Motorola has been rumoured to be building the next nexus smartphone for Google for some time, but a new report suggests the company is actually working on two devices - an upgraded Nexus 5 and a phablet-like Nexus 6. The Nexus 5 will extend the screen up to a 5.2in diagonal, but the Nexus 6 will arrive with a huge 5.92in display.
According to 9to5Google, the handset, code-named 'Shamu', will be based on the recently-announced 2nd generation Moto X, with a few minor adjustments to make it easier to use given the larger screen. The volume and power buttons would be moved further towards the centre of the side of the handset, but the overall design would remain the same. That means it will have an aluminium outer frame, curved rear and forward-facing speakers.
The display apparently has a 2,560x1,440 resolution, which equates to a pixel density of 498ppi. Inside, a 2.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage are slated to appear, while the rear-facing camers will reportedly usea 13-megapixel sensor and the ring flash first seen on the new Moto X. It should also use a 3,200mAh battery.
Naturally for a Nexus device, the new handset is expected to arrive running Android L, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. However, 9to5Google suggests it has yet to see benchmark results showing the handset running a 64-bit version of the OS - supposedly one of Android L's major performance upgrades.
Introducing two smartphones simultaneously would be a new move for Google, but it would make sense given Apple's recently launched iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus - there's clearly demand for big screen phones. However, a 5.92in screen would make the Nexus 6 one of the largest mainstream handsets around, so right now these rumours aren't entirely convincing.
Based on the report, we could be getting an official announcement from Motorola and Google at some point in October, ready for a November release. Either way, we'll be sure to bring you the facts as soon as we get them.
