Nexus G Not Going To Happen - But Not For Lack Of Trying

It's become apparent today that the teams working with Google for the last couple of Nexus devices – the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 – may very well have wanted the device(s) to be called something else entirely. While back before the Nexus 4 was revealed – all the way back in 2012 – when we were still calling the upcoming device the Nexus G, we were apparently closer to the mark than history ended up suggesting. While Samsung has been able to key-in on branding both of the Nexus smartphones they've worked on with the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, LG has been tipped to have been turned down as such.

Sources speaking with the publication Chosun have made a rather convincing case for the Nexus 5, at least, having at one point been called the "Nexus G". They suggest that with both the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 5 LG had been pulling for a different name more unique to their brand, with the original name for the Nexus 4 being something along the lines of "LG Optimus Nexus 4" – axed for obvious reasons of length.

With LG's renewal of strategy with the "G" branding appearing this year, LG once again pushed for Google to keep the letter in the final name of the product. Alas, Google decided against the name, apparently due in part to the idea that the reasoning for that branding wouldn't have been as strong as the simpler "Nexus 5".

One [anonymous] source speaking with Chosun noted: "LG Electronics' weaker voice at this stage of its brand would not have been able to carry through."

Meanwhile Samsung continues to be in a commanding lead over the rest of the industry for Android smartphone shipments, and appears to be in much more of a position to incorporate their brand into the Nexus name. When the Nexus S was unveiled, Samsung's brand was already ramping up as a leader in the Android space. By the time the Galaxy Nexus arrived, Samsung's Galaxy smartphones were the top-selling Android smartphone on the market.

What do you think Google should do through the future with naming Nexus devices? Do you think it smart of Google to stick with the standard naming conventions of a number signifying the version of the Nexus smartphone? Or should Google allow each brand working on the Nexus of the day to keep a piece of their own branding in its title?

VIA: G for Games