Google reveals the new Nexus 5X as well as the Nexus 6P phablet
Google is back with not one but TWO brand new Nexus handsets. As predicted, they’re called the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P and have been OEM’d by LG and Huawei, respectively. The Nexus 5X represents Google’s answer to those that sorely miss the good ole’ days of the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 and the Nexus 6P picks up where last year’s Nexus 6 left off, combining cutting edge specs and a larger, phablet-sized display. Both feature fingerprint scanners, however, and both look suitably great -- LG and Huawei have both outdone themselves this time around.
Chances are if you're reading this article you're a fan of all things Nexus...well...ALL things Nexus? Perhaps not. It's true that Google generated a lot of loyal fans from the gems of the Nexus series, the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 being chief amongst them, but it's also true that while the Nexus 6 was technically a great phone in terms of specs and tech, it didn't impress everyone because, quite simply, it was a massive phablet, and massive phablets aren't everyone's cup of tea.
You're amongst friends here. We get it -- we know you loved the Nexus 5 (and likely the Nexus 4 too) and have been patiently waiting for a true successor. It's coming though, the rumours are getting pretty consistent now, and in our experience of such things where there's smoke there's fire.
While we (and perhaps you?) wouldn't go so far as to call the Nexus 6 a let-down, the lack of more modestly-sized device to be sold alongside the huge phablet, intended for those who don't dig monster proportions, was something of a disappointment inside 2014. But it seems Google listened, because the whispers are repeatedly saying it has teamed up with LG for a Nexus 5 successor, and Huawei for a larger Nexus 6 successor, both coming inside 2015.
The Nexus 5 was immensely popular. Both the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 offered value for money, excellent specs and hardware and a beautiful Android experience. Sure, the camera wasn’t great and the build materials were a smidge on the plasticky side but none of this mattered because you KNEW you were getting a £450 phone for a third of the price –– and that is what consumers want. A deal. This was Google’s main USP with its Nexus phones, so it makes sense for the company to return to this way of doing business.
A long-standing appeal of the Nexus series, catered to by the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4 and, to an extent, the Nexus 5, was the way in which specs were balanced to be competetive while also keeping the price relatively low compared to rival devices. It felt, in many regards, like that value proposition went out the window with the Nexus 6 and resulted in another high-power, high-price flagship similar to offerings from rivals, although with the remaining appeal of stock Android software direct from Google.
"We made Android to be an open platform that anyone can build on, and today there are 4,000+ Android devices in all shapes and sizes. Android’s diversity is why it’s become the most popular mobile platform in the world, and the latest version, Marshmallow, takes Android to a new level of performance," said Google in a blog post. "While we love all the Android devices out there, every year we build Nexus devices to show off the latest and greatest, directly from the people who built Android. Today we’re introducing the latest Nexus treats, both running Marshmallow, sweetened by amazing apps and sandwiched by some cutting-edge hardware (see what we did there?)."
Google has also updated the camera too. It is now a 12.3MP rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture and laser-assisted focus. On the front you have a 5MP unit for selfies and Hangouts. The Nexus 5X also has a fingerprint scanner for security and Android Pay, a Micro USB Type-C port and a 2,700 mAh battery. The handset will ship with Android Marshmallow as well, obviously.
Chances are if you're reading this article you're a fan of all things Nexus...well...ALL things Nexus? Perhaps not. It's true that Google generated a lot of loyal fans from the gems of the Nexus series, the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 being chief amongst them, but it's also true that while the Nexus 6 was technically a great phone in terms of specs and tech, it didn't impress everyone because, quite simply, it was a massive phablet, and massive phablets aren't everyone's cup of tea.
You're amongst friends here. We get it -- we know you loved the Nexus 5 (and likely the Nexus 4 too) and have been patiently waiting for a true successor. It's coming though, the rumours are getting pretty consistent now, and in our experience of such things where there's smoke there's fire.
While we (and perhaps you?) wouldn't go so far as to call the Nexus 6 a let-down, the lack of more modestly-sized device to be sold alongside the huge phablet, intended for those who don't dig monster proportions, was something of a disappointment inside 2014. But it seems Google listened, because the whispers are repeatedly saying it has teamed up with LG for a Nexus 5 successor, and Huawei for a larger Nexus 6 successor, both coming inside 2015.
