GADGET: Is Google killing off the Nexus line of low price super phones?

We’ve seen some corking smartphones and tablets from Google over the past couple of years, with the Nexus range offering fantastic specs at even better prices through partnerships with the likes of Samsung, Asus and LG. Sadly, for fans of the affordable,feature-packed smartphone, Google is about to kill off the Nexus brand in favour of a new range of premium, high-end handsets called Silver.

You only need to check out the specs on gadgets like the Google Nexus 7 tablet or Google Nexus 5 to see how far Google has come with its own brand of connected devices, often offering best-in-class features like incredibly sharp, stunning displays and cutting-edge performance, allied with the very latest Android updates. Granted, build quality never scales the heights enjoyed by the Apple iPhone and iPad, but then how many other devices can claim to match Apple on that front?

The Nexus range first made an appearance back in 2010, with the launch of the originalGoogle Nexus One – a handset actually made by HTC. Over the past four years, Google has partnered with Samsung, LG and Asus, offering a range of phones and tablets, with hardware that seems to improves with each iteration.

We like the Nexus range then, and it’s with heavy hearts that we report the end of the Google Nexus project, with Google looking to concentrate on other avenues instead. You can still expect cutting-edge performance and features from the replacement, but you can likely also wave goodbye to the highly affordable price tags as well.

So what does the upcoming Silver project entail, and what does it mean for fans of Google Nexus gadgets? The Information explains the Nexus brand will be killed off, and instead Google is pushing upmarket. Silver will revolve around a range of handsets produced by different manufacturers. Each manufacturer will be paid to produce the high-end devices, and they’ll need to stick closely to Google specifications.

The specifications aren’t just based around hardware though, with Google also looking to control what software and updates make an appearance on the handsets – which could well lead to the death of the bloatware that comes with every Samsung Galaxy or Sony Xperia – confusing duplicate calendar apps and needless branded app stores begone. Fingers crossed, the next generation of Google smartphones and tablets will be faster, slicker and more efficient than ever before.

They’ll also be more expensive, which if nothing else should also lead to improved quality; could we finally see a host of manufacturers challenging Apple when it comes to high-end materials and build quality?

Google Silver handsets could hit the market as soon as next year, so enjoy the Nexus range while it lasts. If you’re more interested in mid-range handsets, now could be the perfect time to upgrade to a Google Nexus 5 or Google Nexus 7.