While searching for Google to be a smartphone manufacturer like Apple, the possibility to settle the "fragmentation" problem

It is reported that we are seeking a direction to handle our smartphones from design to production like Apple like by Apple, largely changing the policy of Android OS reference model Nexus series which is sold as Google brand. This is likely to be a solution to solve the so-called "fragmentation" problem stuck with Android.

Google Signals Apple-like Direction for Nexus Phones - The Information
https://www.theinformation.com/google-signals-apple-like-direction-for-nexus-phones

Report: Google wants to take "Apple-like" control over Nexus devices | Ars Technica
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/report-google-wants-to-take-apple-like-control-over-nexus-devices/

The Android Screen Fragmentation Myth | Rusty Rants
http://rustyshelf.org/2014/07/08/the-android-screen-fragmentation-myth/

Google has sold the Nexus series as a reference model equipped with Android OS and has provided the latest Android OS. However, regarding Nexus smartphones Google has been engaged in design, development and marketing, and has adopted a stance to leave manufacturing to other companies. For this reason, smartphone manufacturers such as LG, Motorola, Huawei undertook the manufacture of the Nexus series, and Google sells smartphones as a Nexus brand.

For example, Huawei is Nexus 6P, LG is in charge of manufacturing Nexus 5X.


However, Google said it is considering changing the smartphone strategy in the Nexus brand, switching to the direction Google manages everything from design, manufacturing, marketing, manufacturingThe InformationIt reports.

It is clear that Google considers Apple 's smartphone strategy to design and manufacture iOS and the iPhone on a vertical integration model that develops not only software called Android OS but also hardware on its own. And The Information believes that this direction of Google's smartphone strategy turns out that Google is feeling a sense of crisis against Apple's iPhone monopolizing the high price smartphone market.

However, Google's vertically integrated smartphone strategy is largely different from that of Apple, OS is not monopoly. Even if Google sells high-end smartphones as a pure Google original model, we can continue to offer free Android OS, so other smartphone manufacturers can manufacture and sell Android smartphones.

However, if Google, which develops Android OS, sells fully original smartphones, sales of Android devices may be greatly deprived, so it is possible to expect opposition from other companies. In this regard, it may be said that Google's policy change is more like Microsoft's style of manufacturing and selling original models in the Surface series rather than Apple. As Microsoft also sought to sell the Surface series, despite backlash from PC makers who manufacture Windows-equipped PCs such as DELL and Lenovo, because of the history of releasing the Surface series, There seems to be many things to learn.

In addition, it seems that there are a few problems of "fragmentation" as a reason why Google wants to promote the vertical integration system. As Android's fragmentation problem, each company can freely develop Android terminals, various models with different display sizes and display resolutions will appear, and as a result, application developers can respond to many terminals It is a problem that you are having trouble with it, hating the bad application development environment compared to iOS and preventing the creation of excellent apps.

Illustration that it is easy to understand that the difficult cause of application development for Android is fragmentation due to the large number of models - GIGAZINE


When you visualize how subdivided the Android terminal in the world is, it becomes like this - GIGAZINE


Fragmentation problem which makes application development difficult although Google is a good part of Android OS and differentiation from Apple's iOS is the problem to be solved, and Google is a further step in the Nexus series By taking a step, it may be that you develop a reference machine that will serve as a model for Android terminals.

As for the fragmentation of the screen display of Android terminal, since Android 4.4 KitKat and later it became possible to display the button icon in the screen and it became flexible, it was not as complicated as the image, and it was supported with time The display size / resolution that gathers convergence.


On the other hand, fragmentation of the OS version is more serious, and the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow at the time of article creation still has a utilization rate of 4 months after releaseAbout 1.2%As the result of the shocking that it is shocking, it is in a situation that generation change from the old generation OS hardly progresses. So it's no wonder that Google aims to push Google's genuine smartphone that supports the latest operating system and to strongly encourage the latest OS support of third-party Android devices.

Android usage rate turned out, Android 6.0 Marshmallow in 3 months from release counts a number - GIGAZINE


Google has given the original name of "Nexus" to Google original Android terminal so far. Meanwhile, in September 2015, we also released Android tablets that are not Nexus series "Pixel C". If Google releases a genuine Android smartphone that will be covered by the company as manufactured, as it was reported, it is quite conceivable to use the crown name of Pixel instead of Nexus.

Google announces a new tablet "Pixel C", desorption keyboard sold separately - GIGAZINE


Aside from whether it will be the Nexus series or the Pixel series, if Google releases a fully original genuine smartphone as a high-end model, it is likely to collide with Apple, which controls the high-end smartphone market with the iPhone. And it's obvious that Google will be a powerful competitor for other Android smartphone makers, perhaps the third OS "Windows 10 MobileThere is always the possibility that manufacturers will consider switching to. It seems that attention will be gathered as to whether Google will embark on fully original model manufacturing in the smartphone industry's whereabouts.