Shocker: Google has been developing a lead Android device for two years

A new report by Foss Patents’ Florian Mueller this afternoon implies that Motorola will be given the lead to innovate with new versions of Android and be able to issue the lead device, before any Android OEMs get the chance. The report comes after an internal document (seen above) was published to the public by the judge of the current Oracle vs Google proceedings.  This Verizon/Motorola lead device is the XOOM tablet.  The next one will be Samsung.  Anything beyond that is speculation.

Hasn’t Google been developing a lead Android device for the last two years — aka Nexus and Nexus S?

With Gingerbread, Google released the updated OS on the Nexus S before it was given to any other OEM. They picked a specific OEM, in this case Samsung, to begin working on a device they pictured to be ideal for this version of Android to run on. Same with the original Nexus, which Google picked HTC.

All of this worry comes after Motorola was acquired by Google. Many analysts, speculators, and journalists assume that Google will turn to Motorola as being the one stop for releasing their new versions of Android. Compare this to what Apple does: one device that rules them all.

Google could still have something up their sleeve regarding this, but we don’t believe the document above gives any indication.  IT is simply the XOOM, made by Motorola and carried on Verizon.   Google always partners with a new device manufacturer for the release of a phone running the new Android OS. And we assume, this will be the case for the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich release in October/November — as confirmed by Eric Schmidt.