Aside from the natural contest between Android and rival devices such as iPhone and BlackBerry, there's currently something of a battle enraging between the array of handsets that run Google's OS.

An outside observer might well assume Google would have been best placed to serve up the most competent Android handset, but it's certainly not the most popular as reports from the US suggest carrier support for Nexus One falling away.

Indeed, just weeks after US operator Verizon pulled back from an apparent deal to sell Nexus One, Gizmodo now claims rival Sprint is similarly hesitant to sell the handset, the site proclaiming Google's first mobile as "dead".

Switching horses

The suggestion is Sprint would rather sell HTC's forthcoming Evo 4G device to consumers looking to make the leap to Android, with Verizon having performed a similar trick in April with the HTC Droid Incredible.

What's more, because of Google's arm length attitude to its mobile OS, compared to its own handset, it gave its blessing to Verizon's endorsement of HTC's handset last month.

Nexus One certainly hasn't proved to be the game-changer many billed it as pre-launch.

With first month sales having fallen short of analyst expectations, it's been Motorola's Droid that has garnered Android support and fostered the most sales in the States - thanks to Verizon's promotion of it.

The Nexus One can still count on two carriers in the US however, as its original deal with T-Mobile is still in force and AT&T came on board in March.

[source: Gizmodo]