Next version of Nexus will be enterprise phone

Google Inc executive Andy Rubin said on Friday that the next version of the Nexus One phone, which was made by HTC Corp, will be for enterprise users and might have a physical keyboard.

Such a device could potentially pose a competitive threat to BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, which has a strong position in the enterprise cellphone market.

Rubin, the brains behind Google’s Android operating system, made the comment during an interview with Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg at an event hosted by the newspaper.

The comment followed Google’s announcement earlier this week that it would sell phones direct to consumers via its website.