Google is reportedly trying to increase the vertical integration of the production of its Nexus Android phones.
CEO Sundar Pichai and other top Google executives have indicated that the company intends to expand its control over the development of Nexus smartphones, according to the website The Information.
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Currently, Google collaborates with Samsung, Motorola, LG and Huawei in the production of its smartphones.
The Information reports that Google's increased production control over Nexus phones would more closely mirror Apple's overseeing of the production of iPhones. The tech news site adds that greater vertical integration would allow Google to strengthen the Android brand and perhaps allow the company to expand its market share in the high-end smartphone market.
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Google unveiled the current generation of Nexus phones in September. While its smartphones have been seen as an affordable alternative to the iPhone, Google's most recent update included a faster processor, extended battery life and 4K video, features that reflect efforts to increase Nexus phones' competitiveness in an Apple-dominated market.
Google spokeswoman Nina Tyler told CNBC: "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."