Leaked internal memo suggests T-Mobile having Nexus 6 supply problems

The Nexus 6 is a curious creation: Google already thinks you like it, Motorola designed it, and it’s super materialistic. Android aficionados have been talking about it since its aquatic origins first because of the size, and then because of the whale-like price tag. Despite these capricious factors, the phone is popular. Very popular. So popular is it, that T-Mobile already knows you probably won’t be getting one when it hits the stores.

Thanks to Nicolas Sincere (aka Nick The MotherFking Tech Guy), we have a screenshot from someone at T-Mobile indicating there are supply issues, and thus Nexus 6 units will only be provided to “select locations” for in-store sales. Apparently all locations will allow for “Ship-to Direct Fulfillment” wherein, according to Android Police, payment is made at the carrier’s store and the device is mailed directly. Take a look:

Supply issues for a new device are nothing new, however the drought facing the Nexus 6 is particularly puzzling: While it’s tempting to believe there are just so many customers placing orders that Motorola/Google can’t meet the demand fast enough, it’s equally plausible that the pair simply underestimated the demand period, and set production numbers way too low. Both the Nexus 4 and 5 sold out immediately, and continued to suffer from supply constraints even weeks and months after release, however both were priced much lower and therefore immensely more affordable to mainstream customers.

It can be reasoned that Google stands to gain very little from a short supplied smartphone, as the Holiday season is rapidly approaching and thus now is the time for big purchasing decisions. Still, Android VP of Engineering, Hiroshi Lockheimer, suggested that consumer sales of the Nexus devices are somewhat of an afterthought/bonus, and thus perhaps Google really doesn’t care about the sales so much as it does the success of the Android platform. Thinking of it that way, it really doesn’t matter to Google if someone drops $650 on the Nexus 6, or nearly $1000 on the Galaxy Note Edge. Android is Android, after all.