We’ve heard at least two claims about a potential Huawei-Google lineup for the next Nexus, and another report this morning coming from The Information confirms the same. A Huawei-Google partnership will prove to be beneficial for both companies.
Huawei has had a rough time putting a dent into US sales, particularly because of hostile relations between China and the US. At one point, Huawei was forced to respond to claims that its phones were being used as tools to spy on American citizens. Even when Apple launched the iPhone on China Mobile, the Chinese government ruled that the iPhone was risky on security because of the American National Security Agency’s spying efforts. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden testified that the NSA is worse than many intelligence agencies worldwide, and he still contends to this day that certain cloud services in the US are tools of the government’s “prying eyes.”
Google is thrown in the mix, too. While Snowden has more than spoken his mind on the problems with the NSA (for whom he once worked), more Americans distrust Google than the NSA, according to various surveys, which makes the Nexus a no-go for many Americans. While Americans often choose between Samsung and Apple as their favorite manufacturers, Google could have some success in China that it may never have in the US – which makes this partnership well-timed.
If Huawei does produce the next Nexus, it’ll be the first time in Nexus history that a Chinese manufacturer has ever made the “pure Android” smartphone. Adding to the excitement is the fact that Huawei may not only make Nexus history, but that it would ease the tensions between the US and China on a microcosmic level – that is, Huawei would serve as a way for Google to launch its device in China and calm suspicions about American devices (a success that Apple still hasn’t achieved).
Even now, despite Android developers in China that sell their apps internationally via the Play Store, Google’s Play Store has limited functionality for Chinese users: they cannot download apps from the most used App Store of the three major operating systems. Google’s partnership with Huawei would help the Play Store launch in major fashion in China, which would also be a first. In exchange for Huawei’s help in China, Google would help market Huawei’s Android Wear smartwatch in the US, alongside of the Huawei Nexus. Huawei has high expectations to break through the Samsung-Apple duopoly in America and become a top contender for smartphone users.
As for the Huawei Nexus, Shenzhen Huaqiang Electronics Research Institute analyst Jiutang Pan says that it will feature a 5.7-inch display with a Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440p) screen resolution and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. As for the design, rumors say that the Huawei Nexus will take its inspiration from the Huawei Ascend Mate 8. The Huawei Nexus will run Android M, Google’s upcoming major Android update, and could feature fingerprint authentication and an SD card slot – since both of these features are now supported in Android M according to Google’s I/O announcement in late May. You can expect this historic Huawei smartphone to arrive on the market this Fall.