By Warning: This is a rumor and ONLY a rumor coming from an anonymous source through AndroidAndMe and should be taken as just that – a rumor.
Google is clearly hoping to do some “different” things with the Nexus One Google Phone, especially in terms of altering the status quo in terms of distribution. If their efforts are to be successful though, the phone will have to be affordable. It might cost $199 without the need to sign any carrier contract according to the A&M rumor.
Would that do the trick for you? Here is exactly what the tipster had to say:
1.) It’s going to be $199, subsidized by Google. That is pretty game changing from a cell phone sales perspective. Sounds like Google is going to make a big push to get a good Android handset into as many people’s hands as possible.
2.) They are apparently working on some new 3D UI elements for Android.
3.) GSM at first, CDMA version will follow.
Meanwhile, ABC News is reporting that the Nexus One will be made available through T-Mobile as early as January 5th which is right around the corner. Could that $199 be a price only for those signing up through T-Mobile? If so, who would be subsidizing the device? Could it possibly be $199 without any contract?
At what price point would you make the plunge and call yourself an owner of the world’s first “Google Phone”?
I would get this phone if that was the case. I could use it initially with my AT&T and when that is up I can jump over to T-Mobile with their much better plan. We shall see what happens. :)
Is the other story true Rob? Do you own the http://www.htcpassion.com url?
Haters are coming if you don’t address this.
I’m in. I can’t wait!
For $200, even upto $300, I would buy it even if it didn’t work on ATT’s 3G as I am month to month. The price to import a Canadian Android device with ATT 3G is nuts right now. Getting the pure google experience is worth it for that price even on Edge.
If it rocks the ATT 3G at $200, I’m all in. I need an android phone post haste, and I don’t have $700 laying around for an imported Milestone.
Talk about sounding too good to be true! If it was $200 for an unlocked gphone subsidized by Google, I would sleep outside in pouring rain to get my hands on one! $300 and I would buy it, $400 and I’ll think long and hard about it, but still probably buy it. $500 and I will probably through it on a credit card. :P
Not excited by this nor any other phone without a physical keyboard.
I would buy this phone tomorrow at $199.99 !!!
Make it happen Google..
if + Keyboard = instance win!!!
I like the last line.
3.) GSM at first, CDMA version will follow.
I would love a CDMA version (Sprint) of this phone. I would buy it instantly. But I would never go back to Tmobile and AT&T’s 3g. network.
I would get this phone in the waiting for something different. But I think it is worth $200 to finally get a phone that I don’t have to sign my life away for. Get this and then sign up with T-mobile’s no contract plan and save another $10 a month and I’m all there. Keyboard would be nice. But this would do it for now for sure. Especially with Android 2.1 on it.
I would buy it if it was $200 and it worked for AT&T. I doubt that I would consider getting it for more than $250. It looks like a nice phone but I feel like all the HTC android devices are starting to look the same I wish it was more of an original phone design instead of a droid touch screen with a mytouch,droid Eris, or htc hero hybrid form factor.(I’m glad they didn’t put a chin on the phone). I can almost gurantee that the things that will hold this phone back from being better than the iPhone is the missing features , camera, and carrier if it only comes out on t-mobile.since this a google product I have no doubt that they will mostly likely cater to it and won’t but forth as much as an effort on other android devices. So most of the bugs and problems with the phone will be adressed. Hopefully this phone will come out in many colors and will be customizable on the outside.
$199 price point would make me, my wife and my brother all buy one on the first day :)
I wonder if AT&T would allow for internet-only plans– I’d like to try using just google voice for a while :)
But are we talking data only and voip, or just another data/voice combo?
And if data only with voip, how much per month? I read somewhere that Voip plans cost $60-70 monthly.
at $200 I will probably join those out in rain or snow to get an unlocked one of these.
@Peter
If you check T-Mobile, you can get a Data only plan for $40 a month.
I’ve been holding out for a good phone to come along on t-mobile. I almost bought a cliq but didn’t think it was enough of an upgrade to buy it. Since I just signed a no-contract agreement with t-mobile I don’t get a discount on phones anyway and 200 bucks sounds like a smokin deal to me
Oh no you didn’t. Don’t get a brother’s hopes up like that.