The Nexus 5 was immensely popular. Both the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 offered value for money, excellent specs and hardware and a beautiful Android experience. Sure, the camera wasn’t great and the build materials were a smidge on the plasticky side but none of this mattered because you KNEW you were getting a £450 phone for a third of the price –– and that is what consumers want. A deal. This was Google’s main USP with its Nexus phones, so it makes sense for the company to return to this way of doing business.
A long-standing appeal of the Nexus series, catered to by the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4 and, to an extent, the Nexus 5, was the way in which specs were balanced to be competetive while also keeping the price relatively low compared to rival devices. It felt, in many regards, like that value proposition went out the window with the Nexus 6 and resulted in another high-power, high-price flagship similar to offerings from rivals, although with the remaining appeal of stock Android software direct from Google.
The Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P Are HERE: Specs & Hardware Detailed
Google has officially announced the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P. The handsets represent a big shift in how Google does phones. For starters, there’s two handsets -- something that has never happened before. Second, because there are two handsets users now have a choice over which option they go for -- do you want the big one or the smaller, Nexus 5-style handset?"We made Android to be an open platform that anyone can build on, and today there are 4,000+ Android devices in all shapes and sizes. Android’s diversity is why it’s become the most popular mobile platform in the world, and the latest version, Marshmallow, takes Android to a new level of performance," said Google in a blog post. "While we love all the Android devices out there, every year we build Nexus devices to show off the latest and greatest, directly from the people who built Android. Today we’re introducing the latest Nexus treats, both running Marshmallow, sweetened by amazing apps and sandwiched by some cutting-edge hardware (see what we did there?)."
The Nexus 5X: The Nexus 5 Redesigned
The Nexus 5X features a 5.2-inch LCD display with full HD resolution, just like the original Nexus 5. The Nexus 5X has a pixel density of 424 ppi. Under the hood you’ll find a 2GHz hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor alongside 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM. With storage you have two options: 16GB and 32GB. As usual, there is ZERO SD-support.Google has also updated the camera too. It is now a 12.3MP rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture and laser-assisted focus. On the front you have a 5MP unit for selfies and Hangouts. The Nexus 5X also has a fingerprint scanner for security and Android Pay, a Micro USB Type-C port and a 2,700 mAh battery. The handset will ship with Android Marshmallow as well, obviously.
Nexus 5X Specs In FULL
- Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Display: 5.2 inches, FHD (1920 x 1080) LCD at 423 ppi, Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, Fingerprint and smudge-resistant oleophobic coating
- Rear Camera: 12.3 MP¹, 1.55 µm pixels, f/2.0 aperture, IR laser-assisted autofocus, 4K (30 fps) video capture, Broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash
- Front Camera: 5 MP, 1.4 µm pixels, f/2.0 aperture
- Processors: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 808 processor, 1.8 GHz hexa-core 64-bit, Adreno 418 GPU
- Memory & Storage: RAM: 2 GB LPDDR3, Internal storage: 16 GB or 32 GB
- Dimensions³: 147.0 x 72.6 x 7.9 mm
- Weight: 136 g
- Colour Options: Carbon, Quartz, Ice
Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P In A Nutshell
- Nexus 6P is the first all-metal-body Nexus phone. Built in collaboration with Huawei, this 5.7” phone is crafted from aeronautical-grade aluminum, with a USB Type-C port for fast charging, a powerful 64-bit processor, and a 12.3 MP camera sensor with massive 1.55µm pixels (hello, better photos!). The Nexus 6P starts at $499.
- You’re not the only one who misses your Nexus 5. We’ve joined forces with LG to bring it back with the new Nexus 5X, which gives you great performance in a compact and light package, with a beautiful 5.2” screen and the same 12.3 MP camera and Type-C port as the Nexus 6P. Nexus 5X starts at $379.
The Nexus 6P: A New Dawn For Nexus Flagships
The Nexus 6P is Google’s flagship, the handset designed to do battle with the iPhone 6s, Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4. Like the Nexus 6, the Nexus 6P features a 5.7in AMOLED WQHD display, meaning you’re looking at a rather awesome 2560 x 1440 pixel panel with a pixel density of 518ppi
“Huawei is very excited to collaborate with Google and deliver a premium Nexus experience for the global market,” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group. “We value the way consumers embrace mobile technology in all parts of their lives and have created a smartphone with great design, performance and seamless integration of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the latest Android release.”
“We're excited to partner with Huawei to introduce customers to Nexus 6P, our most premium phone yet and Android 6.0, Marshmallow, our most polished and highest-performing OS ever." Said Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP Android, Chromecast and Chrome OS at Google.
