It’s been rumored for some time now that the new Google Pixel lineup would mean the end of the Nexus line. Now though, the company has confirmed these plans and, disappointingly for many, has revealed that they have “no plans” for any new Nexus devices.
The Nexus line, which started seven years ago with the launch of the Nexus One, has included 8 different phones, including last year’s Nexus 6P and 5X, as well as four tablets, most recently the Nexus 9, and a couple of media players. As well as this, there have been a number of manufacturers involved in the line, including HTC, LG, Huawei and Samsung, among others. Initially, the program was created to showcase what vanilla Android could do and showed manufacturers what Google considered to be a properly built Android device. As the years went on though, manufacturers started to get the memo and started improving their devices, which led Google to try and make the Nexus line more consumer friendly, with the launch of the Nexus 5, and more upmarket, with the launch of the Nexus 6. These attempts have ultimately led Google to create their own new line of smartphones, the Google Pixel.
With the launch of the Pixel devices, Google has gone ahead and removed all Nexus hardware from the Google Store, so for those looking to get their hands on the last Nexus devices, they’re going to have to shop around to get their hands on the final units of the devices. Now, although many fans of the Nexus line will be disappointed, the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL devices still offer a stock Android experience, albeit, with a new launcher, so core Android fans can still get their hands on a Nexus-like product that isn’t obsolete. In most ways, the Google Pixel line is actually like a rebranded Nexus line, but one that hopes to cater to the masses, as well as the enthusiasts – though whether the company will succeed at this is another matter. If the internet giant is serious about competing with the likes of Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy S7, the company may well be planning a huge marketing campaign for the Pixel lineup. As well as this, the company’s partnership with Verizon Wireless is also bound to help raise awareness of the new series of smartphones. Only time will tell if Google’s Pixel lineup becomes a niche product or something that more consumers are willing to buy.