San Francisco, Dec 31 - A day after Google announced a media event for its Android mobile phone system next week, new details leaked out Wednesday about the first ever phone to be sold directly by the web search giant.

According to technology blog Gizmodo the Nexus One will be sold unlocked on a Google website for $530. The phone will work on GSM cellphone networks and will be offered at a subsidised price of $180 in the US by fourth-ranked carrier T-Mobile with a two-year talk and data contract costing $80 a month.

Google launched its Android operating system for cellphones in October 2008 and it is fast emerging as the most competitive rival to Apple's iPhone. Manufacturers as diverse as HTC, Motorola and Samsung have based phones on Google's open source software, but the Nexus One will be the first device to be branded and sold directly by Google.

Google is expected to officially announce the phone's release at a media event Jan 5, and make the device available to customers on the same day.  (dpa)