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Android Silver still alive

• Egon Kilin
• October 3rd, 2014

A few weeks ago we were talking about how Android One and Google’s Nexus project will probably contribute to Android Silver being cancelled as a project. First, we thought that the Nexus line was being crushed by Android Silver, then the other way around, but it seems that neither of those rumors are true and Android Silver is alive and kicking in Google labs.

The Android Silver program came as an attempt to create affordable and powerful handsets for the general public. Google planned to approach manufacturers and OEMs and strike a deal with them to produce smartphone according to Google’s specifications, running stock Android. The Android Silver line started a downfall when its head of operations, Nikesh Arora left Google in favor of SoftBank in July. Ever since, the Android Silver program has been absent from the news, with no new ideas or information to be heard of.

New information says that even though Android Silver was initially met with reticence, even from Google employees, the program lives on. It seems that both Motorola and HTC have already made devices for the Android Silver line and Google might be planning to launch these devices in the near future. The project seems to be standing still at the moment, but it turns out that doesn’t have to mean that it has been abandoned altogether.

There is the alternative that the HTC and Motorola made devices will be sold as Google Play Editions, without having to launch the Android Silver line. Motorola and Google seem to be focusing on collaboration, with the new Nexus 6 coming up later this month, so Motorola collaborating on an Android Silver program is not surprising at all. HTC has also been part of the Nexus program and will also be releasing a Nexus 9 tablet, presumably later this month.

Android Silver still doesn’t seem to be a sure thing, with rumors saying that OEMs are hard to recruit for the program, but there still is a chance left for the program. We should be patient to hear from Google, and find out what’s going to happen to the interesting Android Silver program. Google has a whole lot planned for the future and it has already launched the Android One program in India – to soaring success. In any case, Google has something up its sleeve for sure, and Android Silver might be an important part of it.