Unlike the Nexus 5X, the Nexus 6P uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 CPU. This is 64-bit chipset and has it has proven time and time again its pedigree inside some of Android’s best handsets so far this year. The Nexus 6P also features 3GB of RAM, dual front-facing stereo speakers, a Micro USB Type-C port, a 12.3MP main camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing selfie camera, a massive 3,450 battery and either 16GB, 64GB or 128GB of storage.
Nexus 6P Specs In FULL
- Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Display: 5.7 inches; WQHD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display at 518 ppi; 16:9 aspect ratio; Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4; Fingerprint and smudge-resistant oleophobic coating
- Rear Camera: 12.3 MP¹; 1.55 µm pixels; f/2.0 aperture; IR Laser assisted autofocus; 4K (30 fps) video capture; Broad-spectrum CRI-90 dual flash
- Front Camera: 8MP camera; 1.4 µm pixels; f/2.4 aperture; HD video capture (30 fps)
- Processors: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 810 v2.1, 2.0 GHz Octa-core 64-bit; Adreno 430 GPU
- Memory & Storage: RAM: 3 GB LPDDR4; Internal storage: 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB
- Dimensions: 159.3 X 77.8 X 7.3 mm
- Weight: 178 g
- Color: Aluminium; Graphite; Frost
- Media: Dual front-facing stereo speakers; 3 microphones (2 front, 1 rear) with noise cancellation
- Battery: 3,450 mAh battery; Fast charging: up to 7 hours of use from only 10 minutes of charging
- Wireless & Location: LTE cat. 6; Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO, dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5.0 GHz); Bluetooth 4.2; NFC; GPS, GLONASS; Digital compass; Wi-Fi use requires 802.11a/b/g/n/ac access point (router). Syncing services, such as backup, require a Google Account.
- Ports: USB Type-C; Single Nano SIM slot: 3.5 mm audio jack
- Material: Anodized aluminum
Nexus 2015 Release Date: Handsets WILL Ship In October
Google has now confirmed that both the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will begin shipping during October. The Nexus 5X starts at $379 and the Nexus 6P starts at $499.
The 16GB Nexus 5X will be priced at $379.99, but currently the price of the 32GB option is not known. It has been confirmed that the Nexus 5X will be up for pre-order on Google Play in the UK, US, Japan, Ireland and South Korea, in "Carbon", "Quartz" and "Ice Blue" finishes.
As expected the Nexus 6P will be a bit more expensive, the base model is 32GB and will cost $499.99 and there will be 64GB and 128GB models too, but again no prices for those just yet. Colour options for the metal finish are "Aluminium", "Graphite" and "Frost", while the gold option will be a Japan exclusive at first. Pre-order availability includes the UK, Canada, Japan, US and Ireland.
UK pricing has now been confirmed via the Google Play web store. The Nexus 5X starts at £339 for the 16GB model and £379 for the 32GB variant. Meanwhile, the Nexus 6P starts at £449 for the 32GB version, and goes up from there to £499 and £579 for the 64GB and 128GB edtions respectively.
Nexus 5X Hands-On Video Emerges Alongside More Leaked Specs
On top of this, although we pretty much already knew all the specs from previous leaks, another big leak has occured re-confirming once again the spec line-up for the Nexus 5X. Yet again coming via Android Police (which must have a mole inside Google from all the Nexus leakage it has had recently), the info includes a full spec sheet and other promotional material revealing key features.
Nexus 6P Leaked Presentation Slides Reveal All
At time of writing it's September 28, which means Google's big launch is tomorrow and will see the arrival of the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Chromecast 2 and Android Marshmallow. At the last minute a set of presentation slides has leaked for the Nexus 6P which reveal pretty much every detail about the device.The slides were unearthed by Android Police and confirm many of the previously leaked and rumoured specs
However, the slides also confirm that the Nexus 6P is the first all-metal Nexus handset, and that one colour variant, gold, will be a region exclusive (at least at first) restricted to the Japanese market.
It will use an OLED display, features quick charging via USB Type-C, and carries 3GB of RAM. The leak also confirmed some additional details about the camera, as Android Police reports:
"The rear camera is 12.3 megapixels with an F-stop rating of 2.0. If that seems a bit low for a flagship, it's because the sensor design uses 1.55 μM pixels, which are designed to capture more light than a conventional sensor, much like HTC's former phone designs with "ultrapixel" cameras. The resolution of final images may be less than 12.3 megapixels. The 8 megapixel front-facing camera uses 1.4 μM pixels (the standard design)."
