Last week, we told you that Google was scrapping the Nexus program and preparing something called Android Silver.
That headline sounds like an Onion headline, but it was a real news piece.
Now, we have further confirmation of the existence of Google Silver. According to recently-released reports from @EVLeaks, Google has officially scrapped the Nexus 6 and replaced it with an LG handset running a Qualcomm MSM8994 processor.
LG handset, running a Qualcomm MSM8994, to be among first Silver devices. Successor to the Nexus 6 initiative, expected on Sprint in the US.
— @evleaks (@evleaks) May 17, 2014
The actual release date of Android Silver is up in the air. A day before the above tweet was posted, EVLeaks tweeted that Android Silver was going to be released in February 2015:
Android Silver, circa February 2015. [discussion: http://t.co/dMTT3g393q]
— @evleaks (@evleaks) May 17, 2014
The Nexus 6, however, was expected to launch in Q3 or Q4 2014.
In other words, we may get a Nexus 6 as well as a new Android Silver device soon afterwards.
Here’s the most important things to know about Android Silver (which Google has not talked about at all so far):
-There will only be five devices or manufacturers promoted by the Silver program at one time
-Android Silver products will conform to a set of Google guidelines and standards
-It would feature a stock OS and a near-stock Android experience
-It would unify Android and make it a simpler, clearer choice for consumers and developers alike
Basically, Google wants to emulate the Apple approach of having just a handful of iPhones and iPads available at a single time. By conforming to a set of high-quality guidelines, Google could more easily control the Android brand while also concentrating its marketing on a few specific devices.
