Google preparing up to five Android 5.0 Jelly Bean Nexus phones

[Shawn Knight]

Less than a month removed from selling their Galaxy Nexus handset contract-free through the Google Play Store, the search giant is preparing to partner with multiple OEMs in an effort to have more than one pure Google device available at any given time. In fact, Google could market upwards of five Nexus handsets completely unlocked and running Android 5.0 Jelly Bean in the US, Asia and Europe.

Multiple pure Google phones would provide customers with several options pertaining to selecting a wireless carrier. It will also ease fears that carriers might have about Google potentially favoring Motorola following their $12 billion acquisition. Furthermore, some believe the move could help to reduce carrier-induced bloatware and performance-robbing skinning.

The strategy would be completely different for Google as they have only release three phones over the past three years: the HTC Nexus One, the Nexus S and the most recent Galaxy Nexus.

Last month Google made a pure Galaxy Nexus phone available in the Google Play Store, free of contract for just $399. The phone was essentially identical to what users could buy through Sprint or Verizon with the exception of storage. The pure Nexus shipped with 16GB of storage rather than the 32GB option available through select carriers.

Sources familiar with the situation say that Android 5.0 Jelly Bean should launch by Thanksgiving. In other words, it will be ready for Black Friday shopping and the ensuing lucrative holiday buying season.

Google hasn't commented on the matter nor do we expect them to.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/48608-google-preparing-up-to-five-android-50-jelly-bean-nexus-phones.html

 

[Guest]

news I'd love to hear from google is the hassle-free availability of at least android 4.0 ics OS update for all android phones with android 2.3.5/2.3.6 gingerbread OS.

 

[mevans336]

"The phone was essentially identical to what users could buy through Sprint or Verizon with the exception of storage."


I think you mean AT&T or T-Mobile, as it states on the linked page it is a GSM phone. I searched and searched for an EVDO or LTE variant to replace my Droid Bionic, but they're simply not selling one.

From the Google Play Device FAQ: "Phones purchased from devices on Google Play are not compatible with Verizon or Sprint."

 

[Guest]

The upgrade to your operating system unfortunately relies on your carrier, not google.

 

[Guest]

Google is trying to steer people away from the use of local phone storage, hence their omission of a memory card slot on the Nexus S and Nexus Galaxy. They expect everyone to use a data plan or wifi in the future to access their own files.

Unfortunately, carriers are squeezing the customers by limiting data plans to 2 gigs a month and punishing customers who use too much data. I love the idea of a Google phone that is not tied to a carrier in any way, but I also love my 60 gigs of MP3 music and I don't want to have to pay just to listen to it!

Sorry Google, your whole "cloud" mentality is a bit one-sided and consumer-unfriendly. Let the customer choose whether they want to use cloud or local storage. Don't decide for them--a classic business mistake.

 

[scumbag]

I absolutely agree.

What also annoys me is the assumption that a decent signal can be had everywhere & all the time.

I think if they carry on trying to force their customers down this route then they're going to suffer for it.

 

[Guest]

Google doesnt support sdcard on there devices not because of the reasons you stated. To use sd card FAT32 windows file system is needed and it is patented by microsoft. Microsoft wouldnt allow to put it on android devices, unless you pay them a big check in form of royalties. hence is google has been avoiding supporting sdcards on it devices since xoom

 

[Guest]

@guest

It is google's fault that all of the phones aren't upgraded. They knew to get the market share they have now, google would have to allow carriers to make up all there own terms when it comes to upgrades. Google could have done something like windows phone and only allowed phones to be x number of versions behind on releases. They decided not to becuase it was a better selling point to carriers to allow them to force people to buy new phones to have the latest android.

Google either needs to fix this issue or come out with less major version.

 

[Guest]

What are you talking about; paying to listen? Cloud service is free, and you're talking about 2GB a month. Are you trying to say you listen to 60GB of music a month? If you say yes, you're full of horse ****.