Despite the rumors and leaks and the enthusiastic launch at CES 2010, the Nexus One is not selling like hot cakes… Is this the price Google has to pay for introducing to the market the first of a new kind, i.e. a Superphone?

Image not in scale

Flurry has posted the results of a research showing how the first week launch sells of Google’s Nexus One have been ridiculous compared to some competing smartphones, namely Apple iPhone 3GS, Motorola Droid and myTouch 3G. Comparing the data available (shown below) you see that iPhone 3GS sold more than 80 times more, the Droid 12 times more and also the myTouch was more successful, with 3 times the first week sells of the Nexus.

Image courtesy of Flurry

How can this be, given that the new Google phone has a huge screen, the latest version of the new Android and several Google-ties on it?

Many are the explanations given for the Nexus One defiance:

• people have already bought their devices for holiday time;
• Google advertising was subpar, mainly based on Internet alone;
• the Superphone has already been reported to be affected by annoying issues (e.g. unstable 3G signal);
• people are waiting for Apple announcement of the new generation of iPhone and they maybe hope to see a preview at the Apple event planned for the end of January (who said iTablet?).

Add to this the early termination fee can be outrageously high, as you have to pay both the carrier and Google, as stated in the Nexus Terms of Sale:

You agree to pay Google an equipment subsidy recovery fee (the “Equipment Recovery Fee”) equal to the difference between the full price of the Nexus handheld device without service plan and the price you paid for the Nexus handheld device if you cancel your wireless plan prior to 120 days of continuous wireless service. For example, if the full price of the Nexus handheld device without service plan was $529 USD and the price you paid for the Nexus handheld device was $179 USD with a service plan, the Equipment Recovery Fee you pay will be $350 USD in the event you cancel within the first 120 days of carrier service. The Equipment Recovery Fee is equal to the line item in your confirmation email setting forth the discount on the full priced Nexus handheld device related to your carrier service plan activation. You authorize Google to charge the Equipment Recovery Fee directly to your credit card, or other payment method used to purchase the Nexus handheld device, upon cancellation of your wireless plan. You will not be charged the Equipment Recovery Fee if you return your Nexus handheld device to Google within the 14 day Return Policy period as set forth below.

While all the above explanations are reasonable, the deal breaker for me is that the Nexus One is available for purchase only online at the new Google Phone webpage.

Sorry, but I can’t buy a smartphone I don’t try. How am I supposed to make my purchase decision blindly, with no feeling on how the phone is behaving in my hand. Is it heavy, bulky and cheap looking, or instead is it well balanced for me, right in my hand and sexy to my eyes?

Yes, I want to try how I feel the device, and estimate if and how it will be working for me. I stress here, not for others, but for me. I recently bought an unlocked HTC Touch Pro2, and even if don’t like the idea of going to a Windows Mobile device, I was able to test it in the store and it turned out that I liked it… And purchased it!!

As an ending note, while I understand the comparison with the two Android devices on the list (the myTouch 3G and Motorola Droid), I think is not fair to make a comparison with the iPhone 3GS. Apple’s smartphone has set itself as the de facto reference platform in terms of usability and success, and the release of iPhone 3GS was the third time for Apple at selling a smartphone, and Apple has a certain experience in developing and selling devices and OS’s.

I hope to find the Nexus One in stores soon, maybe I will give it a try.

Via: Flurry

Via: Slashgear

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