Google Nexus One gets BillShrink treatment: undercuts iPhone 3GS and DROID

The Google Nexus One has only been official for a few hours – you can find our first impressions and a hands-on video here – but BillShrink have already done their usual calculations to work out how the Android 2.1 "superphone" stacks up against the competition.  At $179 subsidized via T-Mobile USA, or $529 SIM-free and unlocked, the Nexus One not only undercuts the iPhone 3GS but the previous Android device of the moment, the Motorola DROID.

BillShrink work out prices based on two years of contract ownership, with the 16GB iPhone 3GS totalling $3,799 on AT&T if you opt for an unlimited plan or $2,839 for an "average" plan.  Meanwhile the DROID on Verizon adds up to $3,799 unlimited or $2,839 average, both undercut by T-Mobile's pricing: $2,579 and $2,339 respectively.  Only the Palm Pre on Sprint edges in underneath the Nexus One.

Of course, there's more to a device than baseline costs, and most users will want to closely examine the rest of the chart to see how the third-party app totals, camera specs and other details compare between models.  Click the graphic below to see the chart full-sized.