Google may be thinking about making its own smartphone

Google’s line of Nexus smartphones are developed by its partners, like Huawei and LG, and it doesn’t actually make its own mobile hardware, but a new report from the Information claims that’s about to change. According to the report, Google is looking to do what Apple does with its own smartphones, which means it’s controls virtually every aspect of the creation process, from design to manufacturing. This seems to align with previous rumors that Google is also looking to develop its own mobile chipset. 

What if Google were to go the Apple route for its next smartphone? That would be controlling the entire process, from designing the chipset used to the entire manufacturing process and design of the body, alongside development of the software it runs. According to The Information, the search company is currently having internal discussions about this topic, though there isn’t exactly any word on Google signing off and moving forward. You may be wondering how this differs from Google’s Nexus line and the answer is sort of simple. With Nexus phones or tablets, Google joins with one or more of their close partners to co-develop a product. With the Nexus 5X and 6P, Google asked LG and Huawei to help build them. Those companies not only help manufacture the phones (with branding), but they more than likely help distribute them as well. Should Google decide to go the Apple route and do it all, they take on all of that without the help of LG or Huawei or Samsung or HTC.