After going from hot rumor to official announcement, here’s a look at what the Nexus One is and isn’t, based on the top questions coming in from readers.
What is the Nexus One?
As Google put it, the Nexus One was the first “superphone” — the next evolution in what Android handsets were capable of.
Who makes it?
The handset was made by HTC with input from Google.
What makes it special?
The Nexus One featured a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 3.7-inch 480×800 AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, a multicolor LED trackball, compass, GPS, accelerometer, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headphone jack, light and proximity sensors, and dual microphones for active noise suppression. It was all powered by a 1400mAh battery in an exceptionally slim chassis.
What software does it run?
The Nexus One shipped with Android 2.1, which added voice input to every text field in the OS — emails, text messages, tweets, all of it. Also included: live wallpapers, a new weather and news widget, Google Earth, and an updated gallery.
Where can I buy one?
An unlocked GSM Nexus One was available immediately at $529 through google.com/phone (that storefront has since closed).
Will it work with AT&T?
Technically yes, but not at 3G speeds. The Nexus One supported T-Mobile’s 3G bands in the US — UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900) — plus GSM/EDGE on 850, 900, 1800, and 1900 MHz.
Is there a subsidized option?
Yes. A subsidized Nexus One was available for $179 with a two-year T-Mobile contract, limited to individual postpaid plans. Family plans and FlexPay customers were not eligible at launch.
What plan comes with the subsidized version?
At launch, one plan was available: 500 voice minutes with nights and weekends, plus messaging and data.
What about Verizon?
A CDMA version was planned for Verizon customers in spring 2010.
Will there be an unlocked CDMA version?
No. The CDMA Nexus One was confirmed as Verizon-exclusive, with no unlocked variant planned.
