Google has had relatively good success over its Nexus products, building technologies and interfaces for devices on the bleeding edge of Android development. When it comes to accessories and whatnot, Google’s history has not been that great, and it has been trying to rectify that recently with the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (putting out different colors of cases for the devices). With the experimental Google Workshop, the company may be trying to break into that market a little bit more.
Google Workshop is a little tool that apparently allows users to design custom cases and even their own live wallpapers. If Google finds that this strategy works, this can mean a whole new push for custom accessories for your Google devices. For now, though – in its exploratory phase – the tool is just available for the Nexus 5 device.
There are two elements right now to Workshop. First is the “MapMe” element, which allows users to build a customized phone case and a live wallpaper based on a map location that is significant for the user. The second element is called “Moments”, and as the name suggests, this feature encourages users to upload their own photos and choose one for case design, and others for the live wallpaper. Of course, users can customize the look the casing using different colors or adding specific text.
There is very little else to Google Workshop for now, and there is no word yet on whether this service will be expanded to other devices (and upcoming devices?) as well. It’s clearly in an experimental phase and is very much a work in progress. Let’s all wait a bit more to see if this is something Google will pursue to the big time.
VIA: Android Police