So, will the CDMA version work with Verizon? Do you have any idea how long it will take for that to be released after the GSM version?
I wish, I wish SO HARD!!!
Please let it be.
This screen looks to be pretty tall/wide in landscape. I MIGHT let the lack of a physical keyboard slide if I could type comfortably on this. If that worked out I think I’d jump on it. I’d really like to move up from my G1. Cyanogen breathed new life into it but unfortunately that has been quite unstable for me and my cell phone is my lifeline. I think something is up with my hardware.
@swehes
That is my most sincere hope right now. But the remark I mentioned makes me wonder if voip puts some other kind of demand on a network, requiring or at least justifying a different price set up.
I guess the question is, with the Google phone, will current rates apply or will they come up with something different for data only?
Can someone please elaborate on this microSD expansion slot? Isn’t this the same as every other Android phone or does it have onboard memory >4GB + microSD?
I would get this in a heartbeat if that was the case! Well, a heartbeat when the CDMA version is available for use on Sprint.
I would really like this on Verizon. ..but hey, I’m about fed up with Verizon stubborness. I would get this pronto.
A no-contract T-mobile plan helps. Haven’t heard anything good about AT&T’s network.
I just picked up a Droid last Friday night, been enjoying it over the weekend. But I’m leaning more and more towards returning it in my 30 day window. My other phone is with TMo on a big family plan (through my parents). Jumping to Verizon on my own is hurting the wallet. That, and there’s a couple things I’m not thrilled with on the Droid: keyboard (tried using it, not great, been preferring on-screen instead) and the weight (damn thing is HEAVY!).
I’ll be jumping all over this if it comes out at $200, available for TMo use. And the more I read about it, the more likely that the Droid is going back well before the 30 days are up.
all in here, just not crazy about T-Mobile. The coverage for 3G is still low. I would activate an AT&T account probably. I wonder if you need a oice plan with this phone or is it all data and GV works on a VOIP connection…hmmmmmm
if all this is true id buy 3 on launch day and even pay the cancellation fee to cancel my existing contracts
Keep the carrier hate to a minimum… You are entitled to hate any, but it matters not if the phone works on them all… The question is…does it? What GSM freqs? Please let us know!
Realistically, $199 has to be a subsidized price for new customers or renewal of an out-of-contract line. Look at the history… MyTouch 3G $199 at debut. G1 same deal. There might be some kind of early-access program for existing/long term customers like there was with both of these phones… but I cant see Google giving away money.
For touchscreen haters… Think about the ubiquity of T9 predictive text and then mash that with a touchscreen, you get Swype: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKMpEyS94RA&feature=fvw Not to mention voice to text…
$200 for an unlocked Android device? that is impossible but I would love to see it happen
@Peter
Link for the T-mobile plan is the following:
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Internet-Email-cell-phone-plan&WT.z_unav=mst_shop_plans_internet
They have a plan for
$29.99 for 200 MB and no messaging.
$39.99 for unlimited Data and Messaging
$49.99 for 5GB for USB stick and computer.
With T-mobile’s current plans, I don’t see that it will change. I mean. This seems to be the plans for the other phones. Only Blackberry and Sidekick has different plans. Maybe we need to contact T-mobile to ask. But then the question will be if we do will they raise the plan because they don’t want to loose out? Don’t know. However of the big 4 T-mobile seems to be more for the customer. Only they don’t charge you extra for tethering with your phone (well. Sprint may not). T-mobiles net is growing and they just put a new tower close to my in-laws where I use my phone second most.
I am going to sleep with her everyday.
I would so buy this. As far as CDMA version I’d only wait for it if it was going to be dual band so I could use it overseas.
I have a HTC Hero (GSM version)and I’m just waiting for my 2.1 update any minute now. I know it wont make any sense to upgrade to this Google Nexus but come on, $200. That super super great. I will ditch my hero in a minute for this phone. Even though it will be running on the same 2.1 firmware as the future update for the Hero, it has a bigger screen, 3G will work with my T-mobile plan and much more. I will even go out my way and buy a 2nd nexus for my sister so that she can get rid of that ugly slow HTC Magic. I hope this is truth cause i will deferentially buy in a heart beat.
