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Google Releases Nexus One Handset

Search engine giant Google made its first splash into the smartphone market last January 5 with the release of its own-brand handset, called the Nexus One, in an invitation-only event at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Built with the help of Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, the Nexus One features a slim exterior and 3.7-inch touch screen, and runs on Android, Google’s proprietary operating system for smartphones.

The Nexus One boasts state-of-the-art specs such as a 1GHz snapdragon processor, noise cancellation, and brightness sensors to conserve power. The phone comes with a 512MB Flash memory, with an SD card slot that can be expanded up to 32GB.

It also boasts a wide array of extra features, including a built-in GPS and compass, an accelerometer, and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash. All the applications are also designed to run on voice recognition technology.

The phone will initially be sold online through Google’s website. It currently retails for $529, but is available on contract with T-Mobile in the U.S. for $179. It will also be available later from Verizon in the U.S. and Vodafone in Europe.

Google Vice-President for Product Management Mario Queiroz said the release of the Nexus One marked the “next stage” in the evolution of the company’s Android OS and the convergence between web and phone technology.

Many also see the Nexus One project as a move to stay relevant as more and more people use web search on mobile platforms. Google currently makes most of its revenue from selling advertisements linked to these searches.

Analysts believe the phone’s main selling point could be that the phone can be purchased either unlocked or tied to a mobile operator. This allows users to choose their network, or even use it as a GSM phone.