HTC has been selected by Google to make a new version of the Nexus tablet, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Sources said HTC will make a 9-inch version of the Nexus tablet, with HTC engineers visiting Google’s California headquarters in recent months to work on the project.

Neither Google nor HTC would comment on whether they are collaborating, although the former noted that “there’s room for many partners to do well and to innovate with Android”.

HTC previously said it would not make tablet computers after disappointing sales for its Flyer tablet in 2011.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) suggested that Google’s decision to go with HTC, rather than a more experienced tablet maker, is related to its philosophy of building a broad base of partners.

The company has pursued a policy of selecting different companies to make its Nexus smartphones and tablets, with Samsung, LG and Asus having all produced Google-branded devices. The approach is to ensure no company has a monopoly, a source told the WSJ.

Samsung makes the largest Nexus 10 tablet, while the Nexus 7 tablet and Nexus 5 smartphone are made by Asus and LG respectively. The first ever Google smartphone in 2010, the Nexus One, was made by HTC.

Another potential reason behind the choice of HTC is Google’s wariness of Samsung becoming too powerful among the hardware manufacturers that use Android. A cross-licensing patent deal between Google and Samsung struck in January managed to ease tensions, however.

HTC’s One flagship smartphone (pictured) has been well received by reviewers but the Taiwan-based company has struggled in terms of sales.

The company is looking to other sectors as its smartphone sales struggle, with executives indicating it is working on wearable devices. However, it was recently rumoured that the company had shelved plans for a smartwatch.

The Taiwanese company was recently linked with a move into the camera market, with a device set to rival similar products from GoPro, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

Despite recent woes, HTC saw a year-on-year and sequential improvement in revenue for August, as it recovered from a disappointing start to the third quarter. The August period marked its first year-on-year growth for any month since April 2014.