Google is planning not one but five Nexus phones and tablets, according to new reports. That's a whole line-up of sequels to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and the original Google Nexus One to show off the next generation of Android.
Previously Google has worked with one manufacturer at a time to build a Nexus phone for each new update to the Android operating system. But the next update, Jelly Bean, will appear on a range of five phones and tablets built as many as five partner manufacturers, to be released in the US by the end of November.
The next flagship Android phones would also be sold directly by Google, according to the Wall Street Journal. In the US the current flagship Galaxy Nexus is on sale from Google Play, the Android app market and online shop for movies and music. It's been a while since Google has directly sold a Nexus phone rather than through the usual shops and networks, which was the original plan for the first Nexus phone.
Buying a phone direct costs more up front, but is often cheaper in the long run and gives you the flexibility to choose any phone deal you fancy.
Each new version of Android is showcased on a flagship phone, given the Nexus moniker and untainted by any of the extra features added by phone builders and networks. The current version is known as Ice Cream Sandwich, which made its debut on the Galaxy Nexus last year -- yet Ice Cream Sandwich is still only on 5 per cent of phones.
Google is also rumoured to be preparing a Nexus tablet to show off Android on a larger screen. Asus is slated to build the Nexus tablet, despite Samsung's having built the last two Nexus phones and Motorola having been absorbed by Google. Google spent £7.6bn on Motorola, which built the Motorola Xoom, the first tablet to show off Android version 3.0 Honeycomb.
Check out our guide to every Android update ever to see the evolution of the OS.
Would you buy a phone direct from Google or do you prefer a network contract's cheaper initial outlay? What could the different Android manufacturers bring to the range of Nexus phones? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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anonymous 16 May, 2012 12:53
If Motorola build it, stay clear of it as they will promise it's a "clean" build and will get updates first but the UK Xoom has bloatware installed that you can't remove and six months after the US got ICS the UK model hasn't seen any such upgrade, I'll be sticking with Android but Motorola suck Donkey *****...
mark2410 16 May, 2012 13:01
Motorola dont care about life outside the US. they have proved that time and again so fingers crossed they will be HTC or Samsung made
anonymous 16 May, 2012 14:50
if this source is reliable CNET you ave made my day!
anonymous 16 May, 2012 18:39
If this is true I will cry with happiness! In my opinion the nexus lines hardware has always been a little underwhelming to me, and surely one in five OEMs can get it right!
ace9988 16 May, 2012 22:35
motorola......as someone else said "they don't really care much for the market outside the UK", that is the case and hopefully it changes now google slaps some sense into them (thats actual common sense not HTC Sense)
secondly motorola please stop with the locked bootloader shenanigans and telling us to **** off cuz customers will probably end up throwing their phones in your face, you have some decent devices, let us enjoy using them
i can't wait for the tablet google will showcase but with a pinch of salt cuz devices made by the manufacturer after they make a nexus are always better....almost as if they are holding back
anonymous 17 May, 2012 07:37
I'm not a big Android fan (largely because of software skins and bloatware) so if there's the possibility of more pure, vanilla Android being put out there, then I view it as a good thing.
anonymous 17 May, 2012 11:51
I've been saying for months now that Google must release a range of Nexus phones and tablets so that people that want the pure Google experience and in theory more rapid updates (which wasn't actually the case with ICS, Google Nexus S users had to wait as long as HTC or Samsung users).
My Samsung Galaxy S, despite being only five months old, is full of bugs and issues, so I'll most likely be in the market for a mid-range phone around the £200-£250 mark (HTC One V territory), this was the price of the Google Nexus S before most stocks ran out a few months ago, so hopefully when the next Nexus is out the Galaxy Nexus will drop to that kind of price, OR Google will release a Nexus handset for around that price with specs something like a 4in-4.3in screen, dual core 1-1.2 processor, and 750mb of RAM, with a Super AMOLED + screen.
That said, I really don't get the hate for Touchwizz, the latest version is brilliant and really does make Android a better experience (except for the bloatware, which, comparing a Galaxy S to a Google Nexus S, very similar specs, makes a huge difference to performance, so you have to choose between features and performance... Well, I'd take performance every single time). But I would go back to Touchwizz or try Sense if it were the better financial option.
As for the tablet, if most people only want to watch videos, read media on them, there is no reason not to pick up a 7inch low spec Tablet for £200, like the new Galaxy Tab 2 7in. Realistically, Android tablets will only compete with Apple by keeping the prices lower for similar specs. I love Android but will be buying an iPad 2 due to more appropriate apps for my needs and the fact that they're £100 cheaper than comparable Android tablets.
anonymous 17 May, 2012 11:55
Made a couple of mistakes there, first paragraph was meant to end 'can have more options. Right now you're tied to either a year out of date phone which is now very, very difficult to get hold of, and was still a nightmare to upgrade, or splashing on a flagship phone for up to £500 sim free, or at the higher end of contract prices, just not an option for so many people. I would have thought the best option would be to use Apple's model, continue to sell the previous generation or two of Nexus, and, even though updates have to be customised for each generation, make sure that the updates are released at the same time. I'd have thought that that is a more cost effective way of doing it, but I suppose that the appeal of Android is significantly less than that of Apple, so they'll have a harder time marketing and shifting 'out of date' handsets, whereas Apple could re-release the original iPhone at a mid-range price and it would still sell well.'
anonymous 19 May, 2012 20:29
I had the same buggy issues with my Galaxy Nexus GSM International. It had the Samsung ICS 4.0.2 ROM. Random reboots , weak Wifi, 3 hard factory resets and more.
I then installed the Google ICS 4.0.4 reference ROM And all issues went away. A totally different experience a new phone.
It is now my go to device. Better than my iPad. I for one can't wait for a Google Nexus tablet SOLD by Google.
anonymous 25 September, 2012 09:59
I've got the - Samsung built - Nexus S phone, now upgraded to Jelly Bean (though ICS ssemed better to me). Bought on a contract - wouldn't really want to shell out £400 for a phone in one go.
Be due for an upgrade early next year and will definilty look at the Nexus range first. Much prefer the 'clean' Android. But again will look at contract deals, not buy direct.