In The Face Of Android's Success, Perhaps Its Best Phone Dies
Google warned potential customers last week that it was close to discontinuing the Nexus One, and this Android OS smartphone didn't last much longer -- Google has sold its last unit.
Against the backdrop of recent reports about impressive Android sales, perhaps the platform's best phone, the Nexus One, has been discontinued.
Though released a few months ago, the Nexus One's specs are still impressive. A 1GHz processor, 800 x 480 AMOLED screen, 5MP camera, etc. It was certainly not canceled for being out of date. But I'm not interested in phones just for spec geeks—the sum of the parts is what matters—it's the non-geek areas where the phone is more impressive than its flashier peers.
While many Android phones are getting bigger, the Nexus One is a relatively compact, smooth phone that fits well in the hand. The design is low-key, and in my opinion looks better for it.
And then there's the distribution. The phone was sold direct, either unlocked or with a contract for T-Mobile or AT&T, and was unencumbered by any of the carrier or manufacturer add-ons we see creeping into the Android world.
In comparison to many new Android phones, the Nexus One:
- Did not include third-party carrier or manufacturer "crapware"
- Did not include a third-party UI, such that another Android user may not even recognize it
- Represented a "clean" Android install
- Can install the latest Android release (2.2)
That last point is interesting. Android phones released even in the last month (e.g., DroidX, Galaxy) are running Android 2.1. The addition of third-party UIs, software, and carrier requirements make testing an OS release more time-consuming. These phones will likely be certified for 2.2 at some point, but by then that release may be old news. Nexus One's "clean" nature made new release certification a relatively speedy affair.
I don't think the Nexus One cancelation had anything to do with design, hardware or software. Rather, I think it was a victim of its own distribution. Buying online with little chance to touch/feel the phone hurt it. Out of sight, out of mind. It was also a victim of Google being wholly unprepared to deal with client support issues. The decent buzz it had at the beginning was soon crushed by bad buzz about support.
I wish Google had done a Nexus Two, but I understand why they did not. Google's interest in Android is to get it in as many hands as possible and sell ads. In Google's eyes, a Nexus Two would provide no advantages to them or their ad buyers over any other new Android phone. The fragmentation of varying UIs, services, and other add-ons doesn't need to concern them. Sheer volume and ads, that's their business model. I'm not knocking the model (it's very successful), but it's in keeping with it that they not waste resources on another Nexus.
Pity, though. I think Google inadvertently showed everyone the best way to make an Android phone.
Comments (7)
"Google inadvertently showed everyone the best way to make an Android phone."
Actually that was probably its purpose. Nexus One was supposed to be sort of a reference model. For Android 3.0 (Gingerbread), there is a list of specs to follow. In the end, Google probably also realized it was not nice to compete against OEMs.
On Android momentum, Samsung Galaxy S recently released in South Korea sold 300,000 phones in 19 days. That shows the advantage of local established brands. iPhone was released in South Korea in late 2009. Looks like Android has caught up in 4 months according to statcounter.
South Korea Mobile OS by statcounter.com:
http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_os-KR-monthly-200906-201007
If Nokia adopted Android, it would take off in Europe, which has lagged. Nokia was going to push Meego and Symbian. All three OS's are free, so I do not see why Nokia should avoid using Android.
"Actually that was probably its purpose. Nexus One was supposed to be sort of a reference model."
I've heard that before, but if it's true it failed miserably, since NOBODY is building a phone based on that reference. They're instead adding crapware and their own UIs. As a result, it takes longer to bring a phone to market (and it has an older release), and it takes longer to certify existing phones for current Android releases.
Nokia hasn't adopted Android because they're not very bright, and, just like all the people who HAVE adopted Android, they're trying to differentiate themselves.
My Advice to Nokia (or any manufacturer/carrier) is to use Android on a "clean" phone like the Nexus One. Not adding crapware, avoiding a new UI, and being able to certify new releases of Android faster than anybody else would be great differentiators.
All very valid points.
I meant it was a model in the sense that instead of differentiating by adding crap, and further complicating the thing, they should make it clean and simple and offer fast upgrades to new releases. Doesn't matter if it's HTC or anyone else.
I'm STILL amazed that so long after release the number of Android phones that can run 2.2 is tiny. This is the type of thing a phone like the Nexus One avoids.
You are correct. The Nexus One should be how Android devices are made. However Beta the Nexus One is/ was, it had a lot of good things and a strong followup like a Nexus 2 would have fixed the hardware problems. Unfortunately, instead of choosing the Apple business plan of selling phones, Google chose the Window's plan. Apple ate Window's phone market-share on AT&T and has really left little room for Android. If and when the iPhone comes to Verizon, Android will quickly shrink in the U.S.
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