$199? Sweet, I will buy one with the money Bill Gates gave me for forwarding that email around for Microsoft to track many years ago.
$200 – if it works on Verizon- I would do naked handstands in time square – ok maybe not – but I would certainly buy it today.
I don’t believe it. But if it’s true and works on AT&T, I’ll be there in the rain with the rest of y’all getting one for me and the wifey.
But can someone tell me what the TRUE Google experience means. To my eyes, add-ons (primarily HTC SenseUI) have only improved the experience. The way I understand it, the Moto Droid is about as pure of an Android experience available right now, and it seems lacking compared with all the HTC bits.
I would pay that price for a GSM unlocked Android anyday…
$400.00 would woo me!
… but then, I’d probably get a Moto Droid on Verizon for $199 if they ripped out the slide-out keyboard and made it a solid slab.
It sounds too good to be true, especially the part that Google would be subsidizing it – if so it would be incredibly costly, even for Google. But if it really costs 199 it would be just amazing.
BTW does anybody have an idea what is a manufacturing cost of a smartphone like this?
Would be great!
Here in Austria (Europe) the 3G Network coverage is nearly 98 %.
GSM/UMTS/HSDPA Version would be great.
Would also by it for 500 € !!!
I so want this phone. I am glad I turned my Motorola Droid in after 30 days. I am back on T-Mobile with my old Motorola RIZR and I miss Android. This phone will make it all worth the wait.
If its $199, I will get it without even thinking about it. Maybe even 2.
I guess I am missing something, besides this being the gPhone what makes it better then the Motorola Droid? (Minus keyboard responses).
damn i cannot wait to cancel my sprint contract to get this. by the time the nexus comes out, therell be no point in waiting for sprint to update the hero especially at this price point. i will be sleeping/waiting in the snow and take off work for this. sprints change in the T&C couldnt have come at a better time. thank you sprint!!!
@ Dean
Yes I cancelled a new Verizon contract as soon as this story broke. I’m back on at&t with a minimum plan, minimum phone, hoping this is my chance. I can dig the $200 price tag (may have to convince my wife), but I’m still waiting to see what the plans end up costing and what shape they will take.
Hoping for affordable data only voip that leverages Google Voice to the max.
@Terry
the 1GHZ processor
Do you guys see what Google is doing here???
They are changing the GAME ENTIRELY!!! No more complaining about your carrier not having your phone. They are about to release this top of the line (SUPER PHONE if you will) available to everyone for $199. Then you sign up with whichever carrier you want.. This is monumental people.. This is what i’ve been wanting for years, and I’m on AT&T. I know people on other carriers have definitely been wanting this, because for some reason some people want the iblown. I really hope this all turns out as good as it’s shaping up and we’re not all let down. I love google with all their innovation and it seems like they are the ones that other companies are about to be chasing after for years to come..
GO GOOGLE GO!!!
@@the_real_newman – I thought I read it was clocked at 600Mhz not at 1Ghz
It doesn’t need a keyboard. IT HAS BUILT IN VOICE RECOGNITION.
Its about time they come out with something worth trading my G1 in for!!! Ill be pre-ordering this one no matter the price.
@Terry
The differences
– It’s on GSM (now I know Milestone is as well but for the US that is a difference)
– $200 without contract *Still just a rumor* (Cheaper plan with T-mobile for non contract)
– Thinner than any current phone, or at least the Hero
– Running Android 2.1 (Means a nice upgrade)
– The phone is rooted already
As for the hardware we don’t know what it has except for the bands. Looking forward to the specs.
As for the Droid. I would love to get it. But I’m not willing to go over to Verizon as I travel to Europe to see family and want to be able to just switch the SIM card in my phone, which this phone will let me do.
In other words. FREEDOM! :)
At this price, and if I can just sign up for a data plan and rely exclusively on VOIP, it almost, ALMOST gets to the point where it makes financial sense to go ahead and cancel my current 2-year and eat the penalty.
