According to a new rumour, Google has signed a three year deal with HTC to build the next few batches of Nexus phones. Up first in 2016 will be two HTC Nexus devices, codenamed the M1 and the S1.
Nothing else is known, not even if this will be two phones, or a phone and a tablet. Judging by recent Nexus tablet attempts, we hope it’s the former.
This is great timing
If you’d told us last year that HTC was going to be making the front-runner for the entire Android ecosystem, we’d have been dismayed to say the least. The ill-fated HTC One M9 was a full-priced flagship that couldn’t even keep up with the mid-ranged Moto X Play when it came to camera quality. It was nothing short of a disappointment for fans, and an embarrassment for HTC.
Fast forward to this very month, and we have seen the HTC 10 hit reviewers’ pockets to the sound of applause and gushing praise. It’s a beautiful, simple example of what can happen when you focus on what’s important. The user interface (UI) has been stripped back to the point where it’s almost stock Android (always a good thing), and the camera is right up there with the better shooters on the market.
HTC Nexus 2016
If HTC is responsible for at least the Nexus lineup of 2016, we’re very excited. Last year, Huawei introduced the first all-metal Nexus phone. It was an attractive handset, but nothing compared to what HTC has delivered year after year. At the very least, we know that Google is open to the idea of expensive build materials, and with HTC at the helm you can expect things to be done right.
As for the Nexus line’s traditional bang-for-buck approach, HTC has traditionally offered a pretty solid mid-tier line-up, so we know it’s capable of making great devices that won’t break the bank.
Keep in mind that right now this is all entirely rumour, but the Nexus release is always one of our yearly favourites, and with 2016’s HTC at the helm it could be one of the best in years.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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