Lastly, the official dimensions are listed as 159.4 x 77.8 x 7.3mm and it weighs 178g.
Nexus 5X Benchmarked Again
Another day another Nexus benchmark, this time the Nexus 5X has appeared in Geekbench once more carrying the codename "bullhead" (ha). The test results again confirmed a Snapdragon 808 chip with 2GB of RAM
Many More Leaked Renders Of Both Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P
The same source has also come up with the goods for the Nexus 5X with a front and back shot of a white and black model, and then a shot showing all three apparent colour variants - black, white, and ice blue.
Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P Names Confirmed By Leaked Retail Packaging
What appears to be a very official looking product render of the Nexus 6P has now emerged via Android Police, showing what look like front-facing speakers on the front and a fingerprint scanner on the back.
LG Nexus 5X Specs Seemingly Confirmed By Amazon Listing
Ahead of Google's expected announcement, said to be taking place on September 29, a listing for the LG-made Nexus 5X has appeared on an online retailer's website. But not just any retailer, oh no, this is Amazon's India branch. It's a placeholder listing, and at time of writing it has now been removed, although as usual it has been captured in a screenshot by TechnoMedia.
As you can see, the listing includes a spec sheet with a 12.3MP camera, a 5MP secondary, 5.2in IPS display at 1080p (423ppi), a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core chip clocked at 1.8GHz with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, and a 2,700mAh battery.
Interestingly, other reports of this story show that as well as the Charcoal Black option there's an "Ice Blue" edition too.
Huawei Nexus To Be Called Nexus 6P - Packs 128GB Onboard Storage
A report from Android Police claims that the Huawei made Nexus phablet will be branded as the Nexus 6P and will have a storage variant packing 128GB onboard. The publication's "multiple trusted sources" say that this will be the upper tier model and will cost as much as $100 more than the other variants; it's said there will still be 16GB, 32GB and 64GB editions. This would make the Nexus 6P the first Android device to carry this much storage space and appears to be a bid to compete with Apple's 128GB iPhone devices.LG Nexus 5X Live Photos Leak Suspicious "Mint Green" Colour Variant?
Ok so this is a weird one. If nothing else this latest leak shows a Nexus 5X test unit out in the wild, from a slightly different angle, and in someone's hands, which is all great to see. BUT the weird bit is that the source claims it shows a new "mint green" colour option (specifically "tennis court mint" - whatever the hell that means). Our take? We reckon it isn't green at all and it's just the ambient light of the scene playing tricks, we may be wrong, in fact we'd love to be proven wrong when the Nexus 5X gets announced at the end of this month. Certainly it's true that manufacturers across the board are getting more experimental with colours, but still, we're cautious about this for now.
Huawei Nexus Benchmarked With Snapdragon 810 & 3GB RAM
Well it's been rumoured to have this set of hardware for a while and has leaked several times supporting the claims, but now the Huawei Nexus has popped up in Geekbench benchmark results pretty clearly showing a Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM. Benchmarks can be faked, of course, but our gut says this seems unlikely in this instance. The benchmark results show Android 6.0 Marshmallow onboard, which is no surprise either with the new Nexus phones being the debut devices for the new build.According to a set of specs leaking on September 16 via the GFXBench database, the Huawei Nexus will reportedly pack a 5.7in QHD display, a Snapdragon 810 with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage space and Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
On top of this the camera is a 12MP shooter and there's an 8MP front-facing selfie cam.
LG Nexus 5X Specs Leaks Again
Every now and then a manufacturer makes a booboo. Sometimes it happens on Twitter, other times on their official websites and we get a sneak peek of some unannounced phone or tablet. Well, LG has gone and done exactly this, leaking an image of the upcoming LG Nexus 5 2015 on its official website, which you can see below:
The image was quickly removed, however, and isn’t the best quality, unfortunately. But it does show the handset off in all its glory, as well as that oft-talked about fingerprint scanner on the back of it.
On September 8 Android Police reports having heard from "reliable sources" regarding the Nexus 5X's spec line-up, so here it is:
- Snapdragon 808
- Adreno 418 GPU
- 3GB of RAM
- 16/32 GB storage
- 5.2-inch 1080p display
- 2700mAh battery
- USB-Type C
- 12.3-megapixel camera
- 5-megapixel front-facing camera
LG Nexus 5 (2015) & Huawei Nexus Pre-Orders To Begin October 13
The word comes via TalkAndroid and its unnamed source, but the source did not have a date for when orders would be shipped. The timeframe does sit well with historic Nexus launches, however, with the device usually finding its way to pre-order and shipping within a few weeks of the announcement date, just like this proposed schedule.
