Taipei, Dec. 16, 2009 (CENS)--The Taiwan-based High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC), a world-caliber supplier of own-brand smartphones, confirms that Google`s first own- brand smartphone Nexus One is developed and manufactured by HTC and is slated for launch in early 2010.

HTC is globally well-known for working out the world`s first Android-powered smartphone, and has launched four types of such phones, namely G1, Magic, Hero and Tatto. This reflects a close tie between the firm and Google in development of Android phones.

Nexus One is Google`s first own-brand smartphone, installed with Android 2.0 that is upgraded with more photography interfaces and supports Internet browsers and Bluetooth. Besides, institutional investors suppose that Nexus One also adopts cloud computing technology to support online computation and storage of data, and will be sold at a more economical price of NT$10,000 per unit than competing models. The phone is expected to serve as a growth engine for HTC`s sales starting the first quarter of 2010.

Noteworthy is that Google decides not to sell the phone through traditional distribution channels, like retailers or telecom service providers, but to promote it on the Internet, partly because the firm tries to fend off fierce competition against existing handset brands, including Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc., in traditional distribution channels and partly because it hopes to carve out its niches by the Internet, according to industry insiders.

(by Steve Chuang)