The phone announced Tuesday had been widely anticipated since Google handed out the device, called the Nexus One, to its own employees three weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Consumers will be able to buy the Nexus One for $179 if they commit to a two-year service contract with T-Mobile USA. The phone is going on sale Tuesday online.<\/p>\n
Google also will offer versions of the Nexus One that will give people the option of selecting the wireless networks of other major carriers. That’s a departure from the way most mobile phones have been sold in the U.S.<\/p>\n
The price of these so-called “unlocked” phones will be $529.<\/p>\n
Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and Vodafone in Europe will begin offering subsidies on the Nexus One this spring, according to Google executives.<\/p>\n
The Nexus One escalates Google’s budding rivalry with former Silicon Valley ally, Apple Inc., which has sold more than 30 million iPhones in the past 2 1\/2 years. Apple announced a deal Tuesday to buy mobile advertising service Quattro Wireless to counter Google’s proposed $750 acquisition of Quattro rival AdMob.<\/p>\n