Android Pay Teaser Seems To Confirm Nexus 2015 September 29 Release
So, according to a teaser inside the Google Wallet application inside the Google Play Store, Android Pay will be arriving in the next few weeks, which does sit quite happily with rumours that the new Nexus phones will be announced towards the end of September.
LG Nexus 5 Renders Allegedly Show FINAL Design Ahead Of Launch
Well with the supposed release date of September 29 we would hope Google and LG have finalised (and indeed produced - in LARGE quantities) the final design of the Nexus 5 (2015). According to this latest set of leaked renders that's exactly what we have here, the FINAL design which will appear at the end of the month when the big G takes the wraps off. The render comes via Android Pit and only shows the rear panel of the device, and it's not too surprising it looks very similar to what we've seen already leaked. The picture does have the look of an official product render about it, however, so we wouldn't be too shocked to see this image on Google's webstore when the device is released.
A
s you can see, the circular fingerprint scanner design is still there, along with the Nexus branding, a dual-LED flash and a slight bump around the camera.
Update: AndroidPit has published another set of images of the LG Nexus (2015) on September 8 this time showing a side-angle shot demonstrating how thin the handset is. Again the image appears to be an official product render. We can see the camera bump is not too large from this angle, as well as the two-tone black-and-white colouration, and the volume rocker and power keys.
Lastly, AndroidPit managed to snap the previous-gen Nexus 5 from the same angle as the render and imposed this image over the leaked shot, proving that the new model is quite a bit slimmer than its predecessor.
More LG Nexus Specs Leak
As of August 31 yet more details have leaked regarding the LG Nexus' specs and features. According to a report from Android Police and its "reliable source" it is reiterated that the phone will sport a 5.2in 1080p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 418 GPU. It's also said to have the new Type-C USB port anda 2,700mAh battery cell. There will be 16GB and 32GB storage variants. Imaging will be taken care of via a 12MP primary camera and a 5MP secondary and the handset will have a "sub flagship" price point...make of that what you will!An LG Nexus 5 spec leak dating August 25 has emerged via Chinese social network Weibo. The source in question previously posted a et of benchmark scores for the device, but now claims the phone will pack a 5.2in QHD display (565ppi), a 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor, an Adreno 418 GPU, and 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM. Also listed is a 13MP primary camera using a Sony IMX 278 sensor with optical stabilisation. The source claims this will be better than the Huawei Nexus rear camera.
LG Nexus 5 (2015) May Be Called Nexus 5X
According to new information Google may be planning to distinguish 2015's Nexus 5 handset with a new name; Nexus 5X. But it's not a done deal yet, apparently, as those in the know have said the big G is still undecided on the matter. The report reiterates a launch date of September 29, as we have heard previously, but also suggests a price. Android Authority's trusted source states that the Nexus 5X will be about $50 more expensive than the previous model - that is, the Nexus 5 NOT the Nexus 6.From that we can suggest that an entry-level 16GB storage model should be priced around $400 while the 32GB edition would be around $450.
Lastly, while the source reiterates that all this is up-in-the-air, it's thought that Google plans to allow customers to buy the Nexus 5X on Google Play from the September 29 launch day. Will it encounter stock shortages again? Hopefully not!
Huawei Nexus Handset Leaks Online
We’ve seen a few leaks of Google’s upcoming pair of Nexus handsets, but nothing too drastic. Now that’s about to change, however, as images of Huawei’s purported Nexus handset have leaked online, revealing a relatively plain front and a slightly more dynamic-looking metallic, multi-layered back panel.
The leak comes, of course, from China and is one of the first images we’ve seen of Huawei’s alleged Nexus handset. The device is tipped to feature a 5.7in QHD display alongside a Snapdragon 810 CPU and 3GB of RAM, as well as a fairly heavy-duty camera on the front and back.
LG Nexus 5 (2015) Cases Leak
You know that a phone is about to launch when cases for said handset start appearing with very official looking renders. And it's not just the cases either, the renders show the cases actually being worn by the next Nexus, in this instance it looks like the images we've previously seen of LG's Nexus device rather than the Huawei model.
The images emerged via Oppomart where the "Armour Protective Silicon Skin Case For LG Nexus 5 (2015)" is being offered for $8.99.
