The Information (subscription required) is reporting that Google's line of Nexus phones is going away and will be replaced by an "expensive" new program called "Android Silver." The new program would effectively pay OEMs and carriers to sell devices that meet Google's specifications.

The specifications would limit the number of non-Google apps that are preinstalled on the phone, or at least make non-Google apps uninstallable. In exchange, Google would provide as much as $1 billion to promote Android Silver devices through advertising and in-store kiosks. The program aims to prop up Android OEMs like Motorola and LG, who are struggling to match the might of Samsung.

Besides the reduction of skinned apps, the speed of updates to the devices would be increased. It all sounds like a reboot and enhancement of the Google Play Edition program. The most intriguing change over the existing program reportedly involves Google helping with hardware features, like voice recognition (a standout feature of the Moto X) and waterproofing.

This isn't the first we've heard of Android Silver. Android Police first broke the news of the project's existence. The site described the project as requiring "no or very limited customizations" in the software and said that devices would be sold in carrier shops. Support would also be a focus, with fast in-store transfer of information and improved tech support. Between the two reports, it sounds like Google wants to step in and tell carriers and OEMs how to do their jobs.

Google is no doubt also hoping to improve the user experience for the majority of Android users that do not have a Nexus device. A recent survey discovered that owners of Samsung devices spend almost no time using Samsung's built-in apps, yet Samsung and other OEMs still insist on including them. The Silver program would basically involve Google pleading with OEMs to build a better product that has the consumer's interests in mind.

Google has lately been out to gain more control over Android and increase its brand awareness. The company now seems to mandate "Powered by Android" branding on the boot screens of devices, as the message shows up on the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and many other devices that have been upgraded to KitKat. The Nexus program was designed to get an unsullied version of Android out to the masses, and while the report says that the Nexus brand is going away, the idea seems to be getting kicked up a notch.

The biggest question with Android Silver is the price. The Nexus program isn't just stock Google devices with fast updates; the program also offers the best value for the money in the mobile device market. The Nexus 5 debuted as an unlocked, top-of-the-line smartphone for half the cost of similar devices. It was long thought that Google was using its deep pockets to subsidize the cost of Nexus devices, but with the debut of the $300 OnePlus One—which is bigger, faster, and cheaper than a Nexus 5—we're starting to think that isn't the case.

The other Google-blessed phones are the "Google Play Edition" devices. This program takes popular phones, removes the OEM software, and uses stock Android. These devices are sold unlocked and unsubsidized, meaning they're usually around $650 for the latest smartphone—almost the price of two Nexus 5s. Where Android silver devices fall in the pricing spectrum will play a big part in how successful the program is. OEMs like Samsung haven't seemed too interested in promoting a device that doesn't have their software on it, and charging more up front for the devices is one way to ensure that they don't become popular.

If Android Silver devices are sold in carrier stores under a two-year contract and the Nexus program closes down, one of the highest profile distributors of unlocked handsets will have ceded the market to carriers. Even if Silver devices are offered unlocked, fewer phones will be sold if the OEMs aren't interested in Google's (and OnePlus') more value-oriented pricing schemes.

The project is slated to launch next year in the US, Japan, and Germany—places that are typically considered iPhone strongholds. With most of the low and midrange market captured, Google hopes that bumping up the premiumness at all levels will convince the Apple faithful to switch.