Google has teamed up with mobile phone maker HTC to create the Nexus One superphone. The new handset which was unveiled at CES in Las Vegas will be the first handset sold over the company’s new online store.
The Nexus One is a device Google calls a superphone and combines the hardware of HTC and the newest Google Android software.
“The Nexus One represents the unique combination of design and innovation two companies like Google and HTC can have when they collaborate,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation.
“The Nexus One continues HTC’s strategy of offering people a portfolio of phones that meet their diverse needs.”
Andy Rubin, vice president of engineering at Google commented on the new release.
“The Nexus One belongs in the emerging class of devices which we call ‘superphones,’ with the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset making it as powerful as your laptop computer of three to four years ago. It’s our way to raise the bar on what’s possible when it comes to creating the best mobile experience for consumers,” said Rubin.
The new handset will be available on Google’s new web store at www.google.com/phone and the device will be without service, which means and GSM network SIM can be used in the device. The device can also be purchased through Google’s operator partners.
Currently there is no news on a local release here in Australia and Google outlined that initial orders will be taken from consumers in the US, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Some of the features of the new device include a 3.7 inch AMOLED 480×800 WVGA display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 3G QSD8250 chipset, 5 megapixel auto focus camera with geo tagging, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack and 512MB of flash memory.
The device will run on Android 2.1 software and include Google Maps navigation, email, phone book from multiple sources including Facebook, quick contacts and will provide access to over 18,000 applications on the Android marketplace.