While Google’s Android mobile OS has done exceedingly well for itself, the Nexus One phone has not. Originally, Google was planning on selling the phone through its store and letting the customer choose the carrier, but with Sprint and Verizon opting to instead go with HTC phones the Droid Incredible and Evo 4G, Google is changing the way they sell the Nexus One.
But, as with every innovation, some parts worked better than others, wrote Andy Rubin, VP of Engineering at Google. 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.
As a result of this, Google will instead offer the Nexus One through usual retail channels and use the online store as a showcase for Android enabled phones.
Innovation requires constant iteration, added Rubin. We believe that the changes we’re announcing today will help get more phones to more people quicker, which is good for the entire Android ecosystem: users, partners and also Google.
Source: Google Blog
