Sony Ericsson Passed On Making The Nexus One

• Rob Jackson
• 15 years ago

Either they had too much pride to be the subcontractor manufacturing a product not technically “branded” SE, they were too busy working on their line of delayed Xperia Android phones, or they simply didn’t see it as an opportunity worth taking; Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg claims that Google first asked THEM to produce the first Nexus One Google Phone. And since we all know HTC made the Nexus One I’m sure you can guess what he told Google…

“No.”

Had Sony Ericsson been a few Android phones deep I think they would have taken the offer, but I can see their hesitation in launching their first Android Phone using Google’s new distribution system. And, based on the numbers, maybe declining wasn’t such a bad idea. But do you REALLY think it was a simple brand recognition decision? Partially maybe… but entirely? I doubt it.

For me the most interesting part of the article comes with the suggestion that SE will expand beyond phones:

On the other hand, he sees other interesting growth areas for the company – “You will see us expand into other consumer products as they grow together, for example at home. Sony has a huge database of content such as books, movies, games and other things that are valuable to our customers,” he says.

This doesn’t necesarily mean other consumer products based on Android, but I don’t see how that couldn’t be a possibility. A Sony Ericsson gaming device based on Android with Android Market? A MID? Why not?

And another question… usually CEO’s are pretty tight lipped about behind-the-scenes happenings – did he mention this Nexus request so sleight HTC and suggest they’re a better manufacturer who Google trusts more? Or do you think it’s a fair game comment that any CEO would have mentioned in passing?

[Sydsvenskan.se via Engadget]