Google may be planning to launch an extremely budget-friendly Nexus smartphone this year, if a new report is to be believed.
Various whispers recently have tried to anticipate what Google has planned for its 2014 Nexus lineup, but the latest news is quite surprising. While rumors of a Nexus 8 and Nexus 10 tablets have been making rounds for a good while now, as well as speculation about the next-generation Nexus 6 flagship smartphone, Google may be planning a little something extra for the low-budget segment.
Nexus devices have proved very popular so far because they combine great specs with affordable price tags, while also guaranteeing quick updates whenever a new Android version becomes available. Those affordable price tags, however, are very decent for the specs they bring, but not all markets find them so budget-friendly.
According to the latest rumor, Google may we working on launching a dirt-cheap low-to-mid-range phone this year. A new report out of China (via G4Games) cites "trusted insiders from Taiwan supply chains," claiming that Google has teamed up with chip maker MediaTek to build a very cheap smartphone. Like Qualcomm, MediaTek makes mobile processors, but its chips are generally used in budget phones. The purported MediaTek-powered handset from Google will reportedly hit shelves with a price as low as $100.
Google is still expected to launch a flagship Nexus 6 this year with high-end specs and features at a reasonable price, but the company may also launch a second device with a dirt-cheap price tag for developing countries. Nothing is confirmed at this point and this handset, if it does exist, may not even launch under the Nexus brand.
Things have been heating up on the budget smartphone market with the arrival of Motorola's Moto G, and the bar is now higher for low-end handsets. Low-end smartphones are gaining momentum especially in developing markets, it wouldn't be so surprising if Google wanted a piece of this pie.
At this point, however, it's all based solely on speculation, as Google hasn't announced any plans to launch a low-end smartphone this year. In fact, Google hasn't revealed anything so far regarding its hardware plans for 2014, so take everything with a grain of salt for now.
