Nexus Phones
In January 2010, Google released its own smartphone, the Nexus One
(N1) shown in Fig. 1.1. The N1 was developed by HTC and,
by all accounts, was an ideal model for how manufacturers should develop their phones. The processor was
extremely fast (1 GHz), it was running the latest version of Android, and it had
innovations such as three microphones which survey background noise and blend your
voice to create the most clear conversation possible.
The N1 was sold directly by Google and was sold unlockedda move many analysts saw as a direct challenge to the carrier lock-in model
where customers must sign a two-year agreement to get a discount on the device. The N1
was also available through T-Mobile for a reduced price, provided the user signs an
extended contract. In the end, the sales for the N1 were not overwhelming and there
was speculation that Google
failed in their implementation (Fig. 1.1).
However, at the time, Google was also trying to demonstrate how
they believed an Android phone should be released and maintained. To the surprise
of many, one year later Google released the Nexus S manufactured by Samsung, shown
in Fig. 1.2. One interesting feature of the Nexus S was that it ran on Android 2.3
that allowed the native ability to make Voice over IP (VoIP) phone calls. If a device has
a data connection, whether it isWi-Fi.com or some other network, then it can send and receive phone calls using any number of popular VoIP services. In the United States,
the phone was sold only through Best Buy stores and service was available through
T-Mobile (Fig. 1.2).
It is unclear what Google’s overall goals are with the Nexus line
of smartphones. However, it is clear
they intend to release Google phones and eventually may offer consumers a new
flexibility in how they purchase and use smartphones.
