News

Nexus One Phone Rides Into Sunset

• By Keith Ward
• July 20, 2010

Google's flagship Android platform phone, the Nexus One, will soon be off the market in the U.S. But developers, Google promises, will still be able to get hold of one for app development.

Google announced the closing of its online store, the chief sales channel for the Nexus One, earlier this year. Now it says it received its last shipment of Nexus One phones, and once they're gone, they're gone. They'll still be available through partners in overseas markets like Korea and Europe, and possibly other locations, Google states without giving specifics.

Realizing that this is bad news for developers, Google also emphasized that they'll still be able to get the Nexus One. "To ensure our developers have access to a phone with the latest Android OS, Google will be offering the Nexus One through a partner for sale to registered developers," Google states in the blog entry. Getting a Nexus One is as easy as logging into the Android Market Publisher site and ordering one, the company states.

In a May posting, Google explained its rationale for shutting down the Nexus One:

"But, as with every innovation, some parts worked better than others. 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."

The Nexus One was well-regarded in the industry, but never met sales expectations. There are also many Android phones on the market, and some analysts have theorized that Google may not have wanted to compete with its partners.