Contrary to reports last week, Google has claimed that it doesn’t have any immediate plans to open up Apple-style retail stores, insisting that it’s perfectly capable of shifting its range of Nexus devices through the Play Store.

During a roundtable at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona earlier today, Google’s Android chief Andy Rubin iterated his belief that consumers no longer need to walk into a physical store to get a feel for new devices these days. Instead, he says that people can read up and watch reviews online, or even ask their friends. Furthermore, Rubin claims that Nexus hasn’t even reached the point where it needs a physical store.

“For Nexus, I don’t think the program is far enough along to think about the necessity of having these things in a retail store. Google has no plans and we have nothing to announce,” answered Rubin in response to a question put to by All Things D.

Rubin’s comments directly contradict a report in the Wall Street Journal last week, which claimed that the internet giant was finalizing plans to open a number of retail locations in the United States by the end of the year. Considering the popularity of online retailers these days, which are nearly always cheaper than their physical counterparts, Rubin does seem to have a point – many people do prefer to buy online. Moreover, Google has never spoken about its interest in building retail stores, instead keeping its focus firmly on selling its Android and Nexus devices through Google Play.

However, there are plenty of valid reasons why Google should reconsider its stance on retail stores in the future (if indeed, Rubin’s comments are true). For one thing, despite what Rubin says, it won’t be easy to shift all of its products through its online store. Selling its affordably-priced Chromebooks and Nexus devices is one thing, but convincing people to part with over $1,000 for a top-of-the-line Chromebook Pixel is quite another – especially when most users have never even seen the Chrome OS in action. If Google is serious about taking on Microsoft with the Chrome OS, and wants to push even more higher-end machines running this, a physical retail outlet could well become a necessity.

Another reason that Google needs its own store is Google Glass. It’s a fantastic-looking gadget, and while most people are curious, it’s unlikely that many will want to pay the $1,500 asking price without seeing it in action for themselves.

Finally, Google must surely be concerned by the news that Samsung is pressing ahead with its Tizen OS and could one day relegate Android to second status. Google makes a LOT of money through its dominance of the consumer smartphone world, and opening up physical stores to showcase the latest devices running Android is one of the most obvious ways to try and fend off the competition.