Google pulls an Apple with its own pre-CES event

In a move reminiscent of Apple circa January 2007, Google today announced it will be holding an invitation-only Android press event at Google Headquarters on January 5, just two days before the International Consumer Electronics Show opens its doors to the public.

Though the invitation only describes the event as an "Android press gathering," the widespread expectation is that this will be the official launch of the HTC/Google Nexus One, an as-of-yet unreleased Android device that has been distributed internally at Google and hotly discussed in the blogosphere.

According to FCC regulatory filings, the Nexus One is compatible with T-Mobile's network in the US, but T-Mobile blog TmoNews reportedly obtained an internal document from the mobile carrier which said "the Google Android phone will be sold solely by Google via the Web" and not through any carriers.

Google took this approach in the past with its two Android Developer phones, but it is not yet known if the Nexus One will be a development device.