Google playing both sides with Motorola and their Nexus - Engadget

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presentation of Motorola Moto G yesterday showed that this manufacturer has proposals of interest not only in high-end with the Moto X, but also is able to compete in a much more competitive in price without making great sacrifices in hardware.

However, his appearance causes us to consider almost inevitably a reflection on Google strategy with his family of Nexus devices, and it appears now with a Motorola owned by Google but it looks like a completely independent company.

Nexus family, blessed by Google

In fact, it is particularly surprising that Google did not seize the potential to make devices Motorola Nexus family. For now have been other manufacturers that have been responsible for these smartphones and tablets, which not seem to make much sense after the purchase of Motorola Mobility in May 2012.

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year and a half that we have not seen absolutely no sign that Google gives preferential treatment to Motorola . Quite the opposite. Not even promoting these products in Google Play, the store in which only the Nexus has the honor of being distributed.

In recent times we have seen how some front-line terminals Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One-offered a special version for developers , with pure Android experience with unlocked bootloaders. This is the only section that Google appears to have favored Motorola, which also has a developer edition of the Moto X.

Nexus updates are not as relevant

Nor

favoritism towards Motorola in terms of software updates. Again we have the Nexus like devices Pampered , the real centers of Google does not seem to want to marry anyone.

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That however may not be as relevant: from Android 4.1 Jelly Bean most Android updates have not been as noticeable, but to this is added a second factor: Google has begun distributing separately some components key operating system as the client of Google Play Store and other applications that previously could only be upgraded as part of a pack.

Now these mobile applications are totally independent, and any user can use the latest versions yet have the latest version of Android. The famous upgrades to the latest edition of Android (in this case, Android 4.4 KitKat) and do not have much relevance , since some of its salient features can be obtained with small independent applications or updates and existing.

It’s time

Motorola Nexus

Nexus 5 is a great smartphone, especially when you look at their price-but for many this family of devices should start to really differentiate from other devices, and much closer collaboration Motorola would be the key.

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In fact, we have seen the Nexus 5 is, in essence, more of the same -again, something not insignificant that price-breaker: a terminal high-end price of a range average. And yet offered no particularly prominent aspects.

Yes he did the Moto X, a more courageous and with its striking features like Touchless Control for example has not been brought to full realization of the Nexus 5 (the phone must be switched on and off screen lock that has an active listening).

In fact, so far Google did not have too many cards to negotiate aspects in his family to control Nexus smartphone. The thing could change with a hypothetical Motorola Nexus, Google that theoretically could control from start to finish . Design, specifications, and full integration with Android.

In fact, you could probably design the micro phone with a more modest but thanks to software optimizations worked exceptionally well, especially on issues as battery consumption . Very much in line with what Apple does, of course, and perhaps it’s time to do something that a few months ago seemed a strong possibility that, despite the departure of Nexus 5 manufactured by LG, it is still very possible.

What about partners?

Of course, such treatment of favoritism (logical, incidentally) to Motorola to produce the future Nexus could be taken as an insult to their traditional partners. Already said as much when Google bought Motorola Mobility, but indifference between the two companies has kept those doubts at bay.

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is a similar situation now could handle Microsoft after buying Nokia : not many partners bet on Windows Phone ( timid attempts HTC and Samsung), but this acquisition will make things even more confusing for these and other manufacturers launch new smartphones based on the mobile platform of Redmond.

Of course, the reality is significantly different in the Android camp. Except for a handful of manufacturers (Apple and Nokia as references), the whole market has taken advantage offered by Android. If finally hurl Motorola Google Nexus with a spectacular integration (like the iPhone with iOS) probably saw some traditional partners in trouble , but certainly not the greatest.

In fact, Samsung seem to be preparing a Plan B . Tizen continues to advance, and probably see the first smartphone based on the platform at the Mobile World Congress in February 2014. It will be difficult to see that Samsung, utterly dominant share of Android with nearly 40% globally, is distinguished from the use of this mobile OS, but it could happen.

What about the rest? The HTC , Sony, LG, Lenovo, Huawei (to name the most obvious examples) yes that would be particularly threatened, and perhaps that them crawl to bet on other platforms as Windows Phone or perhaps Firefox OS (a priori the most promising of the “small”).

will be very, very interesting to see what happens in 2014 with Google and Motorola seem doomed to be understood once . Or maybe not.