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Google Pulls the Plug on the Nexus One

The phone that would change the way phones were used has reached its end, at least in the U.S.  The Nexus One, Google’s flagship device, just took its last trip to Google headquarters in the U.S.

While the phone will continue to sell in Europe and parts of Asia, the concept of a powerful, unlocked smartphone was not enough to raise sales to the level Google had hoped. With many users already locked into one or even two-year contracts with one of the major U.S. carriers, an unlocked phone may have just been unrealistic.

The phone was very popular in “geek” crowds, but the average consumers, many of whom are accustomed to purchasing their phones directly from carriers at subsidized prices, did not take notice. The announcement, posted Friday on Google’s blog, did not even generate much attention, slipping through the cracks of major tech news.

Meanwhile, Google’s Android operating system continues to get love from Verizon, with its Droid models, T-Mobile, with its MyTouch, and Sprint, with its new Evo 4G. Users of those phones must wait for manufacturers like HTC to push out updates and new features, whereas Nexus One users are already running the latest version of Android, with a direct update stream from Google.

Many Nexus One proponents argue that Google simply did not make a big enough effort to market the phone, and not making it available for carriers like Verizon only furthered its move to the fringe of the smartphone market.

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I am a librarian with 8 years of experience in information architecture, technology, free and open source software, and electronic publishing. I have written hundreds of articles on topics ranging from information technology to politics. I also write fiction novels, short stories, and fables.

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