The rumours have been swirling for the past few months that Google’s next line of Android devices would eschew the Nexus moniker in favour of new branding to coincide with their new efforts to marry a Google software with Google hardware. According to information confirmed to Android Central, this is actually happening, at least for mobile devices.
We’ve been dancing around the name for the new Google Android phones for a few months now, with conflicting rumours swirling around and even Sundar Pichai weighing in on “Google Hardware” replacing the Nexus line. If the infamous ‘sources’ familiar with the matter are indeed correct, it seems Sundar was clever with his words, as the next two Google phones are being built by HTC and thus the Nexus “program” technically hasn’t gone anywhere.
We still have no clear idea of what any potential new branding will be, will it simply be the Google Phone? Will Google introduce a new brand to the market? The other unclear element is if the Nexus line will continue to exist for other products? We thought we’d take a quick look back over the Nexus phone’s visual history, all they way back from the original Nexus One up to the rumoured device that may just end the line.
The other element of this story is the software. We’ve heard rumours and seen hints that Google will for the first time be differentiating the software on their devices outside of the exclusive Google apps, things like the dialer and contacts. Google’s Android devices will no longer just be “stock”, they will be shipping with software and perhaps features exclusive to their devices.
These moves place Google in direct competition with their OEM partners by both removing the co-branding and offering an enhanced experience that won’t be included in AOSP. Considering the problems Google has had with getting OEMs to release both OS updates and more importantly security patches this could be a commercial move to put pressure on Android OEMs to now compete with Google hardware on all elements of the Android ecosystem.
We are rapidly approaching the expected timeframes for a Google hardware event, typically held in late September, where all will be revealed. If the rumours hold true we should see both new Google phones as well as a couple of Google Android Wear devices showcased. As for other hardware, including the Google Home device, we will just have to wait and see.
How do you feel about the Nexus brand dropping off? Let us know below.
Its a bit disappointing to me , the Nexus name has good brand recognition , and i think the brand was going in a good direction with the hardware , nice 5.7 inch screen on the 6p , and a smaller 5.2 with the 5x , i was hoping for another Huawei device , nexus 7P (Huawei )or perhaps 6Q with a bit more in the way of bells and whistles , and perhaps let HTC do the smaller one ?? We will have to wait and see how it goes , but from rumors of the next devices coming… Read more »
Sad if true.
I wonder if this is part of Google still wanting to have a premium phone to compete with Apple and Samsung and getting away from the more affordable nexus brand (and getting carrier deals) is part of that.
If they do I’m just sad they are just doing the same thing, just changing brands rather than totally designing it themselves and getting say foxconn to make it like Apple does rather than getting tweaked phones from other oems.
Baby steps.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a bit of a trial run for HTC. If they nail these new Nex… Google phones then I can see Google acquiring HTC’s mobile division (yes, even though they only recently bought and sold Motorola). HTC is just about dead from a consumer mobile device perspective. Sadly, no one is buying their phones anymore and I suspect any avenue to sell would be one they’d take in a heartbeat.
Well personally I just see no point in buying a premium android phone. The mid priced phones like OnePlus and the Axon totally kill any reason to buy a similar phone just with a higher price due to brand name. Not interested in Sony for the same reason.
Though if I’m honest I don’t even consider any non nexus phones as I want prompt updates and security updates.
Totally. I’m pretty much in the same boat (although I’d be prepared to pay extra for some nice hardware to match Google’s beautiful version of Android). That all said, we’re in the minority. Most people don’t understand the importance of prompt updates and security. They’re more interested in how good their phone’s camera is or what their device says about their social status. Expensive phones often attract people who think that a higher price automatically means an objectively better product. But yeah, the reality is that you can get a fast, secure and highly capable device for half the price… Read more »
I dunno mate , i actually like the big brand names with all the bells and whistles , and while a lot of these up and coming mid priced phones do have a lot to offer , imo they are still a good couple of pegs below the more pricey flagships imo, coming from a galaxy note2 and 4 to the 6p in some ways i was deliriously happy regarding the freedom to do what you want with the software IE: deleting apps/bloat ,etc , but at the same time the software compared to touchwiz was almost barren/very very basic… Read more »
Starry, starry night
Paint your palette white and teal
Fastest updates were the deal
With stock Android for users to enjoy
No carrier bloat
Stock android was worth the gloat
Catch the bugs with a montly security patch
And hope the hardware was not a defective batch
Now I understand
What you tried to sell to me
And how you wanted ecosystem parity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps we Android Silver now
nice one Andrew.
Don’t really think 7 years qualifies as an ‘era’ but ok 😀
‘Era’ more recently generally refers to a distinct period of time that is usually of a long period. However the word originally had no definition concerning the length of time just that it was a distinct period.
Obviously you can use the word both ways and you had no problem understanding what the author meant.
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”
As long as the device isn’t full of the crap that OEMs include and it comes with unlockable bootloaders and carries on with all the things that make Nexus phones great then I can’t see it making any real difference.
Guess again. This is apple redux. More stuff that google keeps to itself and bloats with things people don’t care about; together with even higher prices and if my guess is right, more advertising blitz. And don’t forget proprietary Fuchia on the horizon …
And the likely reaction is for the other manufacturers to go the Tizen route and introduce their own OS under their own control, with their own Play Services type layer (and maybe app compatibility, at the beginning).
Dropping the brand is a statement of intent.
W.o.w.
I like the Nexus brand, but I’ve had two or three Nexii over the years and to be honest they’ve been a disappointment – I’m talking about the original Nexus 7 tablet which was an absolute shocker, and my current 5X. So while I love the whole concept, I’m won’t be too upset if Nexus dies. Just hope they come good with great devices under whatever they call the new brand.
you were very unfortunate mate. sell the 5X and go the 6P. They are poles apart.
Love my 6P especially the camera when used with Manual Camera App. Switched from HTC and must say that it is the best phone I have ever had.
Hi TheCatMan , if i may ask mate , what app did you use for the manual controls on your 6P ?
i have looked at the maze of the camera apps , almost till my eyes glazed over and found some interesting apps , still finding that right one seems to elude me 🙂 .
Hi mate. The app is actually called Manual Camera available from gPlay. I liked it so much I ended up buying it.
Thanks very much for that mate, I will give it try.
Cheers.