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gotluck

macrumors 603
Dec 8, 2011
5,717
1,260
East Central Florida
For real. If Samsung decides to go vanilla android I would be quite pleased. The Moto X with less bloat is far better than the Galaxy offerings with their touchwiz stuff IMO.

That's just too good to be true.

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Apparently not. To be honest, I think having Fadell in charge of hardware (if rumors are true) is a real coup for Google.

Products akin to chromecast probably. Complimentary devices.
 

tbayrgs

macrumors 604
Jul 5, 2009
7,467
5,097
I'm not sure keeping that team means that Google will make phones.

Agreed, but certainly could also be more than coincidence that purchasing Nest (and Fadell's team) was closely followed by cutting loose Motorola's hardware division. Having one of the lead engineers/developers of 2 of the most impactful devices that have pretty much shaped the mobile electronics industry over the past 15-20 years is a pretty good start if they do decide to get into producing phones on their own.
 

tjl3

macrumors 6502a
Mar 8, 2012
595
4
I can certainly understand the logistics of dropping the Nexus smartphone line. Market growth is leveling off, the ROI of adding new users to their platform is tapering. Honestly, I've argued so long that unless Apple made a huge mis-step, Google's Android will never completely overtake them.

If any of this (http://www.androidauthority.com/goog...mobile-315390/) is true, then it makes sense for Google to rely on GE phones and step out of the smartphone business. Receiving the latest and greatest update is becoming increasingly less important for the majority of Android users (save for communities like this). This past year alone, we saw Google pour a lot into marketing their Nexus products, it just adds to the cost of the phone. So again, the ROI must be plateauing.

Also consider that most Nexus users probably migrate from other Android devices and are probably likely to use Android alternatives than Apple. A win for Google still.
 

sentinelsx

macrumors 68010
Feb 28, 2011
2,004
0
I hope not.

Else allow all phones to swap to Google android skin or oem skin as user needs, which will never happen. Samsung didn't make a fortune because of Google Android (stock is aosp) but because of positioning themselves as the cool apple opponent and pushing their bloat as cool. They wouldn't give it up.

Google edition is us only and being able to flash a ge ROM doesn't solve all problems, as automatic updates still don't happen and have to be flashed once the ROM is updated by the Dev which is a clumsy solution.

And as much as touchjizz is used by the hordes of people, I refuse to use that abomination and many others so to. The majority is always looking for immediate cool factor which is provided by touchjizz, not aesthetic balances or uncluttered UX which google sanctioned devices provide.

On and not to forget the BS like Knox

That simply means the few who prefer the latter will have to migrate to another platform which provides that. Which is why I hope apple never goes out of business and windows phone starts to prosper. I don't like bloated magazine like interfaces designed for the average sheep.
 
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blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
I am thinking this rumor is false and came about because of confusion before google sold off Motorola. That is probably what the rumors meant by discontinuing production of devices.
 

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
I hope it doesn't happen even though Nexus devices and stock Android has lost its appeal on me thanks to other flagship phones with exclusive software features and some unique hardware diffentiation.

Reason being is price. You can get two Nexus phones for the price of one iPhone 5s or Note 3. Google should have marketed more to other countries that generally dont live on a postpaid plan. Google only catered to USA or other richer countries which generally deal with carriers and contracts and likely have customers choose an iPhone over Nexus anyway with their upgrade.

Google should have broaden the scope of Nexus phones through developing countries first like India and most countries in Asia. Market Nexus the way Nokia marketed low end devices to countries in South America, Africa, or Asia. People shouldn't have to pay $600-$700 for an unlocked phone and change it every two years. I say tops is $400 for a high end device simlar to the Nexus 5 price. A new video game console can last 3-5 years costing that much. Same with lower end laptops/notebooks. Smartphones are generally overpriced and saturated as is that prices should go down. Nexus line showed you can get a phone with top specs for half the price of Apple and Samsung flagships.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Samsung and Google recently entered some sort of partnership. I wonder if killing off Nexus, selling Motorola are all a segway into Google/Samsung domination.

Perhaps, but up until the selling of Motorola, their relationship was very cool. Things change and with google basically leaving the hardware to others, the relationship may warm up again but so far there's been no rumors AFAIK about any partnership.

I still think this may be more of branding move then google stop selling the nexus phones, i.e., calling it something else.
 

viskon

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2012
464
10
Google should have broaden the scope of Nexus phones through developing countries first like India and most countries in Asia.

The Nexus 5 is available on Google Play in India for approx $467 for the 16 GB. This is the first time that a Nexus phone had been made officially available through Google.

So it looks like Google has actually started to expand the Nexus program to other countries. I would be very surprised if they nixed the Nexus line.
 
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2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
The problem with the Nexus phones have not been popularity, but Google's poor sales support. Tons of people want Nexus devices, but they don't want to buy them online. You can already buy the Nexus tablets everywhere, why not the phones?

Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Sams, Costco, etc should all be selling the Nexus 5 for the same price as the Play Store.


Back on topic, I don't mind that they're thinking of killing off the Nexus devices. They have never been "flagship" devices. I'll stick to the top of the line Sammy/Moto/HTC, etc devices. There's almost always something "missing" with the Nexus devices.

Google should just concentrate on solidifying a partnership with Samsung. Sort of like how Nokia and Microsoft had a partnership (pre-Nokia buyout). I would buy a GN3 GPe right now, if it came with a stripped down TW interface, but came with all the S Pen tweaks.
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2007
5,972
4,472
Back on topic, I don't mind that they're thinking of killing off the Nexus devices. They have never been "flagship" devices. I'll stick to the top of the line Sammy/Moto/HTC, etc devices. There's almost always something "missing" with the Nexus devices.

