Regarding the discussions relating to Google changing the way the N1 is sold and instead having distributed through VZW in-store (along with the Incredible) in order to increase sales and visibility... I think we need to consider what Google is trying to accomplish with the N1. Are they really trying to be one of the top phones sales-wise? Google has said all along that they weren't going to get into the hardware business and needed to avoid conflict with other android based products (essentially their Android customers). Android and all the Googleness associated with it is what they want out there. They felt they needed to "raise the bar" as high as they could. I think by selling a feature-rich phone themselves (the N1), they could put pressure on carriers and hardware vendors to come out with high quality smartphones that use Android to the fullest.
I don't believe their goal was to make a lot of money selling N1's... so the arguments that Google would change their sales approach solely for that reason doesn't make sense to me. Now, if they decided to sell the N1 at VZW stores to help with supportability, that may not be a terrible reason.
That's an interesting way of looking at it. You could very well be correct! I'm under the impression they want to bank as much green as possible so they are testing the waters. Maybe their mission is to get more android in the market and force carriers and phones makers to up their game. It just seems like an expensive way of going about it... Why sell your own phone and have to deal with the PR nightmare it has been for them and hire new employees and create new positions just to boost the market? They could have spent those funds on make Android EVEN better or more advanced and boosted the android market that way, right?
I think if Google spent the time and money into their own phone they are trying to make a big difference in the cell phone world (including boosting the market and increasing market share) and hoping on making some serious money from it. Eventually. Things like this don't happen over night and you have to learn from your mistakes... I mean who opens up an online store and sells a product and after it comes out and customers are having problems, then you make a support line? Like, get what I mean. I think some parts of their coming out party weren't thought out completely. They will get there though.
also... I think they want to say "F U apple" Eric Schmidt was on Apple's board for awhile right? I am sure he picked up on some things and was forming his own ideas and whatnot all the while.
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