For the wrong reasons, Google’s overhyped Android phone, the Nexus One, is in the headlines. Verizon happened to be the first to pop the Nexus One bubble after it was announced last month that it would be available. This week, the Sprint and Nexus One pairing immediately vaporized. Sprint axed Nexus One after previously saying it would carry the device. Depending on who is talking, Verizon and Sprint snubbing Nexus One is either one of technology's greatest failures, or a trivial misstep that doesn't really matter.

Google web store and the Nexus One

The Nexus One failure seems to be obvious. Google wanted to limit availability of the Nexus One exclusively to Google's web store. As reported on eWeek, Some experts think the Google web store Nexus One model is evidence that carriers aren't interested in supporting a device that can't sell in their own retail stores. Other people believe the Nexus One was eclipsed by better Android phones.

Sprint Nexus One

Things were looking up for Google web store Nexus One sales just a few months ago. PC World reports that in mid-March, Sprint said they would carry a CDMA version of Google's Nexus One sometime later this year. On Monday, Sprint decided to drop the Nexus One. Sprint has decided to instead support the HTC EVO 4G Android phone. Sprint may have chosen the HTC EVO 4G because it has a larger display than the Nexus One, runs on Sprint's 4G WiMAX network and also features the HTC Sense UI. The fact that you couldn't use your online cash advance to buy a Nexus One from Sprint probably didn't help.

Verizon Nexus One

The Nexus One/Verizon deal flopped thanks to the HTC Incredible Android phone. The Incredible has about the same specs as the Google Nexus One. The Incredible runs Android 2.1 like the Nexus One. What is the biggest difference between the two phones? The Droid Incredible runs HTC’s revised Sense UI. Informationweek.com reports that the newer version of Sense makes using the Android platform a seamless experience.

The Android advantage with the Nexus One

Everybody likes a winner, and the Nexus One reputation suffered from initial 3G connectivity bugs and low sales figures. PC World said that the only advantage Nexus One has over Incredible and EVO is its direct tie to Google's speedy OS update process. On the HTC Sense UI, a manufacturer-altered versions of Android, updates can take months to reach users.

Android thriving without Nexus One

Is Nexus One a failure? Analysts seem to think that Google would be better off without the Nexus One. After being rejected by major carriers, the Nexus One is likely to be done. Of course Google doesn’t mind that all its rivals run on Android. And all the media commotion about smartphone competition has raised the profile of Android to the point that Android phones actually outsold Apple's iPhone last month.

Resources

eWeek

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Google-Nexus-One-Not-a-Failure-Despite-Slights-By-Sprint-Verizon-409079/

PC World reports

http://www.pcworld.com/article/196022/why_sprint_and_verizon_nixed_the_nexus_one.html

Informationweek.com

http://www.informationweek.com/newshome/index.jhtml;jsessionid=1U2VTTNH0NJJRQE1GHPCKH4ATMY32JVN