Google's Android has become some of the most popular smartphone software over the years , powering devices from more than a dozen companies including Samsung, Motorola, and HTC. Google also makes its own products, sold under the Pixel brand. But it wasn't always that way.
Back in 2010, Google worked with HTC to make the Google Nexus One , meant to market some of the best parts of what Android can do without additional features created by companies like Samsung, LG, and Motorola. The Nexus One design clearly took inspiration from the very first Android device, the HTC Dream, and it was an immediate hit with fans. From there, Google's teams worked with manufacturers to create more Nexus devices each year.
Some of the most popular versions included the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in 2011, as well as tablets such as the Nexus 7 and 10. The company even used the Nexus brand for experiments like the Nexus Q streaming media device, which was a flop . These days, many Android enthusiasts question why Google chose to kill the widely beloved Nexus line in 2016, in favor of a newly branded Pixel phones designed and manufactured by its own teams.
For a lot of fans, Nexus devices were what made them fall in love with Android, and Pixels, while nice, don't feel quite the same. So, what happened? Here are all the reasons why Google discontinued its Nexus line of smartphones. As mentioned above, the Nexus program began with the Google Nexus One in January of 2010.
Made by HTC, the phone was praised.