Opinion: 3 Reasons Sprint Will NOT Drop the Nexus One
There has been much talk regarding the Sprint version of the Nexus One and whether it will meet the same fate as Verizon’s. Back in March, prior to Sprint’s formal announcement of their support for the Google’s flagship device, I wrote a post entitled “Opinion: What Does Verizon’s Nexus One Mean for Sprint?.” In it, I outlined the many reasons as to why Sprint will be getting the device. Sure enough, I was right.
Since that day, Sprint has confirmed the Nexus One, Verizon has dropped the Nexus One, and I, yet again, have written a post containing the assurance of a Sprint customer support agent, saying that Sprint is still planning to support the device (for whatever that’s worth).
However, in an article entitled “Will the Sprint Google Nexus One be dropped soon too?,” Matthew Miller of ZDNet expresses the possibility of Sprint dropping the device as well. His logic is as follows: Verizon replaced the Nexus One with the HTC Incredible, and therefore, it’s possible that Sprint will replace their Nexus One with the HTC EVO 4G.
In keeping up with my reputation of being right, and with the hopes that the trend continues, I will now give you 3 reasons why Sprint will NOT drop the Nexus One…
- The EVO 4G is an entirely different animal than the Nexus One – For Verizon, releasing the HTC Incredible alongside the Nexus One would have been a terrible mistake, especially from a marketing standpoint. The devices have very similar specs. The only true differentiating factor in the eyes of the consumer would be Sense UI versus stock Android. With the Droid already sporting stock Android, Verizon has no need to cater to that specific market. The Nexus One and HTC Incredible would cannibalize each others sales figures. Verizon releasing both, would have proven to be a mistake. In Sprint’s case, however, the EVO 4G and Nexus One satisfy two, completely separate markets. The EVO 4G has a 4.3″ monstrosity of a screen with a front-facing camera, Sense UI, and media features galore. The Nexus One, on the other hand, has a 3.7″ screen, runs stock Android, and is better suited for developers. Most consumers want to get their hands on a “superphone” these days, but not all of them want a massive screen, as it’s harder to fit in your skinny jeans. There are also many people out there (myself included), who don’t like Sense UI and are willing to forgo future video-chat capabilities for a device that will get the latest Android OS releases without having to wait 6+ months. Sprint understands these things and knows that in order to regain subscribers, they must cater to all types of people. One device can’t please everyone.
- A CDMA version of the Nexus One has already made it through the FCC – Back in February, CellPhoneSignal posted an FCC filing that shows the CDMA version of the Nexus One. Being that devices don’t pass through the FCC without actually existing, it’s safe to say that the phone does exist, and it’s possible, if not likely, that many of them have already been produced. Assuming this is the case, Google has a nice amount of money to lose should they not have an outlet by which to sell the CDMA Nexus One. They would probably accept any carrier offer to relieve them of their stockpile of phones. Perhaps Sprint was given a unique opportunity, back in March, to make a deal to carry the device. Of course, if Google made it worthwhile, they had to take it. Since the device exists, and Sprint is the only CDMA carrier left to support it, Google will ensure that the deal doesn’t fall through.
- Nexus One is still present on Sprint’s developer site - If you visit Sprint’s Android developer site, the Nexus One is still listed, front and center. Sprint has been promoting the phone to developers since their March announcement and has yet to pull it from their site. Why would they continue to lead on the people who are most crucial to the success of the devices they sell if they have no intention of releasing the phone? Developer cooperation is essential for a successful smartphone ecosystem. Sprint’s not stupid. They’re not going to intentionally piss off the boatload of developers that have been salivating over the CDMA Nexus One.