Google Seeks More Control Over Android Phone Chips: Report

Google doesn’t want to sit around while its Android ecosystem becomes ever more fragmented. It’s apparently looking at ways to exert more control, Apple-style, of Android smartphones by having a say in the creation of their processors.




Google has been talking to chip manufacturers about building smartphone processors that are based on Google’s own designs, according to a report in The Information.

The report didn’t specify which chip manufacturers Google was talking to, but Qualcomm, MediaTek and Samsung are the biggest vendors for Android phones. Qualcomm is the most ubiquitous, MediaTek is focused on lower-cost Android phones and Samsung’s Exynos chipsets go into its own devices.

It’s hard to see Qualcomm agreeing to this sort of partnership with Google, since ceding control over design would start to commoditize its business and make it harder to differentiate from other chip makers. Qualcomm is already dealing with weakening demand for its chips and pricing pressure on its IP licensing business. For smaller chip makers though the stamp of approval from Google could make it easier to win business with smartphone manufacturers.

Google wants to make Android more competitive with Apple’s iOS ecosystem, which has been gaining market share over the last year while still-dominant Android has declined slightly.