HTC, the maker of the original Nexus smartphone, is said to be working with Google yet again on a new Nexus device. However, not just one, but two devices for release in 2016. This is, of course, if a tipster on Chinese micro-blogging site, Weibo is to be believed. In 2015, Google worked with LG and Huawei to make two Nexus smartphones. That was the first time Google released two smartphones in the same year, in the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.
We’re also hearing that we might see a 5-inch and a 5.5-inch smartphone from HTC and Google for the Nexus program. This would be the first time that a manufacturer has made two Nexus devices together with Google for the same release. LG has made three, although they were in separate years, 2012, 2013 and 2015. ASUS has also made three in 2012, 2013, and 2014. And so has Samsung, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The Nexus program is definitely evolving and with Android N – which should debut at Google I/O in May – it’s going to be interesting to see what Google may have up their sleeves this year.
The Nexus program isn’t a top seller. In fact, many of the Nexus smartphones don’t sell very well at all. However we’d never know as Google and their partners never release sale numbers. Nexus is more about the symbol of pure Android. Or Android the way that Google thinks it should be. Working with HTC should be familiar for Google as they’ve worked with the Taiwanese company on the very first Android smartphone, the HTC G1 – or the HTC Dream outside of the US – as well as the very first Nexus, the Nexus One. Not to mention the HTC Nexus 9 in 2014 as well.
Typically, new Nexus devices are announced in fall. Around September or October, and released shortly after. So we’ve got quite a ways to go before we see the fruits of the labor. It was about this time last year, when reports of Huawei working with Google on a Nexus started to surface too. That shows us that this is the time of year when Google decides who will make it and gets down to business on making said smartphone.