According to this press release put out by Google, there is a new contender in the fight for smartphone supremecy. Thats right, Google is throwing it’s hat in the ring with it’s own Google branded phone. And the kicker with Google’s new touch based cell phone, the Nexus One, is that they will offer it unlocked out of the box. This is something that us in America haven’t really seen before - usually to get a cell phone we have to sign up for a lengthy contract with the provider in order to get a discount. And if you don’t want to sign up for a contract, or are already under contract, then you have to pay outrageous prices in order to purchase the phone and then it is locked so you can only use it with that one provider. Of course Google’s Nexus One will have a bundle offered by T-Mobile which allows you to buy the phone for a discounted price if you sign up for a 2-year service contract. Among the features offered by the Nexus One are 3.7″ inch touch screen, 5 megapixel camera with flash, dynamic noise suppression, tri-color trackball, and universal voice recognition. The device is very svelt at 11.5mm thin and 130 grams in weight. Powering the device is the newest version of the Android operating system, Android 2.1, which includes turn by turn navigation with Google Maps and the ability to download new applications for the device via Android Market.

Google’s willingness to offer the Nexus One unlocked is a very bold move that will definitely change the game when it comes to buying a cell phone. Google is such a huge contender that others will have to pay attention and consider offering similar deals to stay competitive. Apple for one needs to pay attention to what Google is doing with the Nexus One. Apple’s exclusivity contract with AT&T may be causing them to lose out on a huge portion of the smart phone market, and they need to realize this before it is too late. One caveat to the Nexus One is that it currently will not work with Verizon, Sprint, AT&T or Rogers. Google plans to offer the phone available for use on the Verizon network very soon but has not said anything about allowing the device to be used on AT&T, Sprint and Rogers.