Why Samsung got the Nexus? My theories...

[Guamguy]

I suspect its the same reason why we don't have a new HTC Nexus or a Motorola Nexus, pointing to two other threads here.

I suspect both HTC and Motorola were in fact offered with this opportunity around late spring and summer of 2010...but they in fact refused.

How could anyone refuse being a Nexus? The fact that the Nexus One wasn't gangbusters in selling has something to do with it, and the fact that Verizon and Sprint dropped the idea. A CDMA Nexus One was supposed to have introduced right about last year of this month.

At that time, sales of phones like the HTC Desire, HTC EVO, Droid X and Droid Incredible were at a point they were getting shortages, and both Motorola and HTC saw an opportunity to make themselves equal partners with Google in the Android pyramid, not as mere OEM handset makers. They saw Nexus as a threat, if successful, it would strengthen Google's hand on the Android ecosystem and turn the handset makers into commodity producers. They simultaneously express this fear and the need for ecosystem assertion by doing the UIs. The fact that the HTC Desire appears to have greatly outsold the Nexus One, even when both phones are similar, seems to have greatly lifted HTC's confidence of their own style and branding. For them, better to sell 10 HTC Desire rather than 5 HTC Desire and 5 Nexus Ones.

Every new Android version is supposed to have a flagship device to lead it. But Froyo didn't. The first device to ship with the Froyo was the Droid 2. I believed Droid 2 was originally the Nexus 2, Motorola's CEO hinted in February in 2010, and the renderings matched the device. But I suspect Verizon and Motorola eventually had other ideas.

I think the T-Mobile G2 would not have been possible if T-Mobile didn't request having a vanilla Android. I suspect the G2X is another vanilla Android.

Samsung got the Nexus simply because they said yes when others said no. Despite Touchwiz and Bada, I think Samsung is hungry to simply sell as many phones as possible by any means. As long as Samsung is willing, they will make Nexus.

I suspect LG and Sony Ericsson has been offered as well. Maybe SE has turned this down, but I suspect LG is open.

I find it interesting the way HTC would market the Nexus One --- almost not at all, treating it like a stepchild--- whereas Samsung seems to actively promote the Nexus S like its one of their own.

Its all my theory, a suspicion of what happened.

 

[DroidXcon]

Yeah that must be it

 

[Robbzilla]

Yeah that must be it

Well, that's how the Dallas Cowboys got the Thanksgiving day game every year...

 

[Jalarm]

This might not be anything important, but Eric Schmidt loves the Galaxy S series of phones. He said the hardware beat the iphone, so maybe he pushed Sammy to.

 

[Officerpolabear]

Although all these companies make android products, you do have to remember they are all competing against each other as android is to apple. They won't always care about customers. HTC has the right idea and Moto can hit it sometimes. Sammy is horrible. But since I root, it isn't a problem with me

 

[Jalarm]

Although all these companies make android products, you do have to remember they are all competing against each other as android is to apple. They won't always care about customers. HTC has the right idea and Moto can hit it sometimes. Sammy is horrible. But since I root, it isn't a problem with me

Samsung can make Hardware, but your right they are horrible at software.

 

[rem_kujawa]

Kudos on the well thought out ploy.

 

[the one and only M]

I remember reading that what turned out to be the Droid Pro was initially meant to be the nexus two but it was scrapped. So moto was next in line to make a nexus device but it never happened. They were at the nexus one launch event.

 

[blakestimac]

I think Google approaches the manufacturer when one independently brings a quality set of Android devices to market. HTC was obviously the first choice, as they were first to release an Android phone.

Motorola was rumored to make the Nexus 2 (Shadow) for a while, but that fell through. It makes me wonder if Motorola didn't want to release a handset that was so easily hackable. This is not to say they haven't before, but maybe Motorola didn't want to play by all of Google's rules. However, the rumor of a Motorola Nexus device is still floating around.

Then there's Samsung. Samsung's Galaxy S devices have been massively successful, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's what got Google's attention.

LG is also making some quality devices now as well, and when the rumor of Google and LG partnering up to make a Nexus tablet surfaced, I wasn't surprised at all.

I don't believe Google will be releasing a Nexus device of the same manufacturer until we see a couple more from different companies. Google wants everyone to be happy, and Motorola, Samsung, LG, and other major players likely wouldn't be happy to hear that HTC will get another stab at a Nexus phone before others got their chance. This would give an unfair advantage to HTC, and Google wants to be fair.

Basically, if your product is up to snuff, impressive, and you don't mind playing by Google's rules, there's a likelihood you'll be able to slap a Nexus branding on the name.

That's what I think, at least.

 

[DJBeanPole]

Wall of text hits you for 10000000000000000000 million damage

 

[R3dM0nd]

verizon and sprint were supposed to get the n1 but passed for the incredible and evo respectively which if im not mistaken are really reskinned versions of the n1 like sure evo is bigger but the n1 and incredible are same size and processor evo im pretty sure is same processor i would love to see another htc nexus phone i think the n1 was amazing i just wish samsung would allow more companies to use the super amoled screens again

 

[Gameboy70]

I don't buy the idea that manufacturers turned down Google. When HTC makes a phone like the Evo, they're talking on a huge risk, partially mitigated by carrier subsidies. They have to eat the cost of whatever units aren't sold to carriers or consumers.

With the Nexus, Google's footing the bill for the whole inventory. If the phones sell well enough for Google to reorder, then HTC makes even more money. If the phones don't sell well, Google's the one left holding the bag.

