Nexus One Google phone seems to exist

This is still a rumor, but more media outlets, including WSJ (subscription), are reporting that Google is indeed designing an Android device called Nexus One that will be sold without a plan. This would suggest that it is a GSM phone. Google is currently providing the operating system to handset makers like HTC or Motorola, and it’s not clear how they will react to the fact that Google is designing a phone. They have probably been briefed at the highest level already.

Some speculate that Google is heading in this direction so that it can control the user experience from end-to-end. However, having control is one thing, creating good design is another. Can a company of geeks can take on a company that is fanatical about design and user interface? It seems hard, but it’s worth trying.

Related: Tweet about the “Google phone” by an employee