Vodafone nabs UK rights to Google Nexus One

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Google has unveiled further details about its much-anticipated smartphone the Nexus One, confirming it will be available to US users straight away and to UK mobile fans on the Vodafone network from this spring.

Those in the UK who can't wait - or don't want to move networks - can buy an unlocked handset online from Google's new mobile web store. US prices have been confirmed as $179 on a T-Mobile USA contract and $529 SIM-free, although Google hasn't yet confirmed if those price tags will be mirrored here.

The handset will also be available through Verizon in the US around the same time it hits the Vodafone network here.

"The Nexus One belongs in the emerging class of devices which we call ‘superphones,’ with the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset making it as powerful as your laptop computer of three to four years ago," said Google's vice president of engineering Andy Rubin, in a statement.

"It's our way to raise the bar on what's possible when it comes to creating the best mobile experience for consumers. We look forward to working with handset manufacturers and operators to bring more phones to market through this channel worldwide."

The new handset will run the Android 2.1 operating system in addition to boasting innovative speech recognition features that let users carry out tasks such as writing emails and texts just by talking. Weighing in at 130g and just 11.5mm thick, the Nexus One also boasts a 3.7in 480x800 pixels AMOLED display, five megapixel camera and 512MB of RAM as standard with the ability to store up to 32GB on the handset using an SD card.

The hardware comes courtesy of Android's tried and trusted friend HTC. "The Nexus One represents the unique combination of design and innovation two companies like Google and HTC can have when they collaborate," said Peter Chou, HTC's chief executive, in a statement.

"The Nexus One continues HTC’s strategy of offering people a portfolio of phones that meet their diverse needs."

The Nexus One is just the first handset of many Google plans to sell through its online store, the tech giant has confirmed.

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