Image via Geek.com[/caption]According to reports from 9to5Google and the Wall Street Journal, Google is planning to open permanent retail stores in the US by the holiday season this year. These stores would sell Google-branded hardware, which previously has only been available via the Google Play online store or third party retailers.
Apple and Microsoft have had retail stores for some time to promote their wares, and with Google's increasing hardware focus they'd certainly have enough to sell there. Such stores could sell Nexus smartphones and tablets (e.g. The Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10), Chrome OS devices (including the new Chromebook Pixel) and even other devices like Google Glass or the Nexus Q. Google would also likely stock Nexus 4 cases and other accessories, in the same manner as Apple does with their iPhone 5 cases.
Google has already done some experimentation with retail stores, namely with pop-up locations selling Chromebooks, but the jump to operating permanent retail locations would be a fairly substantial one for the internet company.
Even so, Google's stocks have risen considerably since the reports were first confirmed by the Wall Street Journal. A single share of Google now sits at more than $800, more than $100 up since the last quarterly earnings report that Google made.
Of course, it's not just the retail store news that is buying Google stock - investors are also likely responding positively to the announcement by Larry Page that Google was looking into using next-generation materials and interfaces with its Motorola-made smartphones. That will reportedly happen after the company clears its "current product pipeline", something will still take a few more months.
What do you make of the rumors - would you go to a Google store if one existed, for product launches or just to pick up a new accessory? Let us know in the comments below, and thanks for reading!
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