Google quashes store speculation

Google’s senior vice president of mobile and digital content Andy Rubin has quashed speculation the tech giant is looking at opening stores to compete with Apple, Microsoft and Samsung.

During a roundtable discussion at the 2013 Mobile World Congress, Rubin pointed out there was no need to physically visit a retailer to look at Google’s range of Nexus products as they were all available online.

“They don’t have to go in the store and feel it anymore,” Rubin said.

“For Nexus, I don’t think the program is far enough along to think about the necessity of having these things in a retail store.”

Rubin’s comments come a week after speculation emerged the search and mobile giant was looking at opening its own retail outlets, with the speculation reportedly confirmed by “reliable sources” at The Wall Street Journal.

Rubin is also known as the co-founder of both mobile maker Danger (which has since been purchased by Microsoft) and Android, prior to its purchase by Google.