Huawei Nexus Case Leaks
Well it had already happened for the LG Nexus so we guess it was only a matter of time before Huawei's Nexus device had some cases leaked online for us to ponder. The images emerged via @onleaks and show a clear plastic or silicon case with a cut-out circular shape for the fingerprint scanner - this neatly lines up with the location seen for this scanner in earlier leaks.
The case also seems to show that the upper-section of the Huawei Nexus will be raised up in a kind of bump shape, including the camera housing.
Huawei Nexus 2015 Renders Leak
Recently a lot of Nexus-related leaks have been focused on LG's next offering (see below), which is understandable seeing as how LG has a proven track record of producing some of the most loved Nexus devices. However, lest we forget, Huawei is also in the mix this time producing what rumours allege is a slightly larger phablet variant, possibly destined for the Asian market - although such selective distribution is not yet confirmed.Now a set of renders has emerged showing the forthcoming Huawei-made Nexus, and the interesting thing is it does look quite different to what we've seen from LG so far. It's curious because Nexus devices typically have a Google "house style" to their design which unifies the range, but also previous leaks have pointed to both LG and Huawei Nexus handsets having more or less the same specs and features. Assumption being the mother of all hiccups, we went ahead and thought they'd be similar on the outside too. More fool us.
These pictures have emerged via @OnLeaks (nowhereelse.fr) teaming up with uSwitch. What's really interesting is that the body appears to be metal rather than the typical Nexus polycarbonate, and it is sporting sectioned end panels and antenna bands similar to the iPhone and recent Samung devices. Also note that Champagne Gold finish with white accents.
LG Nexus 2015 Leaks In Live Photo Wearing White
Following hot on the heels of the below leaked renders showcasing the standard black coloured version of the LG-made Google Nexus 5 2015, a new live photo has appeared online showing the handset out in the wild.
This one has shown the other typically standard colour for Nexus devices, wearing a white back panel. The close-up shot of the back of the handset gives us a very clear look at some of its features, notably the circular fingerprint scanner just below the ever-so-slightly protruding camera port and bulge. There's also what looks to be a dual-LED flash.
The image was leaked by Inno Yudah on Google+, though we don't know how he got it. It's clearly a test model with the "NOT FOR SALE" text above the Nexus branding on the back. There are also lots of stickers, code numbers, and barcodes suggesting this is a test prototype, although sadly we can't make out anything of any significance.
LG Nexus 5 2015 Video & Renders Showcase Features
The report doesn't claim to have any specific knowledge about the build material, but cites earlier rumours suggesting a metal chassis with a plastic bodyshell.
The images and video detail the LG Nexus 5 (2015) still in development and suggest a 5.2in display, USB Type-C port, front-facing stereo speakers, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The dimensions for the handset are given as 146.9 x 72.9 x 8mm, though the camera bump protrudes out slightly to about 9.8mm.
Nexus 2015 Leak-Based Concept Render Video Appears
You gotta love digital artists, because there's no-one else who can take all the details from leaks and rumours and distill them down to show us what appears to be a living, breathing rendition of the product well before it actually launches.It happens a lot with phones and tech, and now we're getting more and more details about Google's forthcoming 2015 Nexus devices it has happened for said Android flagships.
Designer Jermaine Smit posted a video to Youtube showing his talent for building the next Nexus phones out of nothing but the leaked information we've seen before. And the result, as you can see below, is rather compelling.
Nexus 2015 Case Reveals More About LG's Handset
The Nexus 2015 handset, well, at least one of them, will be made by LG. Earlier this week, @onleaks posted an image of he claims is a case for the upcoming LG-built Nexus handset. The image doesn’t give much away, but it does show quite a bit of odd changes to the back of the handset, which, as you can see below, features three holes, presumably for the camera, its flash and, seeing that LG built it, potentially navigation keys or a fingerprint scanner.
Taken at face value, the navigation keys would make most sense. LG is building this handset and LG likes putting the power/unlock and volume rocker keys on the back of its handsets these days. BUT –– Android Pay is coming very shortly and this would mean the handset would have to have a fingerprint scanner of some kind on its body. @OnLeaks isn’t sure which it is either, so for now we’ll just go with all of the above –– camera, navigation keys, fingerprint scanner.
Huawei Nexus Details Leak
As of August 26 the Huawei Nexus has appeared online yet again via Weibo. The device has been caught in photos wearing what appears to be a rather chunky test case to disguise its true form. However, the leak still reveals some interesting details confirmed as the display shows a bootloader screen.
This screen confirms the presence of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994 chipset with 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB of onboard storage space.
