Google may have captured global media mindshare with the Nexus One launch yesterday, but the online giant has failed to capture the new smartphone’s .com domain.
According to domain name registration company Sedo, web address NexusOne.com is recorded as being first registered in 1998 to a private individual and currently points to a paint company.
Google has launched a massive e-tailing initiative for its smartphone range and is currently selling the Nexus One via its google.com site.
Sedo business development director Nora Nanayakkara said Google’s marketing strategy was flawed without this essential domain name ownership.
"As Google is offering handsets directly to consumers, it will need to carefully assess how it can use direct navigation domain names in ensuring positive uptake of the device, as neglecting to fully utilize the type-in traffic of domain names means that it will potentially miss out on large volumes of consumers looking for information on the new handset," she said.
She did concede however that domain names can reveal a great deal about product development plans from major companies and as such should be guarded by well thought out online marketing strategies. "For example, Apple seems to have taken a step in the right direction with its pre-emptive purchase of the web address iSlate.com, but this has created a flurry of online speculation that this may be the name of an upcoming product, something Apple may not have intended to do."
Google has yet to respond on whether it has any interest in buying the domain from the current owner.