Google CEO Sundar Pichai semi-stunned the nerd world by stating that the company’s Nexus-branded phones and tablets might not offer a pure Android experience for much longer.
Speaking at the Code Conference, Pichai said that Google intended to be more directly involved in the design of future Nexus devices.
And buried in the same interview was a potentially ominous hint that vanilla Android might not be the Nexus line’s default OS in the future.
“[We will} thoughtfully add more features on top of Android or Nexus Phones,” in the name of “software innovation,” he said.
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Not an earth-shattering statement, perhaps, but a clear sign that Google isn’t hell-bent on slapping a chastity belt on all its Nexus products.
An unadulterated Android experience is regarded as one of the biggest selling points for Nexus devices – as well as other phones like the Moto G, which offers a near-pure version of Google’s mobile software.
Why Google would alter its strategy at this point in time seems a bit of a mystery, but it could be that its OEM partners are pressing for more software input in exchange for their hardware efforts.
Huawei manufactured the most recent Google phone, the Nexus 6P, while previous collaborators include LG and HTC.
In other words, if you’re getting all worked up for the arrival of Android N later this year, it might be a good idea to temper your expectations – they could end up being a bit bloated, like your next Nexus phone.
You can watch the full Pichai interview below.
Will Google start mucking about with pure Android? Let us know your predictions in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.