Google Phone tipped to be released on January 5, rebate for Google account holders

A smartphone rumoured to be marketed as the official Google handset could hit shelves as early as January 5, with reports suggesting the device could be the first of its kind to offer data-only plans.

The details come after a number of photos of the Google phone were released on Twitter by a marketing executive in the US, along with reports Google has given the handset to employees for testing purposes.

As reported by Reuters, Google will release the phone, dubbed by tech analysts as the “Nexus One”, in early January unlocked and with the ability to use data-only plans.

This means calls will be made through VoIP technology and not traditional phone networks, meaning the handset will only need to be connected to a cellular data network.

But the handset will also include Wi-Fi capability, allowing users to place calls without even being connected to a 3G network.

Selling the handset “unlocked” means it will be available for purchase from retailers without the addition of a packaged data plan, allowing customers to combine the phone with a SIM card from any telco.

The gadget will be manufactured by HTC, which has already released a number of Google Android-powered devices.

And while the company has not yet confirmed a cost for the device, or even the existence of an official Google phone at all, reports suggest the gadget will sell for $US199 with the addition of a $US100 rebate for users with an active Google account.

Additionally, the device will feature a replaceable battery and the ability to add expandable storage capacity through a memory card – two features the iPhone lacks.

The Nexus One is reportedly designed to run on a new version of the Android operating system, allowing users to take advantage of the applications available on the Android marketplace.

The release of the phone could put the Android Marketplace in a position to threaten the popularity of the iPhone App Store. New reports suggest the Marketplace now contains over 20,000 apps just five months after it reached the 10,000 mark.

While the Marketplace has some way to go before it reaches the App Store’s size of 100,000 apps, some analysts are suggesting the Nexus One could be the first real threat to Apple’s handset.

“Evidently, the number of applications available for download are only part of the story, but the numbers AndroLib has collected most certainly indicates that the Android Market is maturing fast,” TechCrunch writer Robin Wauters wrote. “Just look at the growth curve in the first graph and the increasing amount of new applications that are published in Android Market every month in the second.”

“My guess Android Market will be serving 50,000 apps as early as Q2 2010.”