Google's Nexus One phone wasn't exactly a smash hit, but that apparently hasn't stopped the company from issuing a sequel.
How a Google tablet can avoid the same fate as the Nexus One
According to Android fan page Phandroid, a picture and product description for the yet-to-be-formally-announced Nexus S smartphone appeared briefly today on Best Buy's Web site. The page indicated that the phone would be available exclusively at Best Buy sometime during the holiday season and that it would run on T-Mobile's network. And unlike the original Nexus One, the new Nexus phone will apparently be manufactured by Samsung instead of HTC.
The Nexus S is also rumored to be the first device that will support the new 2.3 version of Android, also known as "Gingerbread." Among other things, Gingerbread is rumored to feature both built-in video chat and native VoIP calling, as well as an increased focus on mobile gaming features.
If the Nexus S runs exclusively on T-Mobile, it will mark a shift from Google's original intent in releasing the Nexus One, which had no exclusivity agreement and was expected to be supported by all four major U.S. wireless carriers. However, plans to have the Nexus One run on multiple carriers fell through when Verizon and Sprint balked and said they would offer alternative Android-based devices on their networks instead, such as the popular Motorola Droid X and the HTC Evo 4G.
Thus, sales for the Nexus One were a huge disappointment compared to other high-profile smartphones, as it only sold 135,000 units over its first 74 days. In contrast, the Motorola Droid and the original Apple iPhone both sold over a million units over their first 74 days on the market.
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