Nexus One Success Hampered by Google Web

As the dust and confetti settle in the wake of the Nexus One launch, early reports suggest that Google sold a meager 20,000 of the next-generation "superphone" during its first week. Google's other big launch--the Web-based store for purchasing the Nexus One--may play a significant part in the weak initial sales.

In the end, marketing-by-product-leak is a sort of win-win for Google. If it works, the media and blogosphere do the marketing on Google's behalf and so much buzz is built up around the device that it becomes a grand slam right out of the gate without Google lifting a finger. If it doesn't work, Google can simply pretend it never "tried" to market the Nexus One, and no money is lost in the process.