Apple’s business model in selling and promoting their iOS mobile operating system has been quite successful and despite a myriad of Android smartphones on the shelves, the iPhone continues to hold its own.
So it’s no surprise that Google has announced that it will now offer a direct-to-consumer model smartphone. Yes, the GSM Galaxy Nexus is now on sale in the Google Play store at the quite competitive price point of $399. The smartphone is compatible with Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T and supports their respective HSPA+ networks.
Android chief Andy Rubin wrote on the company’s mobile blog that there will be a new “Devices” section in the Google Play store. To start off though, it will only be available for U.S. consumers. “We’ve worked with developers and content partners to launch Google Play, offering more than 500,000 apps, millions of songs and books, and thousands of movies. And we’ve implemented new customer support services to improve the purchasing experience on Google Play,” Rubin wrote. “We’ve taken all of this into consideration in designing Devices on Google Play.”
Google’s decision to branch out and modify their business model only makes sense. The iPhone has always had the advantage of being sold directly from the makers to the consumer, an advantage Apple has now lost. I fully expect Google to roll out additional models as the company continues to rebrand with Google Play.