A video has emerged online on August 6 which is alleged to show the Huawei Nexus in all its glory. The video briefly showcases a slightly shiny black bodyshell, which appears to be quite thin too. It also features a round camera port similar to existing Nexus handsets and a small square below this port which looks like a fingerprint scanner
Information has leaked as of July 15 which specifically describes some of the specs and features of the Huawei-made Nexus handset.
As mentioned already, rumours have claimed for a few months now that there are two Nexus devices in development, one from LG, and one from Huawei.
Because one of these devices is thought to be a 2015 re-boot edition of the Nexus 5, which was made by LG, it's been generally assumed that any leaks relevant to the Nexus 5 2015 handset have been regarding the LG-made model - meaning that, on the whole, we haven't heard a great deal about the Huawei device...until now.
The word comes via reputable and reliable Twitter source Evan Blass, aka @evleaks, who has posted a tweet stating:
"Huwaei Nexus sounds impressive so far: 5.7" QHD w/ metal body, SD820 SoC, fingerprint reader. Ships Q4."
So we're potentially looking at a metal-framed or metal bodied phone (something Huawei has demonstrated considerable aptitude for in the past) and a fairly large-ish 5.7in display with a QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels); that should equate to around 515ppi.
The "SD820 SoC" is referring to the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor chip which is set to feature in several upcoming flagships. The inclusion of a fingerprint scanner is an interesting point, and we wonder what Google has planned for such a feature, perhaps tying it into Google Wallet to compete with Apple Pay somehow.
Lastly, that fourth quarter shipping date suggests we probably won't see this phone hitting the market until the very tail end of 2015, perhaps giving the limelight to the LG Nexus 5 2015 to come first.
Is This The Nexus 5 (2015)?
Good news everyone! Today a report has emerged that appears to show the next-gen Nexus 5 handset pictured in a promotional image.A dedicated AndroidPit reader got in touch with the site with an image from an official Google webpage, the image shows a handset that looks nothing like any other device in the firm's catalogue.
As noted in the report, the handset looks rather like a very thin Nexus 7 tablet in terms of form factor design and has the typical matte back panel, but it's quite small - clearly smaller than the Nexus 6 even, suggeting it may well have a 5in display and be a reboot of the Nexus 5. That would make sense too, because there's been grumbling aplenty about the Nexus 6's large size and many have spoken out about how a new 5in phone would be welcome. Perhaps Google has listened?
Nexus 2015 Tops AnTuTu Benchmark?
While it is possible that the results are fake, a handset has shown up on the AnTuTu ranking tables marked as the "Google Nexus 5 2015 API 22". This handset has utterly floored all other devices on the database and jumped straight in at the top of the ranking, with a phenomenal score of 85530.To put that in some kind of perspective the previous leader, now in the number two spot, was the Meizu MX4 with a score of 47,765. Quite a leap for the Nexus 5 to make, and presumably this isn't even a production ready model!
There is speculation that such a score indicates a Snapdragon 820 processor lurking inside the Nexus 5 2015's bodyshell.
Huawei Exec CONFIRMS Nexus 2015 Handset In The Works
Huawei is making one of 2015’s Nexus handsets. In an interview with IBTimes, an unnamed Huawei exec confirmed that Huawei was indeed making a Nexus handset in 2015 and that it was very excited by the prospect as its arrival would do wonders for the company’s reputation in the UK.“The source, who works for Huawei in the UK, confirmed the company was working with Google on the Nexus smartphone but was unable to talk about the specifics of the device or when it would be shipped beyond later this year,” said the report. “Google has previously worked with HTC, LG, Samsung and Motorola to build its Nexus smartphones which act as the reference devices for the latest version of Android, the company's market leading mobile operating system.”
The source said the new Huawei-built Nexus phone would begin shipping later on this year, but neglected to say anything regarding specs, hardware or pricing.
LG and Huawei FOR THE WIN
After all the mystery the end result of WHO will build the next Nexus couldn’t have been better, if a new report from Android Police is to be believed. According to the blog’s sources, it is no longer a case of who is building the next Nexus handset for Google but who’s building WHICH Nexus handset for 2015. Yep, that’s right, Google is apparently making two devices for 2015 –– great, if you’re not a fan of phablets.“The LG device,” reports Engadget, “nicknamed Angler, would have a 5.2-inch screen and might borrow the G4's six-core Snapdragon 808 processor -- effectively, it'd be a modernized Nexus 5. Huawei's phone, Bullhead, would pack a bigger 5.7-inch display and could step up to a Snapdragon 810 chip. Think of it as a not-so-ungainly Nexus 6.”