At $199 I would buy the phone and just swap the SIM out of my WM phone for my personal use. I would need to keep a WM device until Google fixes the exchange security issues but man this looks cool.
$199? I’ll buy it today!
i don’t understand the deal with a 1GHz (or any faster for that matter) processor. how much of a difference is it going to make? it’s not going to deliver emails any faster. it’s not going to update facebook or twitter or football scores any quicker. the bottleneck (IMO) is still the network. sure, games would run better, and maybe video and graphics. but i have a computer for that. and a laptop. and a wii and ps3. do i need to switch between running apps and my home screen 2/5 of a second faster? a correction and/or explanation would be wonderful!
I don’t know why some people aren’t ecstatic this phones got a snapdragon processor, and its bloody cheap(by phone standards) like come on 200 dollars, and its unlocked. If this does come true I sure as hell am gonna import it to Canada, by any means possible.
It costs $150 to manufacture such a device. They would NOT be loosing any money selling it at $199 unlocked. I think Google is even going to subsidize it down to $100 for Google users. I post my speculations here: http://armdevices.net/2009/12/14/more-of-my-speculation-on-google-phone-nexus-one-hardware-and-services-pricing/
I would have already gotten the droid if it didn’t have the keyboard or if the keyboard didn’t suck at least. I am gonna hold off until Verizon offers something comparable to the droid without the physical keyboard….
Does anyone know when something like this will drop?
If this doesn’t come to the UK im going to be mega pissed , would I be able to import a US phone to work in the UK ?
@Aliboy
yes it should as long as it’s a GSM-based network, i think all carriers in europe are GSM based. As for the 3g, you have to read the specs and best thing to ask your carrier whether the listed 3g bands are supported or not
andrew: games and video are a pretty big deal. :)
@Aliboy
If the other post is to be trusted when it comes to the bands, it supports 850/1700/1900.
Europe uses 2100 which excludes 3G to be used in Europe.
I can almost gurantee you that they(tmobile) won’t get it! They are not smart enough to go for it,they’d rather the cliq than a hero!! Idiots so whom ever is smart enough to get this phone(damn I don’t even know the specs!!! Lol)I want it. I’m tired of my g1 I want and upgrade but there aren’t any good or even solid replacements for this phone.I can’t be the one hoping to do an upgrade from their g1.
If it is $199 w/no contract, it will be interesting to see the plummeting price drops for everyone selling unlocked phones on sites like ebay. Kind of hard to believe the iphone 2g are still selling for $200+ on ebay.
$199 will only be WITH a contract!! Sorry.
The ABC article does say that it might be out as early as Jan. 5th, though…
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9333009
If it runs on T-Mobile 3G, has a hi-res screen and a good virtual keyboard, up to $500. At $200 or even $300 I’m buying a pair no matter what.
Put it on the Sprint network, Google, I’ll buy it immediately.
THIS IS GREAT!
THEY SHOULD GO THAT ROUTE AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE!
CANT WAIT!!!
So excited to ditch Verizon!
I live in downtown San Diego and T-Mobile has 3G all over. I’ve done my research and hopefully we’ll get 21 Mbps HSPA + next year. I know a lot of people who use T-Mobile down here and they have good things to say about them.
I like how T-Mobile actually gives us a rate plan discount by using our own phone. I plan on porting my number over and getting one of their new EM + plans with unlimited text and data. I don’t talk that much so the 500 AT minute plan with unlimited nights, weekends and M2M is more than enough for me.
Stoked…….
Either HTC is making this phone using very inexpensive parts or Google may be planning on eating (a potentially big)loss if they’re subsidizing it themselves. Normally $200 would not even cover the cost of parts. This could be a smart move to get Android out there in a big way, but deals like that (unlocked, $200) can’t last long.
please!!!!!!! people i am tired of some of you guys writing about it not having a keyboard. It doesnt have a keyboard!!!! We see that, and most of us still love that about it. I have a 3GS right now and let me tell you, multitouch keyboards do it for me. Hopefully the gPhone will have multitouch at least on the keyboard. But people please just go to a Droid article if you want to talk about the usefulness of a physical keyboard. I have been waiting for an android phone with a large screen and a decent processor and RAM. Go Google!
