Nexus One – A Shift in Marketing

By now you’ve seen it.  The Nexus One announcement from Google.   First up – Google has a new store front up for phone purchases.  The news story is great on many fronts.  The biggest though is the shift in purchasing this phone.  Up until now – if you wanted a new phone – you went to the carriers store.  You browsed the phones they had available and away you went.  Now – Google has decentralized the process.  You go to Google to get your phone.  Then you insert your SIM card or you browse the offers available and chose a provider.   For now – you are limited to T-Mobile.  Google says this will change – Verizon coverage is coming soon.  It wont’ be long to we see additional devices available from Google as well.  It will be interesting to see how the carriers react to this – and how traditional phone manufacturers react as well.