Big mistake on Sprint's part in my opinion. With Verizon bailing on the Nexus One, Sprint had a unique opportunity to one-up them by offering both the Nexus One and the higher-end EVO 4G. As it stands now, Sprint has no offering comparable to the Incredible (EVO is bulkier and has a front-facing camera, HDMI out, and other things that may not interest mainstream consumers).
Plus the Android 2.1 stock user interface is reportedly better than SenseUI (which may not have been the case for Android 1.5). Now users are FORCED to use SenseUI.
Not two months ago, Sprint announced that it would carry Google’s Nexus One, an HTC device that Google was showcasing as part of its direct-to-consumer sales effort. Today, the word is that Sprint has changed its mind.
HTC Evo 4G
A Sprint spokeswoman tells Gizmodo that the company would instead be focusing its efforts around the launch of the Evo 4G, another HTC device powered by Google’s Android mobile OS and one that’s capable of using both 3G and 4G signals. Still weeks away, the Evo 4G is already getting some good blog love. (Gallery)
It sounds an awful lot like what happened with Verizon and its decision to dump the Nexus One in favor of the Droid Incredible, a very similar device that was being sold directly by Verizon instead of Google. I was very happy to see the Incredible replace the Nexus One for Verizon and I’ll say the same about Evo 4G on Sprint.
My only reason for feeling this way: Google shouldn’t be in the business of selling phones.
I’m not looking for an “I told you so.” Instead, I’d just like to see Google pull the plug on this model once and for all. Google tried to reinvent the mobile phone sales model - there’s no harm in that. But it just wasn’t the right time or the right approach. It should cut its losses and stay focused on what’s more important, making the Android OS better and better with every version and building that ecosystem of Android-powered devices so consumers can have their choice of the carrier as well as the look and feel of different devices.
Google needs to move on already. The carriers are making it easier to do.
