I would prefer a Nexus software S4 to a Samsung software S4.

I can't see any significant way that it is worse for Google for people to have their software rather than Samsung's.

Although neither S4 justifies the price jump from a cheap Nexus 4 for me.

And assuming some people want a high end "Nexus Experience" phone, Samsung gets more customers this way, than if Google went with HTC.

Sorry, I was taking it as a given that a new Nexus phone would be announced. So my question was more along the lines of: Why would Google choose Samsung and not support HTC, Asus, LG or its own Motorola instead?

s4 is the most popular mobile handset with android on board. I'm personally very pleased to see this coming with pure os and without samsung's bloatware that one can't even delete so easily. And cyanogen is just bad for s4 for well known reasons.

> s4 is the most popular mobile handset with android on board

That's exactly why I think it is a bad idea :) Why drive the Android device market towards a monopoly? It ties both Google's business and Android's success to a single player.

Google - a desire to grow their Nexus brand and increase non-techy mindshare.

Samsung - in-line with their conventional shot-gun "catch-all" product portfolio strategy.