It seems Google has been going out on a limb to surprise its loyal users. In 2012, it came up with a trendy Android edition of Jelly Bean that has taken Smartphone and tablet operating system integration one step further, or with a digital personal assistant Google Now or the Nexus Q, a music contraption that has captured fancy of billions of users. Now, after a number of moves made on Google’s part over its Nexus gadgets, there have been rumors of a fourth generation Nexus Smartphone flying around.

First off, Google did not give Motorola the responsibility to build the hardware for its Nexus devices- neither for the Nexus Smartphone, nor for the Google Nexus 7 tablet. Google maintained with the press that they are not going to give any special treatment to Motorola after the $12.5 billion transaction was completed. They kept their word by launching Nexus Smartphone and tablet whose hardware were manufactured by Samsung and Asus respectively. Google’s Andy Rubin said that Asus was the ideal choice for giving Nexus 7 its build. Many found it an odd thing to say when Google already had Motorola under its umbrella. After all, the recently acquired company has proven time and again that it can make classy mobile gadgets, even though they somewhat lack in the department of marketing. But that could easily be taken care by Google, who is an expert in that respect. Unfortunately, after being left out by Google in the Nexus phenomenon, Motorola had to satisfy itself with RAZR and Atrix Smartphones- its Android devices.

It is rumored that Motorola is working on some new devices that could be released by the end of 2012 and perhaps the Motorola Intel partnership, announced in CES 2012 is relevant in this matter as well. The partnership was expected to reap some good gadgets by now, but since it hasn’t, there have been rumors of a nexus Smartphone with a Motorola build and Intel insides.

Intel already has a couple of devices in the market, but a Nexus brand name can do wonders. Intel has long been trying to crack into the mobile business; this could very well be its big break. Undoubtedly, if the rumors prove to be true, Motorola, Intel and Google will certainly prove to be an undefeatable team. There is a problem though. Intel is primarily a single-core processor manufacturer; in fact, it has expressed concerns over dual-core or multi-core chips in Android handsets. So, with Intel’s playing field limited to single core, would Google take it on board its precious Nexus project? After all Nexus is Google’s best bet in the Smartphone market where other companies have already released quad-core gadgets.

There are a lot of questions unanswered yet. If not Motorola, will Google be entrusting Samsung with the responsibility of making the next Nexus Smartphone? And when will Google start using Motorola to manufacture Smartphones? With so many other heavyweight players in the Android market- Samsung, LG, HTC, Asus- Google will indeed have to do something grand to be able to take them all on. A fourth-gen Nexus may just do the trick.