Weird and Wacky Engineering
Comment
KB3001
or may be learn about different hardware systems to improve their software ...
Charles.Desassure
Thanks for this article, but not big news here. Google is trying to establish a ...
LG to make Google's next Nexus phone?
Sylvie Barak
2/26/2012 7:22 PM EST
BARCELONA—Word on the Barcelona street is that LG is in discussions to become Google’s next hardware partner for Nexus phones.
Head of LG’s smartphone division, Ramchan Woo, told CNET his firm was already “heavily in discussions" with Google on the subject, though no firm commitments had yet been made.
Google is well known for choosing different device manufacturers and chipset vendors for each iteration of its Nexus platform, which represents the pinnacle of its Android experience and sets the bar for the ecosystem.
With the firm having recently purchased Motorola, however, some analysts were predicting Google would try to make its Nexus in-house.
“Discussions are one thing, final product might be another issue,” analyst Jack Gold told EE Times.
Gold said if LG was talking to Google about the Nexus it must be that Google is trying to maintain some level of arms-length separation from Motorola to remain seen as treating all Android licensees fairly.
LG, he said, was probably more willing to work with Google and meet some of the firm’s negotiation points given the Korean phone maker’s relatively weaker position in the Android food chain.
Another interesting possibility is that LG could leverage its new partnership with Intel on the smartphone side to give a new Google Nexus an interesting Atom twist.
“Intel does need to get a compelling Atom-based product to market,” said Gold and added that the chipmaker’s recent closeness to Google and given how closely the two companies have worked on porting and optimizing Android for Atom, the possibility wasn’t all that remote. “Intel really has a desire to make a splash with its new chips,” he said.
Finally, LG does have some channels of distribution and technology capabilities it can uniquely bring to bear, also making it an interesting option for Google to consider as a Nexus partner.
Rumor has it that LG is also planning a Nexus TV, which would be the first of its kind, though Google has been pushing Android TV especially hard. With flop after flop in Google’s television endeavors, opening a Nexus program for set-top boxes could be an interesting move by the firm.
Head of LG’s smartphone division, Ramchan Woo, told CNET his firm was already “heavily in discussions" with Google on the subject, though no firm commitments had yet been made.
Google is well known for choosing different device manufacturers and chipset vendors for each iteration of its Nexus platform, which represents the pinnacle of its Android experience and sets the bar for the ecosystem.
With the firm having recently purchased Motorola, however, some analysts were predicting Google would try to make its Nexus in-house.
“Discussions are one thing, final product might be another issue,” analyst Jack Gold told EE Times.
Gold said if LG was talking to Google about the Nexus it must be that Google is trying to maintain some level of arms-length separation from Motorola to remain seen as treating all Android licensees fairly. LG, he said, was probably more willing to work with Google and meet some of the firm’s negotiation points given the Korean phone maker’s relatively weaker position in the Android food chain.
Another interesting possibility is that LG could leverage its new partnership with Intel on the smartphone side to give a new Google Nexus an interesting Atom twist.
“Intel does need to get a compelling Atom-based product to market,” said Gold and added that the chipmaker’s recent closeness to Google and given how closely the two companies have worked on porting and optimizing Android for Atom, the possibility wasn’t all that remote. “Intel really has a desire to make a splash with its new chips,” he said.
Finally, LG does have some channels of distribution and technology capabilities it can uniquely bring to bear, also making it an interesting option for Google to consider as a Nexus partner.
Rumor has it that LG is also planning a Nexus TV, which would be the first of its kind, though Google has been pushing Android TV especially hard. With flop after flop in Google’s television endeavors, opening a Nexus program for set-top boxes could be an interesting move by the firm.
|
|
|
|
|
Navigate to related information
daleste
2/26/2012 8:42 PM EST
I would bet that Motorola is also working on the next phone for Google. If not, they really were only purchased for the patents.
Sign in to Reply
hm
2/26/2012 10:59 PM EST
Google with Android, Intel with Atom and LG with good manufacturing will be very good combination for developing new product. However, marketing and providing longivity to this product may be little more challenging.
Sign in to Reply
chanj
2/27/2012 7:46 PM EST
I believe Google wants to maintain the already good relationship with various hardware vendors, trying to avoid favoring Motorola Mobility.
When I read the title of the article, I am curious why Google would choose LG over the other partners that Google already has experience working with. Towards the end the article, after reading Nexus TV, I think choosing LG makes a lot of sense.
Google TV, by itself, doesn't seem to be very attractive to a lot of consumers. I bet Google must have come up a better plan of integrating TV and mobile devices to enhance viewers experience. LG would be an obvious choice given their experience on building TV. I can't wait to see the next generation smart TV.
Sign in to Reply
Charles.Desassure
3/1/2012 10:40 AM EST
Thanks for this article, but not big news here. Google is trying to establish a relationship with everyone. I believe their goal is to obtain a piece of the pie in every area.
Sign in to Reply
KB3001
3/6/2012 9:53 AM EST
or may be learn about different hardware systems to improve their software offering. I said it when Google bought Motorola Mobility, Google have to be very very careful not to scare mobile phone manufacturers off Android. Working with different mobile manufacturers and avoiding aggressive marketing of their own hardware offering makes sense then...
Sign in to Reply