphone launched in January 2010. The current GSM version of Nexus One is being sold through Google’s website for an unsubsidized price of $530 and at a subsidized price of $180 under a two-year service contract from Deutsche Telekom’s (DT) US arm, T-Mobile USA.
Unlike the Android phones currently available in the US, Nexus One features an array of Google applications including the Internet calling service “Google Voice,” software applications (like Google Books) and a premium YouTube service. It also offers user access to more than 30,000 applications from the Android Market.
Nexus One features a 3.7-inch AMOLED display, a 5 megapixel camera and Qualcomm’s (QCOM) 1 gigahertz (GHz) Snapdragon processor which is faster than the 600 megahertz (MHz) processor carried by Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 3GS. Leveraging the fast-growing mobile Internet market, the device enables users to access the web through voice commands.
However, despite being one of the most sophisticated smartphones available today, Nexus One has failed to impress in terms of sales volume. Industry data reveals that merely 135,000 units were sold after 74 days of its launch compared to 1 million iPhones and 1.05 million Droid smartphones made by Motorola (MOT). This can be attributable to the phone’s limited distribution and lackluster promotional support.
To boost sales, Google is expanding Nexus One to multiple carriers, which will broaden customer reach. Apart from Sprint, the device is also likely to be carried by Verizon (VZ), as recent reports suggest that HTC has begun shipping a CDMA version of the phone to Big Red. Moreover, Google released a new version of Nexus One on March 16, 2010, which is compatible with AT&T’s (T) 3G network.
Sprint jumped on the Android bandwagon before its larger peers, Verizon and AT&T. The carrier currently markets two high-profile Android devices HTC Hero and Samsung Moment. Sprint is also gearing up to unveil the HTC Supersonic, the first 4G smartphone in the US. Nexus One will be a strong addition to the operator’s smartphone range.
Arrival of Nexus One to Sprint will represent the device’s first version to run on a CDMA network. The feature-rich smartphone will reap the full advantage of the carrier’s vast nationwide 3G network coverage, claimed to be greater than AT&T and T-Mobile USA. Moreover, Nexus One will offer Sprint a much-needed impetus to lure subscribers as it continues to struggle with customer retention.
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