Nexus talk is always a hot topic at this time of year; there’s five months until we expect to see what Google has in store for us by way of hardware releases from the Nexus program. Previous years we’ve seen Nexus 7’s launch mid-year, while the Nexus 10 launched with the Nexus 4 in October and last year we got a Nexus 9 as well as a Nexus 6. This year, the rumour is that we’re not going to see a new tablet – but we’ll instead get a choice of two phones.
According to Android Police, we’ll get the rumoured Huawei Nexus – possibly built of the back of the Huawei Mate 8, with fairly largish sized screen to boot – as well as a new LG built Nexus phone which will have a smaller more ‘compact’ form factor. Artem from Android Police has been sitting on this rumour for a while, but has seemingly gotten a little more information to hand about the two Nexus phones being built to push him over.
According to Android Police, the LG phone will be called code-name ‘Angler’ and come with a 5.2″ screen, with a Snapdragon 808 processor (just like the LG G4) and come with a 2,700mAh battery – let’s hope that 5.2″ screen isn’t QHD or that could go quickly.
The Huawei ‘Bullhead’ will be based on the somewhat maligned Snapdragon 810 processor, but come with a larger 5.7″ screen for those who think the Nexus 6 is about the right size. The battery in the Huawei is said to be a more comfortable 3,500mAh so that could finally see all day use for a Nexus phone.
Huawei’s Mate 7 had one of the best fingerprint sensors we’ve seen on an Android phone – right up until we saw the Galaxy S6. With Google rumoured to bring native fingerprint support with Android M, this would be a perfect partnership to get this going with a quality hardware solution.
The codenames: Bullhead and Angler are of course sort of fishy; but that goes along with Google’s naming convention for Nexus devices so far.
It’s timely to remind you that according to what we’ve heard, the Nexus 6 was thrown together quite quickly on the back of the breakdown of the Android Silver program mid-last year, so it’s possible that one or even both of these rumoured handsets could be scrapped before the rumoured October announcement date.
As usual – we’re hungry for Nexus rumours and we’re keen to see what Google and whichever hardware partner they end up going with (or both) in October.
Which Nexus would you prefer – or are you, like me just going to get both? (Because Business and Pleasure?)
“…a new LG built Nexus phone which will have a smaller more ‘compact’ form factor.”
I buy.
There is an opportunity among Android partners to make a true flagship phone with a screen size of 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 or 5.0 inches. The iPhone has no trouble selling with a 4.7in display. There’s a fair bit of space between the 4.6in Z3 Compact and the 5.1in Galaxy S6. Half an inch actually, and no-one wants it! So Google, how about it? The Nexus 5 is actually 4.95in. A new Nexus 5 at 4.8 or 4.9in with tiny bezels would be a dream in the hand and still big enough to display a lot of content. I used my… Read more »
Totally agree… Keeping my fingers crossed that these rumors are not 100% correct and that at least one of the two proposed Nexus phones has either an exactly 5″ screen, or a screen size of just under 5″. Also hoping and wishing that at least one of the two phones is under $450 AUD…
Hmmm… It will be interesting to see what the price difference will be between these two devices (if these rumors are correct). I would expect a Huawei device to be relatively cheap (compared to, say, an identically equipped device from Samsung, LG or HTC).
Whichever one of these two proposed/potential Nexus devices is under $450 AUD, that will be the one I get.
Argh I’m holding out with my awful 2012 Nexus 7 hoping for a 7″ tablet.
Couldn’t buy the oversize 9″ tablet. Would also like something with HDMI out, while they’re at it…
Hell, I’d buy a Nexus 7 2013 if they still sold them.
No intention of getting rid of my Nexus 7 2013 here, it’s still going strong!
I will definitely buy huawei made nexus 6 instead of lg made poor quality nexus phone as I used before, such as nexus 4 and 5. If it’s a good quality phone I don’t think it’s expensive if the price is lower than iphone6. Definitely no lg because I had a lot of problems for 4 and 5.
Sorry to hear that you were unlucky with your Nexus 4 and Nexus 5.
I have a Nexus 4 which is still going strong, especially since the Lollipop 5.1 update came through. It runs like a dream and battery life is better than it ever was for me on previous Android versions.
A 5.2″ Nexus made by LG is about as good as it gets. But a 2700mAh battery? Has Google not learnt anything from the N5? If it’s a FHD screen, it will probably have similar (ie. very ordinary) battery life to the M8, and if it’s QHD, it’ll be next to useless. My prediction is that the LG Nexus will have a FHD screen, and the Huawei Nexus will have a QHD screen. I also suspect that the LG Nexus will launch around August when Android M is released, and the Huawei Nexus will launch later in the year. Google… Read more »
Yep, Google would’ve heard the complaints from people like me about the Nexus 6 being oversized, which is the only reason I didn’t buy it. Pretty sure Google’s learned their lesson. We’ll find out soon enough.
The battery life on these Nexii are disappointing. It’s quickly becoming on of the biggest bug bears of my Nexus 5. Can’t even get to work before it hits 50%!
I agree completely, Peter.
I hope that the rumoured battery size on the 5.2″ device is the only part of these rumours that turns out to be untrue. Everything else sounds great. All I can assume, is that the Nexus devices are purposefully being sold with too-small batteries so as not to cannibalise sales of the manufacturers flagship devices.
The only way no new tablet is going to make sense is if they halve the price of the Nexus 9 instead. They need a working tablet market with some life in it if they are ever to release Tango and their overpricing the Nexus 9 last year helped a downward spiral started by the phablets.
There really is no excuse for not releasing a $350-300 tablet in the 8-9″ region. Or indeed a 12-13″ unit to meet the supposed ipad pro.
The cheap Nexus 7 market was the only way Android tablets can sell..
Firstly, 5.2″ LG Nexus is an automatic buy. OMFGYES.
Secondly., the source? Is it just some guy on a forum or twitter spinning bs?
5.2″ hmm……y not 🙂