It looks like it's turning into a race between LG and Motorola for which company will launch the first Android smartphone running Android 5 Key Lime Pie. Google has its Google I/O Developer's conference in May and it is widely believed that Google will use the event to debut Android 5.0 Keylime Pie. What remains unclear is who Google will choose to launch Keylime Pie with.
There have been many reports that Google plans on launching Key Lime Pie on a smartphone it has been working with Motorola on since its acquisition and the smartphone is currently being called the X Phone. There are now reports that LG is in the running to launch Key Lime Pie since it has confirmed that it is in talks with Google to build the next Nexus smartphone, rumored to be called the Nexus 5.
Google is in a tough place because if it chooses to launch Key Lime Pie with a smartphone it created with Motorola, many Android licensees are sure to feel that Google is turning into a direct competitor. If Google chooses to partner with LG on a Nexus 5, the X Phone's debut might not be as big if it isn't the first Android smartphone running Keylime Pie. Google is obviously committed to begin releasing its own hardware with the acquisition of Motorola, but it might need to play the safe route by choosing to debut Keylime Pie on a Nexus, as it has previously done when introducing a new, major version of Android.
Many analysts believe that Google will not launch a new Nexus in May, citing it is too early to release a new Nexus. Google's Nexus 4 was released in November, and the company has only recently caught up on fulfilling orders for the popular smartphone. The fact that LG has confirmed that it has expressed to Google interest in building the next Nexus only makes it more complicated to figure out who Google will choose to be the first smartphone released running Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.
Google has been making sure to keep its Android licensees happy. Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of engineering for Android at Google recently spoke about Google's relationship with Motorola and downplayed any special treatment the company would give to its new acquisition. He told CNET:
"It's almost as if [Motorola is] a separate company ... We treat all of our partners fairly," he said, as if assuring other tech firms. "Motorola we consider a partner just like HTC or Samsung."
Do you think Key Lime Pie will launch on the X Phone or a Nexus built by LG? Let us know in the comments.