The only reason a manufacturer would pass on a contract like the Nexus line is that another manufacturer put in a more competitive offer, or had low enough levels of work-in-process to promise a faster turnaround time.

Samsung still has a larger manufacturing base than HTC. They make all kinds of products, not just smartphones. They also have their own stock of NAND flash and SoC solutions (the Hummingbird), so they could probably undercut most manufacturers in this space, both in time and money. That's why they can sell a 10" wifi tablet for $100 less than Motorola's, and it's why they can rapidly redesign their tablet within days of seeing the iPad 2.

 

[Baconator]

I think Google also liked that Samsung brought it's Galaxy S phones to all 4 major carriers and even to some smaller ones, unlike Motorola who just wants their phones on Verizon. (I was shocked when I heard the Atrix was going to be on AT&T) LG seems to be trying to do he same as Samsung and give each carrier a really good phone so I wouldn't doubt that LG will make the next Nexus.

 

[Jalarm]

Maybe Google says whichever OEM demonstrates dedication to android and gives all carriers things (like Baconater said) gets to make the Nexus.

 

[og_president]

They got it because they make the super AMLOED lcds exclusive to samasung devivces. The first n1 had AMLOED, So google wanted the best screen possible and the rest is history

Swyped from my Gingerbread'ed Optimus S

 

[Johnly]

Kudos on the well thought out ploy.

Right? It was an interesting ploy at that. I give a second kudos on the time spent in thought to conclude that, he he.

 

[ottscay]

I think the OP is sort of correct about Sammy being the right place with the right answer at the right time, but I'm not sure the previous history is as simple as that.

The Nexus One wasn't merely supposed to refine Android phone design (although that was a major goal). It was supposed to revolutionize the phone market much more aggressively then the model they eventually came out with. Several leaks have made it apparent that Google wanted to sell those phones off contract for the same price as carriers sell phones on contract - eating the cost differences as a loss leader to help explode the Android market and to change the stranglehold that carriers have on customers.

Unfortunately for customers the carriers made it clear to Google that they also can decide not to allow Nexus Ones on their networks if Google wasn't going to play ball, so Google backed down and pitched the phone with the more hastily thrown together plan. I'm fairly certain that one of the reasons some carriers never had a Nexus One made for them was done as a reminder to Google not to get out of line again (I think eventually Google will try in a very different way with VoiP and more prevalent wifi, but that's another post).

Anyways, at the same time Google was also having issues with both Samsung and Motorola about using non-Google services on the Droid X and Galaxy S, and apparently they may have even delayed the launch of the X (which had been intended to ship with Froyo and before the iPhone 4 launch). As a result of the bru ha ha Moto didn't get the access they needed to Froyo to launch with it, and the phone was a month later than the iPhone 4.

I don't believe a Nexus 2 was ever intended to come before the launch of Gingerbread - having a Nexus is supposed to bring status and free publicity, and if you release them too often it waters down the impact. Still, I think the OP is right that Motorola was in line to make the next Nexus (or at least had it offered to them) and they turned it down because of the issues they were having on the Skyhook/Maps issue with the Droid X (remember that a December phone has to be planned on while this disagreement would have been going on). Also, Moto depended strongly on their working relationship with Verizon and the Droid brand, and I think Verizon held a grudge for a while (note they're still the last to get a Nexus S variant...if they ever do).

Samsung, on the other hand, was hungry to break into the market (remember they had almost nothing before the Galaxy S line hit it big) and signed right up. They also hadn't seen any delays or lost any marketing opportunities like Motorola had, so it was probably easier on their egos.

Anyways, I think the timing of the Nexus S was the way it was originally planned, but Samsung probably did get it because Moto declined. I don't believe it was offered to HTC, as I think Google really does want to spread the love (and the training) around a bit. And I don't think Samsung will get the next one. I'd look for LG to launch a tegra3 device with Ice Cream Sandwich (or whatever it's called) in Q4 this year.

By the way, all this is drawn from reports on techcrunch, engadget, and of course the excellent pages of AndroidCentral, but I don't have the time to go look them all up.

 

[tropper]

I don't buy the idea that manufacturers turned down Google. When HTC makes a phone like the Evo, they're talking on a huge risk, partially mitigated by carrier subsidies. They have to eat the cost of whatever units aren't sold to carriers or consumers.

With the Nexus, Google's footing the bill for the whole inventory. If the phones sell well enough for Google to reorder, then HTC makes even more money. If the phones don't sell well, Google's the one left holding the bag.

The only reason a manufacturer would pass on a contract like the Nexus line is that another manufacturer put in a more competitive offer, or had low enough levels of work-in-process to promise a faster turnaround time.

Samsung still has a larger manufacturing base than HTC. They make all kinds of products, not just smartphones. They also have their own stock of NAND flash and SoC solutions (the Hummingbird), so they could probably undercut most manufacturers in this space, both in time and money. That's why they can sell a 10" wifi tablet for $100 less than Motorola's, and it's why they can rapidly redesign their tablet within days of seeing the iPad 2.

I agree with Gameboy it all boils down to cost and seeing how Sammy makes there own screens, CPUs, Flash and are large enough to make them on time. Its way easy to see them undercutting everyone else.

 

[rem_kujawa]

Right? It was an interesting ploy at that. I give a second kudos on the time spent in thought to conclude that, he he.

Lol.

 

[judasmachine]

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that they are just taking turns.