Google prepares to unveil iPhone-killer

Will the HTC Nexus One be an iPhone-killer?

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Tuesday, 05, Jan 2010 01:52

By Alex Plough

Ever since the launch of Android, Google's open-source operating system, rumours of a Google smart-phone have surfaced as quickly as they have been denied by the search engine giant.

But in press conference later today Google will finally launch one of the worst kept secrets in tech-land, its very own iPhone-killer, the HTC Nexus One, better known as 'the Google Phone'.

The fully touch-screen device has been designed by HTC, a company with a close relationship with Google, and represents a leap in technology and software from the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, released in October 09.

The exact specifications are unconfirmed, but one Google developer revealed that the device will feature the very latest Android 2.1 software, a 1-GHz Snapdragon processor and a high-resolution, 3.7-inch OLED screen.

According to the technology website Engadget, it will have 512MB of RAM and an expandable 4GB microSD card, making the device one of the fastest smart-phones currently available.

But perhaps the most important feature for recession-hit technophiles will be price, and the Nexus One is not cheap.

Leaked documents suggest that an unlocked device will retail in America for $530 (around £330). However, if you sign up to a two year contact with T-Mobile for $80 a month (around £50), the price of the handset will be reduced to $180 (just over £110).

Precise details of the launch, including the final prices and information on when it will go on sale in Britain, should be confirmed in a press conference later today.

While the Nexus One is a direct challenge to Apple's iPhone, the timing of the announcement is clearly a snub towards it's rival, with Apple expected to announce its new touch-screen computer at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday.