WMPoweruser.com has posted a nice little comparison chart (copied below) pitting the HTC HD2 with Windows Mobile 6.5 against the Google Nexus One with Android 2.1. In sum, the comparison shows these two "Snapdragon superphones" phones appear fairly evenly matched, leaving me to wonder:

What do you think is the real significance of the Nexus One launch? Is Google's "superphone" just another handset, or does it represent something more?

For me, the most interesting suggestion comes from TechCrunch, which argues that the phone is nowhere near as important as the distribution model Google is following - choose your phone first, then choose your carrier. Essentially, TC says, this takes away some of the power of the carrier lock-in in the US, and transfers more power and choice to consumers and device makers.

This is basically the same argument the folks at IntoMobile are making. Here's a compelling excerpt from their piece about the Nexus One launch:

The Nexus One announcement, boring as it may have been since most everything of importance has already been leaked weeks in advance, ushered in a new way for Americans to purchase their devices.

Buying a mobile phone unlocked is the norm in Europe. Picking which operator you want for said device is considered the obvious next step too since all operators offer the same devices, but most people just go the unlocked route anyway, pay full unsubsidized retail prices, and then simply purchase a SIM card.

And Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet says simply, "With Nexus One, Google paves the way for a Microsoft-branded phone."

In Microsoft’s case, we know the company is trying to tighten the reins on partners to improve the end-to-end Windows Mobile experience. Microsoft — whether by Microsoft choice or by partner defection — is working with fewer mobile-phone makers more closely, sharing chassis designs with them and getting them to build more closely to Microsoft-provided specs. The result, at least in theory, is future  Windows Phones running Windows Mobile might actually use some of the Microsoft-provided user-interface and service elements.

What do you think? And what about the future of Windows Mobile? Do you see changes coming in the way Windows phones are built and sold? Or did Microsoft already pioneer the type of multi-device, multi-carrier, international distribution model that Google is following?

	HTC HD2	HTC Nexus One
Operating system	Windows Mobile 6.5	Android 2.1
Processor	1 Ghz Snapdragon	1Ghz Snapdragon
RAM	448 MB	512 MB
ROM	512 MB	512 MB
Screen	4.3 inch TFT, Capacitive	3.7 inch AMOLED, Capacitive
Multi-touch	Yes	No
Size	120.5 x 67 x 11 mm	119 x 59.8 x 11.5
Weight	157g	130 g
Battery	1230 mAH	1400 mAH
Battery life	Talk time 5.3 hours on 3G Standby 390 hours on 3G	Talk time 7 hours on 3G Standby 250 hours on 3G
Camera	5 megapixel with Dual LED Flash	5 megapixel with LED Flash
Video	640×480 at 30 fps	720×480 pixels at 20 fps
Connectors	3.5mm headphone, microUSB	3.5mm headphone, microUSB
Control	5 hardkeys, volume keys	4 softkeys, illuminated trackball, volume keys
Additional features	proximity sensor, digital compass, car cradle	proximity sensor, digital compass, dual microphone

In the end the device does not appear to be either very ground breaking or much more super than existing devices, including the HTC HD2, and the new additions to the UI strangely serve to bring it closer to the HTC Sense and again not very groundbreaking.

news to me that in europe most phones are sold unlocked.

here in the UK most phones are sold locked to a service provider - seeing as they are subsidising the phone - they like you to pay for their services too!

@Shadowfixeruk

Welcome to the Connection!

Shadowfixeruk:

here in the UK most phones are sold locked to a service provider

Here in the USA it is pretty much the same way.  But here an unlocked phone doesn't make much sense.  We have four nation wide providers.  Two of the providers use one radio technology and the other two use another. Unless one happens to have a phone with both types of radios in it then then the phone is only going to have [potential] compatibility with one set of carriers or the others. The two GSM carriers use two different frequencies for their 3G networks as do the CDMA. To date I've only seen one phone that was made to work on 3G for the two GSM carriers. All other phones will work best on the network for which they were manufactured, have a lower experience on the other network with which they have partial compatibility, and no compatibility with the other two networks. So even a locked phone is locked to some degree from the other three networks.

My thoughs on the significance of this release.

For a long time (and even now) Windows Mobile has been the mobile operating system that could, but wouldn't. This was largely due to decisions by carriers and OEMs. Windows mobile devices can do over the air updates, but of the hundreds of Windows Mobile phones manufactured I've only seen two that do this. There's been hardware that has met requirements for the next version of Windows Mobile, but either the OEM or the carrier has decided not to make the next version available.  There have even been instances where carriers have had features on Windows phones disabled or removed if they felt that the feature competed with a service that they were offering. I could make a long list of the things that could be done with Windows Mobile devices but simply arn't done.

Android has run into some of the same things. For example, the HTC Magic can run Android 1.6, but Rogers Canada (Carrier) has decided to leave their branded version of the Magic on Android 1.5. When these types of things happened with Windows Mobile they were viewed as limitations of the operating system or even described by some as a Plot by Microsoft to force people to get new phones. With Google having a phone that they control I think it could be used to show what could be done with phones running Android with "The Google Experience" and may help protect Google from some of the same acusations that some have raised against Windows Mobile. The potential competition from Google may also encourage some of the OEMs and carriers to be a little more willing to make available updates and features.

 The Boy Genius Report has a really scathing review of Android here. While it seems overly harsh and slated towards the iPhone there seem to be some technical points in there if you can get past all the angst.

Dave Parker MVP:

scathing review of Android

Whoa. Scathing is an understatement. Funny, too. 

Certainly, though, the general point about Android - that Google easily could have ensured that the Nexus One offered a flawless user experience with great after-the-sale support, but didn't - is well taken, especially now with all the reports about Google's difficulty in offering technical support (for the first time ever) to users with 3G issues and other problems with the phone.

It really does seem kind of odd how Google has set out completely on its own, without thinking through all the consequences - users can't even count on getting any help from T-Mobile, the carrier on which the Nexus One is supposed to work best.

 I think Google may have got a little caught up with their own press. Everything they've touched has so far turned to gold but they've not really had to deal with real life end user customers before. I think they might be heading for a little tumble. Still, it's not all bad news. With the press well and truly on both Google and Android's backs at least MS are getting a bit of a respite. Still, I doubt it'll be long before the hounds are back at the door!