Google Phone Is Coming to Verizon

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (TheStreet) -- As promised, Google (GOOG) introduced the Nexus One today, or what it calls the next step in mobile phones. And in a surprise move, Google named No.1 telco Verizon (VZ) as one of its future service partners.

In October, TheStreet was the first to report that Google was coming out with its own phone.

The Nexus One will be available through Verizon sometime this spring for $179 at Google's new online store. The phone is also available today via the site and can be used with T-Mobile's service. Unlocked Nexus One phones without a service plan are priced at $529.

Google executives spent the early portion of the press event thanking partners like HTC, Samsung and Motorola (MOT) -- companies that have helped develop phones on the Android operating system. The gesture was somewhat of an awkward acknowledgement that Google is aware that it's encroaching on the phone makers' turf with its own phone.

The Nexus One runs on Qualcomm's (QCOM) SnapDragon one-gigahertz processor, a faster chip than what powers the current crop of smartphones including Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and Palm's (PALM) Pre. The phone also has a 3.7-inch LED touchscreen and a 5-megapixel camera.