Flop Or Not, Nexus One Headed To AT&TFlop Or Not, Nexus One Headed To AT&T

In a move no one expected, today Google made the Nexus One available with support for AT&T's 3G network. The phone, which has been available directly from Google since January, is now available for AT&T and T-Mobile. Verizon will offer it soon.Google began making the Nexus One available directly from Google.com/phone today. The new version of the phone supports the 3G bands used by AT&T, which are 850 and 1900MHz. It also supports the 2100MHz frequencies used in Europe. That means AT&T subscribers who don't mind shelling out $529 for the Nexus One can go ahead and order it. There is no subsidized version for AT&T.

The Nexus One is still available to T-Mobile customers for $529 (with no contract) or $179 (with a contract). According to Google, the Nexus One will be available from Verizon Wireless and Vodafone in "Spring 2010."

Based on initial sales figures, Google needs all the network options it can get if it wants to move some more units out the door. Since its launch 74 days ago, the Nexus One has sold just 135,000 units. Compared that to the same 74-day sales numbers put up by the iPhone (1 million) and the Motorola Droid (1.05 million), and you can see that the Nexus One is not nearly the "super phone" that Google believes it is

I don't think it's the phone that is the problem, but rather the sales model. Google is hoping to sell phones directly from its web site to end users. The problem is, most people like to see, hold, and touch phones before committing to a two-year contract. Despite the ease of ordering from your desk, there's something to be said for the retail sales experience.

In any event, AT&T Android fans, go ahead and scoop up yourself some mean Android 2.1-packing Nexus One action.