It’s common knowledge that HTC is the hardware provider for the Google Nexus One , but new statements by Sony Ericsson’s president indicate that electronics maker Sony Ericsson may have been approached first by Google. Engadget is reporting that Bert Nordberg told a Swedish publisher that “his company was asked to build the so-called Google phone before HTC… and it turned down the opportunity.” We dug up the article in question and it appears that the statements were made at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. An English version of the article can be read via Google Translate .