Select a region
Google doesn’t make its own smartphone in-house yet, but new rumours are circulating that the company is considering changing that.
According to a report in The Telegraph, citing anonymous sources close to the company, Google is considering designing and building its own branded phone. The company has declined to comment on the rumours – though they are nothing new in technology circles.
Ever since the iPhone came along and turned Apple into one of the biggest companies in the world, there have been rumours and whispers that one day surely Google will do the same. However so far the closest we have come to such a device is the Nexus line. While Google has a major hand in the software and some input on design, the building of the device has been left to partners including LG, HTC and Huawei.
Google has reiterated that it is still committed to the Nexus line, and as recently as last month CEO Sundar Pichai told a technology conference that Google’s interest remains in working with other manufacturers rather than alone.
However, though Google’s Android is the largest mobile operating system on the planet, it has often been criticised for how fragmented it is. This is due to the vast range of devices that Android runs on, and the different versions of Android that each of these runs.
Polishing this area of Android is something that would appeal to Google, and indeed this greater level of control over their software is a reason for their alleged wish to pursue such a phone, according to reports.
The one phone Google is currently building itself is very different: Project Ara. This is the modular device allowing consumers to attach and remove different parts – whether it be a battery pack, new camera lens or something else. This is expected to be released next year, but sits much closer to the concept end of the spectrum than a Google-built iPhone challenger would.