I think the $199 would be with carrier subsidy. Otherwise, what’s to stop you buying them as iPod Touch replacements?
Google would be wasting a lot of money if they were paying a couple of hundred dollars per phone in subsidy when the Verizon Droid are selling reasonably well (as would this phone with a normal contract).
also……for people talking about 200 for an unlocked phone of this caliber is impossible, consider this…. iphone 3gs cost between 175 and 200 to make (i forgot where i read that). true google would not be making any money if they sold it at that price point, but google made and makes their money in advertizing. They will find some way to hit you with ads!!!. think about it…you’ve never had to pay for google software Gmail, Maps, Docs etc… The Android OS SDK is free. So making a device cheap for consumers is not far fetched. But i bet somehow ADs will play a big roll in the subsidy if there is a subsidy.
@Noby
“$199 will only be WITH a contract!! Sorry.”
I wouldn’t bet on that, Google wishes to kick some cellular ass and is gonna go for the gusto.
I’ll take a CDMA version, and IF Sprint allows such a thing to be activated on their precious network, I’d buy two on the spot immediately even if they cost over $400 each!
I see this will have 2.1. I speculate that the OTA update for the Droid will be 2.1.
I guess I could go back to AT&T but I was having to many issues with connections with my BB. I might just wait until a CDMA version come out, which will probably be better then this phone since it will come out after the GSM version (minus being GSM of course).
Google is moving down in the stack to challenge B2C opponents with an open architecture and new sets of standards. In creating a post-revenue business model, Google can only manage success if consumers accept a co-branding and outsourced manufactured device … NQ Logic recommends reading about the rest of the new Google’s mobile strategy at http://www.nqlogic.com
I want the CDMA version :'(
I hope Google will focus on driving down the phone plan cost rather than driving down the device cost.
At the current moment, plan cost is far bigger than the device cost.
” At what price point would you make the plunge and call yourself an owner of the world’s first “Google Phone”? ”
At this point, I do not care how much the device cost as long as the phone plan is cheap. I am willing to shell out as much as $700-800 bucks for the phone. But I am not willing to pay $60-70 per month for the phone plan. I want something like $30 per month for voice + unlimited data. If that is not possible, I would be willing to take a data-only device without voice ($25-30 for unlimited data with no voice).
I’m in line waiting for the sale! $199??? that’s a drop in the bucket for a product that looks like this one does and is SUPPLIED BY GOOGLE! I’m all over it!! I want it NOW!
Just had a thought…with the resources GOOGLE has, would it be possible??? Could it be possible??? that GOOGLE could be NOT ONLY THE SUPPLIER, BUT THE PROVIDER AS WELL??? I know that lines are open to all sorts of providers through AT&T, VERIZON, SPRINT, T-MOBILE even though they don’t want you to know…I could/would go for that! ALL IN ONE, CELL PHONE BUILDER/PROVIDER AND SERVICE PROVIDER! Ah is this HEAVEN??
People are so ready to fellate Google, but stop and think how far Google is potentially overreaching. They’ve never sold a piece of hardware before, other than some hardware search device to companies. Does Google even have a customer service infrastructure setup to deal with device and service issues? Google has yet to prove they can do anything apart from information aggregation. Google Gears? Google Video? Google Answers? All massive flops, with the latest overhyped mess being Google Wave.
This is a bold move, and potentially a game-changer, but just as easily a gigantic failure too.
“Just had a thought…with the resources GOOGLE has, would it be possible??? Could it be possible??? that GOOGLE could be NOT ONLY THE SUPPLIER, BUT THE PROVIDER AS WELL??? I know that lines are open to all sorts of providers through AT&T, VERIZON, SPRINT, T-MOBILE even though they don’t want you to know…I could/would go for that! ALL IN ONE, CELL PHONE BUILDER/PROVIDER AND SERVICE PROVIDER! Ah is this HEAVEN??”
and that, sir, is what is called a monopoly
which, i might add, is illegal.
