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1 March 2010

Rachel on do we finally have an iPhone killer in the Nexus One?

 By Rachel Hawkes

.net magazine asks Elemental's Rachel Hawkes for views on Google's new phone the Nexus One. Qu'est-ce que c'est? 

Despite countless 'iPhone killers' being launched in the last year or two, could Google's Nexus One be the real deal?

Rachel's comment:

"We are not just talking about the handsets here, we are talking about the whole consumer experience, which includes the app store, payment and customer services, and developer support.

There is a rush of developers creating content for the platform, however some reports say that up to 70+ % of the apps are for free, and developers are perhaps going to struggle to generate revenue from the app store, as consumers will expect content to be for free.

There is also the quality issue, Google are doing minimal testing and basically allowing self-certification for apps, whereas there is a reasonably thorough test and screening process (too thorough?) for the Apple app store. This could have a negative impact on the chance of repeat purchase for consumers.

Apple has a very strong brand, though a significant number of consumers are finding the iPhone to "main stream" and are looking for some individuality, and the Nexus One may be able to take advantage of this.

One of the most important questions though is one consumer price point, and how Google manage the network operator relationships, some leaks have priced in at $530 without contract, and with a T-mobile US contract it is supposed to be at $180. Though these figures have not been confirmed, this is significantly more expensive than the iPhone.

The price point and the app developer proposition aren't yet where they need to be, but I can't see Google sitting on their laurels."

Rachel's feedback first appeared in .net print magazine (issue 199 in March 2010).  See Tim's response to the question here.

Categories: Technology, News, Marketing, Elemental

Tags: .net, .net big question, Q&A, mobile, Google, Google Nexus, smartphones, iPhone, iPhone killers, rachel hawkes