Android Silver Reportedly Shelved Due To Lukewarm Response From OEMs

Remember it wasn’t too long ago that there were rumors about Google planning an Android Silver program? This was basically Google’s way of merging their Nexus lineup of handsets and Google Play Edition devices, where instead of only having one Nexus handset a year, users could have more such devices to choose from.

In fact there were rumors that the Nexus 6 would not have even made it in the face of Android Silver, although safe to say that did not happen as Android Silver was reportedly put on hold, but why is that? Well according to the folks at Re/code, they have learnt that one of the reasons Android Silver was put on hold was because Android OEMs weren’t particularly thrilled about it.

One of the goals of Android Silver was to allow OEMs to build their own devices, except that instead of OEMs offering different themes and skins and features, they would rely on a more or less stock version on Android, thus helping address the fragmentation issue. However OEMs didn’t exactly relish that idea which was why the program was shelved.

When asked about the Android Silver program, Google’s VP of engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer would not comment on it, instead stating that Google’s Nexus brand of devices will be continuing well into the future.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Cellphones, Rumors
Tags: Android, Google