If all the news about the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One with Nexus user experience made you question whether Google would continue to release Nexus smartphones and tablets, you'll be happy to know that Google has confirmed it will be bringing more Nexus-branded devices to the market.
When Google unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S4 with Nexus user experience, many people wondered if Google was going to continue to release its own Nexus hardware. The announcement of the HTC One with Nexus user experience didn't do much to calm those fears, but Google's SVP of Android, Chrome and Apps, Sundar Pichai, told AllThingsD that his company still plans to keep the Nexus brand alive, alongside the Galaxy S4 and HTC One.
When asked about eliminating the Nexus program, Pichai said, "The goal with Nexus was to push forward hardware with partners. That will continue as well." That short answer keeps alive the hopes of getting a Nexus-branded smartphone or tablet that Google has picked out to showcase Android, usually with attractive pricing.
If you compare the Nexus 4 with the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, you'll notice that Google charges $299 on the Play Store for the 8GB Nexus 4, while both the Samsung Galxy S4 and HTC One with Nexus user experience will cost $649 and $599. Since Google has no part in choosing the hardware (that's left to Samsung and HTC), it seems like it can secure more competitive pricing on what it offers under the Nexus brand. The Galaxy S4 and HTC One are more recent than the Nexus 4, but Google does not have to split anything when it sells a Nexus device. Samsung and HTC are believed to be getting a cut on each "Nexus user experience" device sold.
Some of the reasons people flock to Nexus-branded devices is pricing and knowing the tablet or smartphone will always be backed by Google and will be running the latest version of Android. Whenever Google releases an updated version of Android, it hits Nexus devices first since it does not have to go through any carrier or manufacturer testing. The "Nexus user experience" devices will also gain that ability. It basically comes down to paying more to Samsung and HTC to use their smartphones with a stock version of Android out of the box.
It's great to know that even with these new "Nexus user experience" smartphones coming out, the Nexus brand is still alive and well.
