Google has officially taken down the online store that sells the Nexus One Android smart phone.

Over a week ago, Google quelled initial rumors about a possible Nexus Two handset. According to the software developer, the Nexus One has already been a successful handset in such a way that it achieved the goal that Google has set for it. Many may argue that the device was not a financial success –after all, the device did not sell much at all.

However, Google stated that the Nexus One was meant to be a smart phone that would push the current boundaries and standards for the Android operating system. This meant that users would be able to experience the open source mobile platform in the way that Google meant it to be. In that regard, Google states that the device was a success.

The shutting down of the online store does not mean that the Nexus One is no longer available. The smart phone can still be obtained through contracts and deals on Vodafone UK. Developers can also get a handset directly through Google –only the standard online store has been taken down. The special site exclusive for developers is still available. This means that Google intends to use the Nexus One as a continuous developer resource.

When the Nexus One was first launched last January, the only way to obtain the handset was through Google’s online store. Many who were present at the launch at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California thought that it was a bad idea, and that the device would not be accessible to a majority of the Android’s target market.

They were right, in the very first week of sales; the online store only sold 20,000 units of the Nexus One. In that same month, Vodafone UK managed to sell 100,000 iPhone 3G smart phones.