The LG device will reportedly have a 5.2in display.
“LG will build the upcoming Nexus smartphone, but it will be based on an unreleased prototype,” reports Android Pit. “A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the device is still in development, told AndroidPIT that LG would not base the 2015 Nexus on the company's current flagship, the LG G4.”
However there is still ONE BIG Question: what the hell will this handset be called? The only name going spare at present is Nexus 8, but that’d be a jump of two from last year’s Nexus 6, which doesn’t really make sense. So, could we see an entirely new naming convention used on this year’s handsets? Potentially, as it really is the only option that actually makes sense, unless Google starts calling things 6s and the like, which seems pretty unlikely!
Nexus 2015 Specs
A report emerging on August 12 suggest that both the LG and Huawei Nexus handsets will pack a very similar set of specs. According to reliable leakster @OnLeaks posting on Twitter, the LG device will feature a metal body and a 5.2in display - it'll be around 8-9.8mm thick and 146mm x 72mm for the other dimensions. Allegedly it will also pack a fingerprint scanner, front-facing speakers and a USB Type-C port.Meanwhile, the Huawei model will alos have a metal body and will be larger - 159mmx78mm and 6-8.5mm thick with a 5.7in display. However, it will feature the same fingerprint scanner, speakers, and Type-C USB as its LG cousin.
While exact processor specs and other details are yet to emerge, a leaked benchmark score suggested the LG Nexus will have a powerful chipset and a 1080p display. The Huawei model is rumoured to have a QHD display and a Snapdragon 820 SoC.
Google NEEDS 2015’s Nexus To Be A Success
In its Q1 2015 earnings call, Google discussed the relative ups and downs of its smallest money resource, Google Play and the Google Store. Google CFO Patrick Pichette confirmed revenue from “other revenues” –– Google Play and the Google Store –– was up 23% year over year to $1.8 billion, revenue was down 3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.“Pichette went on to note that the year over year increase was driven by growth of the Play Store,” reports 9to5Google, “which was offset by a decline in Nexus. Pichette later in the call also stated that the decline of Nexus year-over-year is due partly to recent devices, mainly the Nexus 6, not performing as well as the Nexus 7 did in the previous year.”
Guess that means pricing the Nexus 6 like an iPhone didn’t work too well… Ditto for the Nexus 9. In fact, in the space of one year Google’s hardware lineup went from being perhaps the best value for money products on market to just, well, similar to everything else. Price –– regardless what Google says –– makes a HELL of a difference to punters when they buy hardware, especially Android hardware where it's supposed to be all about choice and getting the most bang for your buck.
How this news will affect the development, design, specs and pricing of the 2015’s Nexus handset remains to be seen. Personally, we think A LOT of people would like to see Google return to its Nexus 4/Nexus 5 business model.
What Will The Nexus 2015 Handset Be Called!?
"Naturally," says Android Headlines, musing on what Google will possibily call its new Nexus, "we’d think the next Nexus smartphone would be the Nexus 7, right? But wait, we’ve already had a Nexus 7, actually we’ve had two of them. So what could Google possibly name the next Nexus? Well they could go the route of most other OEMs and do Nexus 7 (2015). But boy that’d be confusing. Even though Google has stopped doing the Nexus 7 tablets, and moved to a 9-inch tablet in the Nexus 9 from HTC. Perhaps the Nexus 6 (2015)? A little less confusing since the name wasn’t shared by two tablets. Google might even start with an entirely new brand. Either way, Google has to do something this year with the Nexus line, as far as naming goes."Obviously, this is all very confusing –– both LG and Huawei are being name dropped left, right and centre. A case for two Nexus handsets has been established, and this could mean that LG will build one and Huawei the other. Perhaps we’re looking at a 5in device and a phablet device this time around? Google’s decision to go with the 6in Nexus 6 wasn’t exactly received well by everybody, so hedging its bets this time around seems like a reasonable strategy.
More recently, an analyst in China has claimed Huawei is indeed making the next Google Nexus handset (well, one of them) and that it will feature a Samsung-made 5.7in QHD panel. "According to a post made on the Weibo social network by an apparently noted Chinese mobile industry analyst, Huawei’s making a Nexus phone with a 5.7-inch touchscreen that may have a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution, and powering it up with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor," noted Digital Trends.
If true this would mean the upcoming Nexus handset for 2015 would have a smaller display than 2014's Nexus 6.
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