Google Introduces the Nexus One

Google introduced the Nexus One in January 2010, built by HTC. Unlike most Android phones of the period, it was sold as a Google-branded reference device and initially offered directly through Google’s own online store.

The phone used a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, an AMOLED display, and Android 2.1. More important than the specifications was the role of the Nexus line: Google could demonstrate a relatively clean version of Android without heavy carrier or manufacturer modifications and provide developers with hardware that received software updates quickly.

The Nexus One did not transform phone retailing as Google hoped, but the reference-device strategy survived for years. It eventually evolved into the Pixel family, where Google took tighter control of hardware, custom silicon, cameras, and long-term software support.