Google's highly-touted Nexus One handset sold around 20,000 units in its first week, according to data compiled by app analytics firm Flurry.

That's 12 times less that Motorola's Droid's 250,000 sales in its first week, and 80 times less than the iPhone 3GS' 1.6 million.

However, Flurry is careful to point out that the Nexus One's singular distribution model makes 'apples for apples' comparisons difficult (while providing a handy apples-for-apples comparison table, naturally!)

"As a product, the Nexus One boasts the most advanced Android OS to date as well as unique features, such as Google Voice and Google Maps," says a special report issued by Flurry.

"However, potentially due to the heightened “promise” created by early buzz, the handset has ultimately fallen short on sales expectations."

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The D2C price of more than $500 may have dampened sales of the phone in its first week, while it's only being marketed via Google's own site - in contrast to Verizon's marketing blitz for the Droid.

Still, nobody doubts that Google is in this for the long run - as more carriers start selling the Nexus One in the coming quarter, sales will pick up.