Called the Nexus One, Google will unveil the handset at its Silicon Valley headquarters in America tomorrow, and the device is set to go on sale there from January 12. A UK launch date has not yet been announced, but it is likely to follow early this year.

As increasing numbers of people are using their mobile phones to access the internet, Google has already launched its own mobile phone operating system, called Android, that works on a range of devices. However the Nexus One will be the first handset that the company has designed itself.

Like the iPhone, Android offers fully integrated web-browsing, music and video playing and a large library of applications that users can choose to install to add to their phone’s capabilities. One of the services likely to be available for the first time in America is European-based music service Spotify, which challenges Apple’s iTunes.


The Nexus One has been built by manufacturer HTC, and is rumoured toinclude a larger screen and better camera than those featured on the iPhone. It also offers free satnav capabilities, which are only available for an additional charge on the iPhone.

The handset is likely to cost consumers $179.99 (£111) on a contract with T-Mobile, but will also be available for $529.99 (£324) without any contract tying users to a specific network.

Google’s announcement is timed to challenge the dominance of the world’s largest technology fair, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which takes place this week, and to overshadow Apple’s launch of a tablet computer, which is expected on January 26.

The name Nexus One is a reference to the film Blade Runner, which is reported to have led to the estate of author Philip K Dick threatening to sue Google.

中文相关报道（节选自搜狐IT频道）

据国外媒体报道，谷歌将于今日推出第一款自有品牌智能手机Nexus One。据悉，这款手机由台湾宏达国际电子股份有限公司(HTC)代工。

有媒体披露，Nexus One将采用Android 2.1版操作系统。同iPhone一样使用触摸屏，但屏幕比iPhone稍大，还具有可换电池和增加存储卡的选择，并拥有一枚500万像素的摄像头和可供 Wi-Fi连接的设备。用户能够通过Nexus One访问网页、玩视频游戏、使用谷歌提供的免费GPS导航软件，还可以通过语音命令搜索网络，该设备的有趣之处就在于可以随时随地访问网络博客。

据悉，Nexus One将通过网络发售，未绑约的售价为530美元，绑约则卖180美元，每个谷歌账户限买5部。这款手机最初将在美国出售。而销售文件明确表示，手机可以运到美国以外，但有可能需要课税，金额视有关国家或地区规定。