In the US, monopolies aren’t illegal. They’re only illegal if you use monopolistic power to do “bad things”. Google is only a monopoly because we make them so. We’re the ones that are choosing to use Google’s services (usually because they’re superior to the alternatives).
Plans and coverage.
If my monthly bill is $160… You think I give a crap about a $200 device cost? Or even a $350 ETF?
RATE PLANS AND COVERAGE! That is what it is all about. If google can work some deal to just have AWESOME SERVICE and a GREAT RATE PLAN, well then it all makes sense. If I have to buy the phone then still pay $160 a month to get a signal… Its not that different from just getting it from the service provider. Wanna change to T-Mobile, sweet. go ahead and change over. Use it anywhere but smack in the middle of the city and you will be right back at another carrier with higher rate plans.
The plan and coverage may be an issue to some places in the US but if Google is going international with this.. which is seems like they are.. then the low device cost is what it needs. The plans are going to be different EVERYWHERE.. not much Google can do about that.. A cheap unlocked phone with all the features I’m hearing about sounds amazing.
yeah plans are way different here in the UK. I pay £35 a month, got my HTC Magic (MyTouch)free and just pay £35 a month which includes 600 mins free talktime to mobile and landline numbers oh and 250 free texts. I got it when it was new to the market back in June 09.
In the UK people NEVER …. well maybe sometimes pay anything for actually getting a phone so i don’t know how this would work over here, can’t wait to find out though because i want one!
I’m skeptical. There’s no such thing as an “unlocked” CDMA phone — all phones on Sprint and Verizon must explicitly be allowed access to their networks. Google could sell an unsubsidized Sprint or Verizon phone but they would still need to get permission from the providers for them to work.
The source of this is unknown and for all we know this is just made up. If they had more facts and some type of proof then I might believe it. $200 bucks is what that phone costs in parts, maybe a tad bit difference but not much. AMOLED screens aren’t cheap, neither are new SoC’s like the Snapdragon, plus HTC’s manufacturing costs and all the other pieces that come together to make this. If they do it then congratulations on changing the game, but I’m not holding my breath or getting my hopes up at all.
For all the people who say Google wont sell this phone for $199 because its a bad business model should look at the success of Microsoft and Sony. The xbox and Playstations have always been sold at or below the manufacturing cost. The reason they can afford to keep this model is because they make money on the games and accessories. Now take a phone that is $199 and is unlocked for use on hundreds of wireless carriers around the globe. This phone will fly off the shelves by the 1000’s. Now you have more Android phone in the hands of users, more developers start writing apps for android. All those new android users start buying apps which Google gets a percentage of the sale. Now lets say Google opens a Music site site or offers e-books. Give all this its easy to believe that Google would sell a subsidized device.
This will never happen and to be honest the pages of made up crap about the Nexus One is putting me off Phandroid !
HTC will not undercut their carriers for Google, this is a developer phone like the original G1 was, The Nexus One is a top-of-the-line phone, there is no way Google or HTC will undercut every other phone on the market because it will kill HTC’s deals with carriers and Android before it even began.
WAKE UP AND WISE UP PEOPLE !!!!!
$200 dollars, what is google waiting for.. Release it now and by 5th Jan 2010, they would have sold a well over 100,000 handsets!
HTC makes money by selling their devices, they don’t care if it’s to Tmobile, Sprint, or any other carrier. If Google decides to sign a contract to have HTC make lots of phones, Google is taking the financial risk. At $200 without contract, it’s a smart move for google, getting Android to people and then develope their search/advertising market. They outsource the HW specialty to HTC. GSM coming out first also makes sense too, slap on Quad band GSM and 3G and it’s a phone that works on almost all carriers around the world (except CDMA Verizon & Sprint in the U.S).
This is all very likely. The unlikely part would be if carriers would allow data-only plans, that would be hard to believe since their voice plans are so profitable (bad for us customers). But there’s nothing that they can do if someone buys a $199 Nexus One and uses it on their network. It’s better than not having that customer at all.