Google News 2016: Search Giant To Manufacture Its Own Phones Soon? [VIDEO]
It seems like Google has gotten tired of iOS devices dominating the high-end smartphone market, as recent rumors have emerged suggesting that the tech behemoth is currently planning on releasing its very own smartphone. Take note, this is not a Nexus device. The phone would allegedly be made from the bottom up by Google itself.
If this rumor does prove true, it would definitely make the smartphone market very interesting. After all, despite Google's Android running in four out of five mobile devices across the globe today, most Android offerings are infamously bogged down by skins and other bloatware from smartphone manufacturers, or cellular carriers for that matter.
Indeed, Samsung itself is a great example of this fact. Though its Galaxy S and Note line have been the iPhone's main rival for years now, users have been pretty unanimous in the notion that Samsung's TouchWiz skin, which is notably slowed down by heavy customization, is one of the devices' worst selling points.
This is the main reason why Google opted to start the Nexus line of devices. The Nexus line has been very successful to date, largely due to the fact that the devices carry vanilla Android. However, despite the Nexus line featuring the purest Android OS to date, limitations from the third party manufacturers are still present. By creating its own smartphone, Google would be able to address this problem fully.
Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight, believes that Google's plan, if ever it does get proven true, is the company's way to address the ongoing fragmentation of the Android operating system.
"They are concerned that Android is fragmenting, that it needs to become a more controlled platform. I think they'll seek to control it more, more like Apple," he said.
Google has actually started manufacturing its own devices. Just last year, it unveiled the Pixel C, a powerful tablet designed to meet the iPad Pro head on. The firm has already released two premium notebooks, the Pixel and the Pixel 2, showcasing the capabilities of its Chrome OS.
