Wal-Mart seems ready to sell Google's Nexus One smartphone, which means cell phone shoppers may finally be able to try it before they buy.
The retail giant has set up a Nexus One landing page on the Web site of Let's Talk, a company that sells wireless service in partnership with Wal-Mart. No price or release date is listed, but Android and Me notes that the supported voice frequencies in Wal-Mart's specs suggest the Nexus One will be available through Sprint, AT&T and Verizon Wireless. It's not clear why T-Mobile, which currently carries the Nexus One for $180 with a two-year contract, is left out.
The Nexus One launched on January 5 after lots of hype due to Google's branding and significant input into the design. The phone was manufactured by HTC. Critics have praised the Nexus One for its design and Android 2.1 mobile operating system -- the latest of any Android phone.
Wal-Mart's landing page for the Nexus One raises more questions than it answers. Will the phone be available in stores, or only through Wal-Mart's Web site? If Google is abandoning its online-only sales strategy, will the phone be sold at other retail stores? Will the current prices and terms -- $180 subsidized, $529 unsubsidized -- apply through Wal-Mart?
One other scenario to consider: What if Google partners up with Straight Talk to sell the Nexus One? The service, a partnership between Wal-Mart and TracFone, launched last year, and was notable for offering cheap plans with no contract obligations. We've heard that Google wants to shake up the wireless industry, but so far we haven't seen anything remarkably different about the Nexus One's pricing.
Speculation aside, what this news most likely means is that you'll be able to try the phone before buying it. Sure, you'd have to brave the crowds at Wal-Mart, but it'll be worth it to learn whether the phone is or isn't right for you.
