Earlier this year we reported that Google was working on a new initiative called Android Silver. The idea behind Android Silver is to introduce more handsets that would feature great hardware as well as a more pure Android experience, thus allowing Google to issue more timely updates and possibly reduce Android fragmentation.
In some ways this is like the culmination of both the Nexus and the Google Play Edition programs. Unfortunately we have yet to see Android Silver devices launched and according to a report from The Information (paywall, via The Verge), it seems that we might not be able to look forward to it anytime soon.
The report claims that Google might have put the Android Silver program on hold, thanks to the recent departure of Google’s Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora who had left Google for SoftBank in July. Apparently Arora was the one responsible for negotiating the deals with carriers, retailers, and manufacturers, and now that he is no longer involved, negotiations could fall apart.
It seems that companies weren’t too thrilled about Android Silver in the first place, hinting that maybe Arora could have been the glue holding the deal together in the first place. The report goes on to state that even Google employees weren’t very optimistic about the future of Android Silver. Based on this it certainly sounds like Android Silver could be dead in the water for now, but take it with a grain of salt and we’ll definitely keep our eyes peeled for more info, but in the meantime were you looking forward to the program?