Google is to close the online Web store for its own-brand Nexus One smartphone, abandoning an ambitious plan to redefine mobile device retailing. In a blog posting Friday, Andy Rubin, VP, Engineering, wrote: “While the global adoption of the Android platform has exceeded our expectations, the Web store has not. It’s remained a niche channel for early adopters, but it’s clear that many customers like a hands-on experience before buying a phone, and they also want a wide range of service plans to chose from.” As a result, Google will push the Nexus One via traditional retail channels and halt exclusive sales from the Web store. The Web store will then become simply a marketing platform for a variety of Android phones available globally.

Google surprised many industry watchers in January at the launch of the Nexus One smartphone when it unveiled plans to only sell the product via its own online Web store. Such a move broke heavily with traditional mobile industry business practices, bypassing the mobile operator retail stores that serve as a key distribution channel for mobile phones. However, rumours of a failed strategy arose last month when Vodafone announced it was to start selling the device in Europe via its own stores, online and over the phone. At the same time US operator Verizon Wireless was dropped as a partner for the device. The Nexus One is believed to have suffered poor sales, although the company said last month that it is “a profitable business” and Google is “very happy with the device uptake and the kind of impact that’s had across the industry in terms of raising the bar for what devices can do.” Indeed, in his blog Friday, Andy Rubin claimed that “a lot of the innovation that went into creating Nexus One has found its way into numerous Android handsets, like the HTC Evo from Sprint and the Verizon Droid Incredible by HTC.” Meanwhile, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt stated last week that about 65,000 Android handsets are shipping per day, up from a 60,000 figure that Schmidt quoted in February. Sales of more than two million Android handsets a month would approach those of Google rival Apple, which reported sales of 8.75 million iPhones last quarter. In other news, Information Week claims Google has lost two senior Android representatives; Erick Tseng has left to join Facebook and Cedric Beust is heading to LinkedIn.