Google to manufacture and sell a branded non-Nexus phone by year-end

In a bid to take greater control of the fragmented Android market, Google is reportedly in talks with operators to release a Google-branded phone by the end of the year.

A “senior source” has told the Telegraph that we can expect a Google-branded phone by the end of this year. To be clear, these Google-branded phones are not related to Google’s Nexus program, which offers Google endorsed phones running stock Android. With the Nexus program, manufacturers like Samsung and HTC provide the hardware and services while Google takes care of the software. The upcoming Google-branded phones will be manufactured by Google.

Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight tells the Telegraph that Google is very worried about Android fragmentation and that they believe it needs to be more controlled. Unlike Apple, which has complete control over hardware and software, Google only makes their software available to manufacturers and has limited control over implementation. As a result, customers are usually at the mercy of manufacturers when it comes to software updates.

Building its own phone will not only allow Google to “secure its own services” like the Play Store and Chrome browser, but also set a benchmark for other manufacturers to live up to.

The Telegraph also points out that Motorola’s Rick Osterloh was hired in April to head a newly formed hardware division, which will be in charge of Google-branded hardware. Google already sells its own hardware in the form of the Chromecast , Pixel C tablet , Chromebook Pixel and more. A Google-made phone will be their first venture in the smartphone hardware business, however.