Google Will No Longer Sell Nexus One Online

Leslie Meredith, TechNewsDaily Senior Writer

14 May 2010 05:25 PM ET

Google opts to close Nexus One sales online.
CREDIT: Google

Google will shut down its online store for the Nexus One after just four months. Instead, the Android-based smartphone will be sold only through wireless carriers and Google will promote a variety of phones, all running Google's Android operating system.

On today's Google blog post, Andy Rubin, vice president of Engineering said, "Once we have increased the availability of Nexus One devices in stores, we'll stop selling handsets via the web store, and will instead use it as an online store window to showcase a variety of Android phones available globally."

He said the company is "very happy" with the adoption ofÂ Android and noted that Nexus One innovations have been adopted by HTC in its Evo 4G and Droid Incredible, but customers want a hands-on experience before buying a phone and a wide range of service plans to choose from.

On the Nexus One site, Google goes so far as to recommend the Droid Incredible to Verizon customers where the Nexus One is not yet available: "If you’ve been waiting for the Nexus One for Verizon Wireless’ network, head over tohttp://phones.verizonwireless.com/htc/incredible to pre-order the Droid Incredible by HTC, a powerful new Android phone and a cousin of the Nexus One."

While it's true that most consumers prefer to handle a phone prior to purchase, many phones are purchased online from carrier sites. So why don't customers buy it on Google ?

The answer may lie in the fact that Google sells the Nexus One as an unlocked phone, so while owners can choose between a T-Mobile or AT&T version, the phone itself costs $529, and Google adds a $150 equipment recovery fee, the only seller or manufacturer to do so. AT&T only sells an unlocked Nexus One and charges the same monthly fee for service as it does for subsidized iPhone users.