Google are to join forces with manufacturer HTC in the production of the Nexus 9 tablet, marking a return to the partnership that produced the original Nexus device.
The Wall Street Journal reports that HTC engineers have been working with Google over recent months on the development of the latest Nexus, though neither company has yet confirmed the partnership.
Google’s most recent tablet, the Nexus 7, was released last year and manufactured by Asis. According to Wall Street Journal sources, the decision to change has been motivated by the company’s long-term strategy of switching partners from device to device to avoid any one manufacturer becoming too powerful.
Primarily known for its mobile phone development, HTC manufactured Google’s first Nexus smartphone, the Nexus One, in 2010 but has not been involved with any other product in the range. The company’s previous foray into the world of tablets was with the HTC Flyer in 2011, though the device delivered disappointing sales figures.
HTC posted a net profit of US$75.6m for the second quarter of this year following the release of its latest flagship phone, the HTC One M8, as well as various cost-cutting measures. The Taiwanese company had posted a loss of US$1.8bn in the previous quarter and performed slightly better than analysts’ predicted profit of US$70m.
