It's the end of Nextbit's run as an independent company, but the future looks brighter than ever before.
Razer announced it has acquired Nextbit and will provide the resources necessary to widen the possibilities of cloud computing on mobile devices.
Nextbit will be joining Razer as an independent division, both companies announced on social media today.
Nextbit is joining the @Razer family! Now we’ll have more resources for more exciting (rebellious) projects. https://t.co/rC6Oww7TMO pic.twitter.com/HJScaIlVfS
— Nextbit (@nextbitsys) January 30, 2017
Tom Moss, Nextbit's CEO and co-founder, clarified that nothing dramatic is happening to the way the team operates. Moving forward, Nextbit will have access to Razer's resources to develop new products on a bigger scale; therefore, you probably won't see them on Kickstarter ever again. Razer will be able to write checks that were previously too large for a startup to handle.
While sales are done, Nextbit plans to continue supporting the Robin through February 2018. Software updates for new features and security patches will be issued between now and then. Warranties, however, will expire in 6 months. After that, you're on your own if something happens to your Robin. This layout of leaving the Robin behind is actually way better than what we've seen from others taking part in acquisitions.
The Robin, for anyone unfamiliar with Nextbit's first phone, was a true milestone for mobile devices. It relied heavily on the cloud to reduce internal storage. Everything from pictures and videos to apps could be stored in the cloud at no extra cost.
People who missed out on the Robin won't be able to buy it from Nextbit, but online retailers like Amazon still have the phone in stock.
The first products from the Razer-owned Nextbit likely won't come in 2017. When an acquisition occurs, it's not unlikely that the acquiring party clears the pipeline and sets new goals for its subsidiary. So, yes, it's possible that Nextbit is just now getting started on new products. Considering Nextbit is very concentrated on fine-tuning things, you should expect to see the next cloud-first phone in early 2018.
Moss says Nextbit will remain focused on “unique mobile design and experiences” under Razer.
Source: Nextbit
