Today Google announced the much anticipated Nexus One phone. From a quick perusal it appears to rival the iPhone in terms of its specifications. Don’t get me wrong, I love my iPhone and all that it does, but there is one thing that Apple has royally screwed us with and that is the inability to choose your own wireless provider.
I am in full support of open source software and hardware and the fact that the Google Nexus One will be available for purchase as an unlocked device means that I will be free to choose whichever wireless carrier I want. For me the main reason for wanting this is travel. I travel frequently in the USA and often return to absolutely heinous mobile phone bills. I’ve tried using Skype for the iPhone whenever possible, but it’s not always easy to find a free wireless connection. The ability to insert a US or European SIM card when travelling will be hugely advantageous for me in my business travels. Apple is an amazing company with great products, but if they want to stay ahead of the curve they will need to embrace consumer choice and a new way of selling phones. The iPhone should really be available unlocked so that consumers are able to choose their device independently of their wireless carrier.
Check out the Engadget review of the new Google Nexus One.
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