Will we see multiple Nexus handsets out in the next year?

[jacktesterson]

I've been reading and it seems as if its possible that Sony, LG and Samsung may all have Nexus phones with the release of Key Lime Pie. (Sony is heavily rumored)

I hope these very loose rumors are true - I'd love a Sony Nexus phone.

More Nexus phones, the better.

I absolutely love the Dev communities for the Nexus phones - but often go to other phones due to missing features- Hopefully having more choices will nullify this.

 

[dlock13]

Last year, we were supposed to get a Nexus device from several different OEMs. There is a possibility there will be a change to have more Nexus devices.

I'd love for any Nexus device to be compatible with Verizon, but sadly, Verizon uses CDMA. It's just not logical to have a carrier specific version unless it has all the radios/frequencies ready to roll meaning it'll be usable on VZW, Sprint, ATT, Tmo, and foreign carriers at the same exact time...

I'm just hoping for some kind of VZW Nexus. That's all.

 

[Ravynmagi]

This rumor has been going on for so long now that I doubt it was ever true or it was misunderstood.

We got multiple Nexus devices. We got a Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Nexus Q. I think this is what was really meant by multiple Nexus devices, not multiple Nexus phones.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

This rumor has been going on for so long now that I doubt it was ever true or it was misunderstood.

We got multiple Nexus devices. We got a Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Nexus Q. I think this is what was really meant by multiple Nexus devices, not multiple Nexus phones.

Correct. It doesn't make any sense to pit hardware manufacturers against each other with 5 phones of the same nature. I could understand different sized phones or different product lines.

Maybe a small phone by HTC at 3.5", a 4.7" LG phone, a 7" Asus tablet, a 10" Samsung tablet makes sense.

But you're not going to have 5x 4.7" phones by 5 manufacturers. That's just dumb. Way to fragment the development community that way too.

 

[dlock13]

Correct. It doesn't make any sense to pit hardware manufacturers against each other with 5 phones of the same nature. I could understand different sized phones or different product lines.

Maybe a small phone by HTC at 3.5", a 4.7" LG phone, a 7" Asus tablet, a 10" Samsung tablet makes sense.

But you're not going to have 5x 4.7" phones by 5 manufacturers. That's just dumb. Way to fragment the development community that way too.

Right. This does make sense.

And to be fair to the logic that it doesn't make sense to have more than one phone, Google looks as though it's stepping up it's game when it comes to making sure the devices are manufactured without error (save for the first run of Nexus 7s). The Nexus 4 is an incredibly solid piece of hardware no matter how you slice it. The Nexus 7 is made to be comfortable to hold and use for an extended period of time (it is). The Nexus 10..... well, I don't know for that because I've not heard much about it to be honest.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is Google is designing quality hardware and working with OEMs to deliver a great, solid device. So we shouldn't really have to worry about who makes the next Nexus device. We can have our preferences, but I think every OEM shows they know how to make a solid phone (HTC with the One, Samsung with the Nexus 10 or any of their devices if you like plastic, Motorola with... everything they make, LG with a lot of their devices).

To add to your idea DLeRium, I think Google should try and introduce several devices from either one manufacturer or more but in different size ranges. Let's say they choose Motorola strictly. They could have them make a 3.7", 4.3", 5", and 5.5" device. Conversely, they could choose several manufacturers and have them make a special device. Samsung is good with large screens so they could make the 5.5" device, Motorola with the 4.3", etc...

 

[RedRooster]

We're at the point now with all this garbage fragmentation and overlays and crap manufacturers put on, that if just one of them came out with a stock version of Android even without Google's "Nexus" blessing, and could guarantee nearly instant updates, they'd sell a lot.

In fact, that would instantly be a selling point for me if someone like say Sony came out and said we're now selling a vanilla version of our Xperia ZL phones and we'll be pushing updates to them in a similar timeframe as Google's Nexus line gets. Right there, instant buy.

But they all think they gotta put their stupid little eye tracking and crap on their phones to stand out from the other manufacturers. Sell a stock version of your flagship phone and just watch how the sales go. I bet they'd be neck and neck for the smaller companies like LG, HTC and Sony.

 

[dlock13]

We're at the point now with all this garbage fragmentation and overlays and crap manufacturers put on, that if just one of them came out with a stock version of Android even without Google's "Nexus" blessing, and could guarantee nearly instant updates, they'd sell a lot.

In fact, that would instantly be a selling point for me if someone like say Sony came out and said we're now selling a vanilla version of our Xperia ZL phones and we'll be pushing updates to them in a similar timeframe as Google's Nexus line gets. Right there, instant buy.

