Nexus One is a way of gauging the environment, says analyst

Google Canary

Tina Teng, iSuppli

If the canary snuffs it, then they know the environment won't sustain them, and they'll withdraw

Google’s new Nexus One smart phone is like a canary in a coalmine, some experts are arguing. It gives the data miners an early indicator of environmental conditions, while the company gathers vital user data for developing new software, according to iSuppli Corp.

“With a plethora of smart phones based on the Android operating system already on the market, why would Google sell its own phone equipped with the operating system,” asked Tina Teng, iSuppli senior analyst for wireless communications.
Nexus One allows Google to show off its operating system in its best light, she argues. Better than rival phones that employ customised versions of Android.
The Nexus One also gives Google direct access to end customers, she argues, yielding key information on how users interact with applications and utilize data.

This feedback will be critical as Android-based phones seek more of the burgeoning smart phone market, where shipments nearly triple, from 181 million in 2009 to 439 million in 2013 (according to iSuppli’s figures).

“The Nexus One will help Google popularize Android by showing what the operating system can really do,” Teng said.