Google Inc. is reportedly collaborating with HTC again for its upcoming Nexus 9 Tablet, sidelining popular tablet device makers like Samsung Electronics.
The Taiwanese company made Google's Nexus One in 2010 before the search giant opted for other handset makers like LG for successors.
Interestingly, HTC is not as experienced as Samsung in tablet devices. It shifted its concentration to smartphones ever since the Flyer tablet released in 2011 and the HTC Jetstream failed to make a mark in the market, so, Google's choice will surprise many.
According to Wall Street Journal (WSJ), sources said that HTC engineers have been busy at Googleplex in Mountain View for some time now, working on the new project.
A person familiar with the matter said that Google might have selected the Taiwanese company to ensure that Samsung doesn't enjoy monopoly in tablet market. It went on to say that the search giant is known for changing partners from device to device, which could be seen as a strategy to avoid monopoly by a particular manufacturer.
Google's first 7-inch Nexus 7 tablet was built by Asus and Samsung was behind its 10-inch Nexus 10.
In the smartphone department, Google lets HTC build Nexus One before switching to Samsung and LG for its products from Nexus line. It is now reported that its upcoming flagship smartphone dubbed as the Nexus 6 aka Nexus X will be based on Motorola though not officially confirmed.
Both Google and HTC declined to comment on the reports of their latest collaboration, according to WSJ. However, the search giant told the journal that "Android is a vibrant ecosystem, and many of the industry players are doing very well. There's room for many partners to do well and to innovate with Android."
It may be recalled that HTC is one of the leading smartphone makers in the world. HTC One, which was released in 2013, won the 2014 Global Mobile Award for Best Smartphone at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Its flagship smartphone, HTC One (M8), which was released a few months ago, too received rave reviews from experts.
However, the Taiwanese company lags behind Apple and Samsung in sales, which could be because of their poor marketing strategy. The latest collaboration with Google could be seen as a smart move with its foothold in smartphone market slowly beginning to loss grip despite its smartphones getting accolades from reviewers and users.
The company had earlier said that it would foray into several sectors, including wearable devices.
(Image Credit: Screenshot from Google Website)
