According to the Wall Street Journal, Google will partner up with multiple Android handset manufactures to produce several Nexus-branded phones each year, rather than releasing just one.
Here's what the Journal had to say:
Google's strategy is a shift from its previous practice, when it partnered with only one hardware maker at a time to produce seven "lead devices" that showed off the newest Android software features, before releasing the software to other device makers. The change is a bid to exert more control over the apps that run on smartphones and tablets powered by Android, thus reducing the influence of wireless carriers over such devices, these people said.
The WSJ also points out that the move will relieve companies' concerns that Google's pending acquisition of Motorola will lead it to favor Droids.
If true, it could solve many of the persistent problems in the Android ecosystem. Google desperately needs to reign in the platform. Developers often complain that there are too many different devices running too many different versions of Android. This move could help standardize the experience for users across devices. [WSJ via Business Insider]