Sony Ericsson snubbed Google over Nexus One

Sony Ericsson turned down the chance to make the Googlephone, because it didn't want to become a contract manufacturer - not even for the Chocolate Factory.

Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg told Swedish newspaper Sydsvenssan (Swedish only) about the discussions. In the interview Nordberg says relations remain good with Google, which turned to HTC to manufacture the Nexus One, instead.

Nordberg was formerly head of Ericsson's Silicon Valley operation.

Google upset its ODM (original device manufacturer) customers and network operators when it decided to tear up its approach to market, and compete directly with licensees of its own Android OS. The result was the Nexus One, which is currently sold online in the US only.

This is an unfair perception, since there's precious little difference between the Nexus One and other HTC Android phones apart from the Nexus' high quality, expensive casing. They're all pretty generic and ironically, Motorola has made far more investment in its own UI enhancements to Android than Google did with the Nexus One. But in the market, perception is everything. "Is your Android a genuine Googlephone?"

Like Moto, Sony Ericsson has invested heavily in its own UI on top of vanilla Android, called TimeScape. It unveiled more Android phones last week.

Read a long term test of Motorola Android flagship here. ®