But they all think they gotta put their stupid little eye tracking and crap on their phones to stand out from the other manufacturers. Sell a stock version of your flagship phone and just watch how the sales go. I bet they'd be neck and neck for the smaller companies like LG, HTC and Sony.

The thing is that with Android, you can download an app that will function exactly like <insert OEM feature here>. So why can't Google and OEMs work out a deal where their phone will ship with a version of the Play Store that will add a separate store like they do for carriers.

I realize then everyone can download that onto their phone, but that's when you make it require that certain device. It's something that could definitely be figured out, but I don't have the time now.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

We're at the point now with all this garbage fragmentation and overlays and crap manufacturers put on, that if just one of them came out with a stock version of Android even without Google's "Nexus" blessing, and could guarantee nearly instant updates, they'd sell a lot.

In fact, that would instantly be a selling point for me if someone like say Sony came out and said we're now selling a vanilla version of our Xperia ZL phones and we'll be pushing updates to them in a similar timeframe as Google's Nexus line gets. Right there, instant buy.

But they all think they gotta put their stupid little eye tracking and crap on their phones to stand out from the other manufacturers. Sell a stock version of your flagship phone and just watch how the sales go. I bet they'd be neck and neck for the smaller companies like LG, HTC and Sony.

Let's say even they do accelerate their deployment process of Android upgrades, in the end the US is governed by carriers and 98% of the people will not benefit.

I do wonder what the marketing teams of all these companies say regarding vanilla Android. There *must* be a reason for them not to do it and to let only Google do that. Although didn't Sony support AOSP project on the Xperia S or something?

 

[s44]

Although didn't Sony support AOSP project on the Xperia S or something?

Sony worked to integrate that phone into Google's AOSP... but there was too much stuff they couldn't open-source so they had to remove it.

They've actually opened their own AOSP repository (I believe) for the Xperia Z. This is both very nice and an experiment likely to destroy the "hey, stock Android will sell you lots of phones" myth.

There's no real constituency for stock outside tech geek forums. This is partly from ignorance, partly from the fact that Google has elegantly decoupled its core apps from the actual OS version.

 

[RedRooster]

Let's say even they do accelerate their deployment process of Android upgrades, in the end the US is governed by carriers and 98% of the people will not benefit.

I do wonder what the marketing teams of all these companies say regarding vanilla Android. There *must* be a reason for them not to do it and to let only Google do that. Although didn't Sony support AOSP project on the Xperia S or something?

Good point, but how does Apple and Microsoft do it carrier independant? Whatever they're doing to get a high percentage of their users upgraded to the newest OS in a timely matter, Android should learn from or steal that.
Having recently come to Android, I went with a Nexus knowing this update issue. But with all these new devices coming I just want to wretch knowing that I'd be three OS revisions behind within 6 months and most likely ignored after the first year.

 

[Red Storm]

Good point, but how does Apple and Microsoft do it carrier independant? Whatever they're doing to get a high percentage of their users upgraded to the newest OS in a timely matter, Android should learn from or steal that.
Having recently come to Android, I went with a Nexus knowing this update issue. But with all these new devices coming I just want to wretch knowing that I'd be three OS revisions behind within 6 months and most likely ignored after the first year.

This is probably the most overhyped issue. Google has long since decoupled major apps from the OS, and they send the updates directly to those apps so the majority of new features reach people just fine. So unlike iOS where you have to wait for the annual update to get any new features, Android phones can and do get new features throughout the year.

 

[RedRooster]

This is probably the most overhyped issue. Google has long since decoupled major apps from the OS, and they send the updates directly to those apps so the majority of new features reach people just fine. So unlike iOS where you have to wait for the annual update to get any new features, Android phones can and do get new features throughout the year.

What about the actual OS enhancements though? Battery life stunk with a particular version of ICS on my friend's GS3, I was embarassed I recommended it to him. 4 months later he gets an update to fix it.
Granted, all those overlays have their own implementation/variation of new lock screen features, camera capabilities or web browsers, but I'm far from an Android techie(I don't even know how to flash non stock roms on my Nexus) and I appreciate an updated way more than a UI tweak like battery percentage on the notification bar.

Like someone else said, there's apps that do all that. But if the OS is broke, what are you gonna do?

 

[cbrunny]

RUmours this time around seem to suggest, LG, Sony, and Motorola are all working on a Nexus phone. Should be an interesting Q4.