I feel the opposite. The Nexus allows for a pure Google experience at $350. If you are looking to purchase off-contract in the future from now on (I am) the competing flagships are usually $600+. The end of the Nexus line would be absolutely terrible for me and many others.

I'm not fretting though until (if) it ever becomes official.
 

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
I feel the opposite. The Nexus allows for a pure Google experience at $350. If you are looking to purchase off-contract in the future from now on (I am) the competing flagships are usually $600+. The end of the Nexus line would be absolutely terrible for me and many others.

Sales are not nearly as big for them to keep it around and loose money on each phone. (Google does subsidize the Nexus phones).
 

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
I'd say its a mistake, there's still a market for nexus type phones, yet based on the article it looks more like a branding change.

I think people who don't know Android (ie the average iPhone user) finds the Nexus brand confusing. The Nexus 5 is a phone, the Nexus 7 is a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus Edition is a phone that isn't made by Google but uses Google's operating system... like the Samsung Galaxy S4...

I think Google is doing the same with Chrome, though. The word Chrome is being used for a web browser, an OS, a dongle. It's confusing.
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2007
5,972
4,472
Sales are not nearly as big for them to keep it around and loose money on each phone. (Google does subsidize the Nexus phones).

Google just said they were very happy with the sales of the Nexus 5.

If we lose the Nexus line, it really is terrible for consumers. That's all I'm saying here.
 

F123D

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2008
3,776
16
Del Mar, CA
If we somehow lose the Nexus phone, it's back to the Note line for me.

The G3 or new HTC One would be next up on my list.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
I think people who don't know Android (ie the average iPhone user) finds the Nexus brand confusing. The Nexus 5 is a phone, the Nexus 7 is a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Nexus Edition is a phone that isn't made by Google but uses Google's operating system... like the Samsung Galaxy S4...

I think Google is doing the same with Chrome, though. The word Chrome is being used for a web browser, an OS, a dongle. It's confusing.
They boxed themselves into a corner with the naming. They can't have a Nexus phone 7. I don't understand how they didn't see a problem down the line with the branding. I don't think they have much of a choice but to change the name.
 

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,699
10,567
Austin, TX
They boxed themselves into a corner with the naming. They can't have a Nexus phone 7. I don't understand how they didn't see a problem down the line with the branding. I don't think they have much of a choice but to change the name.

There really aren't any naming rules (just look at the iPhone numbering). The second generation Nexus 5 doesn't sound horrible, seeing as they are named for their sizes. In short, it really doesn't matter what the naming system is; at the end of the day, the product just needs to be strong.
 

MacNut

macrumors Core
Jan 4, 2002
22,998
9,976
CT
There really aren't any naming rules (just look at the iPhone numbering). The second generation Nexus 5 doesn't sound horrible, seeing as they are named for their sizes. In short, it really doesn't matter what the naming system is; at the end of the day, the product just needs to be strong.
Nexus 5, 7, and 10 don't explain what they are. At least you have iPhone and iPad. What would they call the next version? Nexus 6.

Yes Apple's numbering has gotten messed up but it is a natural progression.
 

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,699
10,567
Austin, TX
Nexus 5, 7, and 10 don't explain what they are. At least you have iPhone and iPad. What would they call the next version? Nexus 6.

Yes Apple's numbering has gotten messed up but it is a natural progression.

I have no idea what the next version will be called, but so far Nexus 4, 5, 7, and 10 are their sizes. It's not even worth thinking about. They might make a Nexus 6 next, but if they follow their current naming pattern, the Nexus six will be more of a phablet type phone.
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
There were two nexus 7's in a row. Its obvious that if they have another 5 inch phone it will called the nexus 5 again and people will refer to it as the nexus 5 2014 etc like they refer to the nexus 7 2013.
 

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,699
10,567
Austin, TX
There were two nexus 7's in a row. Its obvious that if they have another 5 inch phone it will called the nexus 5 again and people will refer to it as the nexus 5 2014 etc like they refer to the nexus 7 2013.

Agreed on this. No one gets confused by the different generation Macbook Pros even though they're all called Macbook Pro.
 

sixrom

macrumors 6502a
Nov 13, 2013
709
1
Google and Samsung have reached a ten year pact to work together, while it had has some compromises, all deals do. It's bound to be good for the platform and has nothing to do with dominating the mobile space.

There's plenty of room for everyone, no need for Apple loving Google haters to fret.

Here's an excerpt:

"Multiple sources familiar with the companies’ thinking say the two technology giants began hammering out a series of broad agreements at CES that would bring Samsung’s view of Android in line with Google’s own. The results of the talks, which have only just begun dribbling out to the public, also underscore the extent to which Google is exerting more of its influence to control its destiny in the Android open source world."



http://recode.net/2014/01/29/after-...will-dial-back-android-tweaks-homegrown-apps/
 

apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
It would be the worst thing if they stopped the Nexus line I think. I have found the Nexus 5 to be the best phone on the market, great price, well made, good camera, naked Android, fantastic screeN, very powerful and capable of keeping up with the iPhone 5S, fantasy ic design and looks awesome in white.
Yeap my Nexus 5 destroys my iPhone 5, not least because a its reception in is a million times better along with the everything else.

Others will have a different opinions but at the end of the day I have a phone that beats the iPhone 5 and can keep up with the 5S for half the price.

So that along with my 2012 Nexus 7 I am a fan of the Nexus devices, truly amazing value.
 

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
They boxed themselves into a corner with the naming. They can't have a Nexus phone 7. I don't understand how they didn't see a problem down the line with the branding. I don't think they have much of a choice but to change the name.

Also the nexus 5 followed the nexus 4. It makes sense the next one will be the nexus 6, except the number is the screen size not the model.
 
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