Google is reportedly seeking for feedback from microchip makers in order to co-develope Android chips based on its own designs, in an effort to avoid further hardware fragmentation across the Android phone world. A report today from The Information claims that Google recently talked with some microchip makers about developing chips based on Google's own preferred designs, a move towards making the Android mobile operating system more competitive with Apple’s phones. The report didn’t specify which chip manufacturers Google was talking to, but Qualcomm, MediaTek and Samsung are the biggest vendors for Android phones. Qualcomm is the most ubiquitous, MediaTek is focused on lower-cost Android phones and Samsung’s Exynos chipsets go into its own devices.

In the discussions, which occurred this fall, Google representatives put forward designs of chips it was interested in co-developing, including a phone’s main processor. The designs enable new features Google hopes to implement within Android software in the next few years, according to people briefed on the discussions.

The Information say that the discussions originated around the company's desire to build an "enterprise connectivity device" that would rely wholly on in-house technology. One benefit of Google's strategy would be the ability to support new features into future versions of Android, like support for augmented and virtual reality, that would require more closely integrated software and hardware.

Apple's products are powered by Ax chips designed by Apple but manufactured by companies like Samsung.

Google has not commented on the report.