Google updates Nexus One page, tells Verizon customers to get a Droid Incredible instead (update: the Verizon Nexus One is dead)

Now this, this is all kinds of silly. Google has been busy updating its phone sales site, and the latest word for Verizon Wireless subscribers encourages them to look at the "similarly feature-packed" cousin of the Nexus One, the Incredible. Importantly, what's missing from the new wording is the "coming soon" tag, suggesting that for all intents and purposes the Nexus has been obviated by the arrival of the Incredible. In a separate blog post updating us on carrier partnerships, Google again reiterates its mini-advert for the new HTC phone on Verizon while keeping mum about the Nexus One's future. A true CDMA variant of le superphone should still be coming wearing Sprint regalia, but it's disappointing to see Google use such doublespeak techniques. Is the Verizon Nexus canceled or not?

Update: We just heard back from Google -- the Verizon Nexus One is dead; long live the Incredible. Here's the official statement:

We won't be selling a Nexus One with Verizon, and this is a reflection of the amazing innovation happening across the open Android ecosystem. Verizon Wireless customers who want an Android phone with the power of the Nexus One can get the Droid Incredible by HTC.

Now, that's certainly reasonable, given the similarities between the Nexus One and the Incredible, but here's a question: given that the Incredible runs Sense on top of Android, isn't the closest Verizon analogue to the Nexus One experience actually the Droid, which runs stock Android 2.1? Considering Motorola's recent moves away from Google, maybe this is a sign of something deeper.

[Hydra Posted Apr 26th 2010 4:05PM]

The problem here is look at everyone that bought the Hero, they are stuck on 1.5 , if you buy an htc android phone you can expect to be further delayed from ever getting an update, or never getting one at all.

At least with google branded phones you can possibly expect updates

I would not buy an android htc sense phone , until they do something about fragmentation. You can bet 6 months from now, froyo will come out and all the incredible users will be without

[ninjalex76 Posted Apr 26th 2010 4:24PM]

I find this an interesting move by Google, considering the fact that the most striking aspect of the nexus one was its sales model; that it would be sold through Google WITHOUT a carrier plan or subsidy. Telling customers to purchase an Incredible flies directly in the face of their originally self-proclaimed direct-to-consumer goals. Not that I'm against the Incredible, I'm of the opinion that it is a superior phone, I am just not happy with Google's apparent hypocrisy.

[Garion Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:11PM]

Guess "the superphone" didn't stay super very long, huh?
Hailed as the king of Android phones just four months ago, and today Google silently puts it to rest. Hmm.
Goodbye Nexus, we hardly knew you.

So, how many here are buying Google's cheerful explanation for killing it's own Android phone: "Android is soooo succesful, and for that reason we have decided to kill our own Android phone" ? Yeah, right!

[etwashoo2 Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:21PM]

@Garion

It's called progress and we love choice.

As afar as killing the phone for Verizon...the American market is the biggest piece of shit for cell phones. Phone access to CDMA networks (Sprint and Verizon) is controlled by the carriers. They choose what to activate. Even if a CDMA Nexus One existed for Verizon, Verizon has to agree to provision it - unlike AT&T where you pop in your iPhone SIMcard in the Nexus One and it works. There are other issues with the 3G frequencies at AT&T and T-Mobile, but that's another issue. So...who decided not to have the Nexus One on Verizon? It could have been decided by Verizon, but with the Incredible, it not a big deal because we have a choice in this case.

[iBuferd Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:13PM]

At first I was kinda upset that I waited for the Nexus One on Verizon very diligently. Now I admire Google for not fighting, but supporting it's OS on other handset makers and helping them succeed which in turn, will end with a win win for everyone. I almost think that the Nexus One was a project for Google to see where things would go and what innovation would spark from them giving the market a push toward Android.

[haan Posted Apr 26th 2010 7:47PM]

@iBuferd
exactly my friend. People need to realize that google isn't getting into the mobile industry to make profit off of phones. its all about getting people on mobile web, which is where they make the money. Why do you think their OS is free, why do you think they don't care about this? because as long as companies like motorola, htc, etc. run android they'll make money. In my opinion its less for them to worry about. Nexus one set a standard and showed what androids OS can & is capable of.

[iBuferd Posted Apr 26th 2010 8:28PM]

@haan
Exactly, and in some markets that DO NOT have a good Android selection like Vodaphone, They are making the Nexus One available. It just makes sense to keep your hardware makers happy if they are using your OS.

[etwashoo2 Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:14PM]

@cherryboom

We win big 3 times and you fail hard once. Don't take it so hard..

[derek533 Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:19PM]

@cherryboom

Find me one person who has bought all 3 phones. Can't do it I bet. Those of us who did leave Apple (myself, I had a 2g iPhone and switched to the Droid) are happy with our decisions. A car dock, multimedia dock and game gripper later (all at very reasonable prices mind you and not $30 for a stupid usb dongle), I am extremely satisfied with my phone and plan on keeping it until my contract is up. There is literally nothing it doesn't do and do well. I find myself using my Droid 10x more than I ever did my iPhone. It is that much better IMO.

Also, even though some people might actually buy a new phone every month to keep up, it's not necessary at all and as mentioned before, the development and mod community keeps the older phones current. It's hard to say the same for Apple as long as Jobs will keep bending over each developer giving him/her the business for coming up with something creative that doesn't fit into Apple's controlling nature i.e. wireless syncing with iTunes which should have been included from the very get go (see today's front engadget page).

Also, all these precious features coming to the iPhone (which for a smartphone, should have been included on the very first iPhone) are only as a result of competition from Android making Apple up their game.

Don't be an iDouche okay?

[etwashoo2 Posted Apr 26th 2010 5:25PM]

@derek533

Commented later on how sucky the US market is for phones...but why not buy a new phone every month? In Europe, every phone works on every network and most are unlocked. I just buy one on sale, use it a few months and flip it on eBay for a new one. I'm on prepaid with prepaid data - the freedom is amazing. Sync up my google contacts and mail and calendar and I'm go to go in 15 minutes of geting a new phone.

[penguin45 Posted Apr 26th 2010 8:05PM]

Verizon canned it due to hardware problems. Decided not to go with it. Get over it, life goes on.