Problems with its Nexus One handset may mean that Google will be unable to deliver the product to mass European markets, like the UK, until the middle of next month.
Technical problems that dogged the smart phone’s introduction in the US are believed to be the reason for the delay as the internet giant strives to avoid the same issues again when it debuts in the UK. The Nexus One was to be released in Europe in early April.
Manufactured by HTC, the Nexus One is the first Android-based device that Google has had complete control over.
The company decided from the outset to sell the device solely through its website. However, it ran into problems when customers reported technical problems.
Google, which traditionally ran customer support through email, was forced to introduced telephone support to remedy the problem.
In the UK, Google has offered to sell customers the device at full price via its website. The company has also entered into a deal with Vodafone where users can get the device for free if they sign up to a stg£35 per month contract.
The technical support hitches in the US caused Goldman Sachs to revise its estimates for sales of the device from 3.5m to 1m in 2010.
By John Kennedy
