Google Reportedly Signals Apple-like Direction for Nexus Phones

The Nexus lineup is the Holy Grail for all pure Android lovers. Featuring some of the best specifications available on the market, along with a Google-AOSP approach, these phones offer the best long-term software experience (except maybe the HTC HD2).

Except the Nexus 6P, the Nexus lineup has never been a running contender for the best phone hardware of the year. Each of the Nexus released have their own share of flaws which costs them their place in the race. The Huawei Nexus 6P did mark a welcome change of pace from Google, putting some of the best technology available in the market into a package that also looked appealing from the exterior, and did not bite the pocket as much as other flagships did.

A new report coming out from The Information suggests that Google may be looking at taking over complete control over their Nexus lineup. The report suggests that Google may be keen to adopt the “Apple approach”, wherein they minutely control all aspects of the device’s production by contracting out individual components. According to this report, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and his crew have told “colleagues and outsiders” that the company will take greater control over Nexus smartphones. The report continues with mention of HTC potentially still hustling to try and build this year’s Nexus phone(s), but that those insiders at HTC aren’t exactly thrilled that Google may want tighter control that wouldn’t include HTC’s name in any way. Google wants more control, because it wants to compete at the high-end with Apple and is worried that Apple will continue to try and squeeze Google’s money-making opportunities out of the iPhone eventually.

There are a lot of arguments and counter-arguments arising from the report’s presentation of claims. The “Apple Approach” is the polar opposite of how the Nexus lineup has traditionally worked. Google has not tried to obsessively remodel devices to suit their exact requirements. Instead, Nexus devices have been quite free-flowing, often taking inspiration from another present or scheduled-for-future device of the contracted manufacturer. But, on the other hand, such a move won’t be the first time Google has sought greater control over production — the Pixel lineup is the result of this control. The Pixel C received rave reviews for its hardware, so the thought process to shift Nexus onto the same ideology seems natural to us, as outsiders.

The report also mentions about HTC being unhappy about Google’s new push, but it does lack a time frame for the actions mentioned. As such, they could be either at present and consequently affect the HTC branded Nexus, or it could be that 2016 may be the last year where we see a Nexus built by a Google-OEM partnership.

As the case usually is with reports, and more so with Google, things are not set in stone. Google is known to take risks and cold-heartedly cut off products and services, so we cannot put the Apple-ifcation of Nexus as a strategy beyond Google. We have to wait to wait and watch how this unfolds.

What are your thoughts on Google wanting greater control over Nexus? Are you a fan of this decision, or would you like things to remain the same? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Source: The Information, Via Droid-Life

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