The Nexus lineup has never been seen as a source for profit by Google, but as a way of testing new software and hardware. That’s one of the reasons Nexus smartphones and tablets aren’t produced in high volumes and they are mostly sold through Google’s Play Store.

However, with the Nexus 6, Google has changed things a bit and is now trying to reach mainstream customers by making the smartphone available through a lot more sales channels.

As many of you probably know by now, Nexus 6 will be available for purchase through all major carriers in the United States. More importantly, this is one of the few Nexus handsets that can be picked up on contract.

When it goes on sale next month, potential customers will be able to buy the Nexus 6 for as low as $200 (€160) with new 2-year agreement. The unlocked version will sell for $650 (€520) upfront, which is about $100 (€80) cheaper than the iPhone 6 and $50 (€40) less expensive than Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

In an interview for CNET, Hiroshi Lockheimer said that his company was currently “selling the Nexus 6 in a way most people are used to buying it.”

Google has clearly changed the way Nexus 6 will be sold on the market, as Lockheimer stated that the Nexus program was specifically created to experiment in different areas.

He also says we shouldn’t take the new change in perspective as a rule of thumb, as Google may do things entirely different next year when the next Nexus smartphone should be announced, “I wouldn't draw any conclusions from what we're doing this year. Every year we do different things.”

Google thinks that a more traditional pricing will actually lead to higher sales. Instead of offering a Nexus smartphone through Google Play Store at a lower price, but also with lower specs sheet, the company has decided to bring a top-tier smartphone that would be priced higher.

"Nexus fans understand the pricing model of an unlocked device"

Android fans who buy the Nexus smartphone each year will know that this year’s smartphone is much more competitive than previous models and will either choose to pay the full price or commit to a 2-year contract to get it much cheaper.

Mainstream consumers are already used to getting high-end smartphones at this price or they can easily opt to purchase the Nexus 6 on contract. Considering Google’s flagship handset is priced slightly lower than its main rivals (iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4), it does look that Nexus 6 may sell much better than any of the previous models.

That’s an interesting idea, but how do you feel about Nexus 6’s price tag? Do you think Google could have priced it lower than this?