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We feel like we’ve only begun settling in with our Nexus 5 and here come rumors of its followup already buzzing around the net. We don’t expect to actually learn anything about the “Nexus 6” for at least another 7 months, but rumors out of Germany are suggesting Google might, once again, contract LG for the building of the next Nexus due out later this year.
Nexus 6 and Nexus smartwatch
These latest rumors coming out of Gizmodo (Germany) claiming to even have a few details of the device, saying it will be a lightweight version of the LG G3 said to launch this June. Also mentioned was LG also building the much rumored Nexus smartwatch, a growing trend in wearable computing.
Android fans are sure to point out the fact that LG was already “chosen” as the manufacture of the last 2 Nexuses/Nexi (Nexus 4 and Nexus 5), leaving us to question the legitimacy of these rumors. Really, it’s tough to say with certainty exactly what Google will do. Although, typically, Google hasn’t stuck with any one manufacturer more than twice when building the Nexus, they’ve never actually come out and said 2 was ever the magic number.
Of course, we (as well as most of you) would have liked to see another OEM take a stab at building a low cost smartphone running stock Android software, with HTC and Sony immediately coming to mind.
6-inch Nexus?
Another point to consider is whether or not Google will even call the device the Nexus 6 or simply the Nexus 5 (2014). The number designates the display size of the device, not the generation. It’s entirely possible they could always go big and build a 6-inch smartphone (based on the LG G Flex or LG G Pro 2) but that’s territory very few OEMs (or consumers) are willing to go.
Thoughts?
I for one am glad. LG definitely doesn’t get the sales Samsung does, but they’re every bit as good. I actually seldomly use my Note 10.1-14 and have since used my G Pad more. Loved the N4, 5, and G2. Will stick with LG as my go to OEM for android.
Fully agreed man.
Well, the G pro 2 is 5.9 inches, so maybe it will be called the Nexus 6 if LG makes it.
Good point. G Flex is 6-inches too. Hmmmm….
I’m hoping.. would be great if they have a SD card slot.. that new 128gb micro SD card would be a pretty sweet setup
We all know the next Nexus won’t have an SD card slot
welp, looks like it’s the htc one 2 for me. i will never like lg’s devices.
also, chris, you said you wanted other oems to try, but then mentioned lg with sony in the 4th paragraph.
Ha! Meant HTC. Thanks :P
If I may ask what made you turn away from LG?
my Nexus 5 is the first device I haven’t noticed…. and too me thats a good thing because when i do notice my phone its a complaint. I think things like, why does the screen look strange, why is the battery dying, why is it so heavy, why does it take crummy photos… for once i FINALLY have a silky smooth android phone that just WORKS the way its supposed to and does everything i expect without any work a rounds or me having to worry!
LOVE my N5
i highly agreed!! :)
Say anything you want (because its a great phone overall), but unless you consider 4/5 hours screen on a big deal, don’t mention battery life as one of its best features because it really is not.
That is good considering the size of the phone and what is in it.
It’s like the iPhone 4S was to the Apple crowd when it was first released. It did everything just the way they wanted. And they also thought nothing else could be better.
been following the nexus program since the first nexus one till the nexus 5.. for me LG is performing well in providing good experience.. samsung?.. only thinks about their own profit.. their nexus devices are rubbish.. owned both nexus s and galaxy nexus.. the spec to price ratio is crap!! since LG take charge, the whole experience keep on improving from nexus 4 to nexus 5.. i am glad to still be able to keep both in my hands because they just work.. hope that LG will make the new nexus and improve the shortcomings in the current nexus 5..
As long as they never go back to Samsung for another Nexus phone, I’ll probably be happy :)
Aside from the screen burn-in, sucky processor, and potato for a camera, I absolutely loved my Galaxy Nexus.
I had three batteries for mine that I switched out so often eventually the backing refused to snap back on.
When you said potato camera I only thought of one thing…
Words cannot describe the awesomeness. Well done, haha.
Serious question: how widespread do you think the screen burn-in is/was? Because I still have a Gnex on Sprint, and I don’t have burn-in.
The couple people I knew with them both had burn-in, and pretty much any time you’d go to a VZW store and looked at the floor model it had burn-in.
I still have my GN and I have some screen burn. Not enough to be annoyed by it. But I will definitely get a new phone this year.
Still rocking my Galaxy Nexus. Of course, I’m grandfathered in on Verizon which means no discount upgrades and no Nexus 5 available….what’s a guy to do?
In the same boat man. I’m waiting to see if Verizon gets the z2. Either way I’ll have to buy it from swappa or something. I’m not getting rid of unlimited.
Buy a Moto X Dev Edition for VZW. You get to keep your unlimited data plan. That is what I did for my wife and I and we both love the Moto X now.
Leave Verizon?
No can do. Need the coverage for my wife who travels to places like W. Virginia. No offense to W. Viriginia but T-Mobile isn’t really an option. Sprint is a joke. AT&T costs as much as Verizon and I wouldn’t have unlimited data. Moto X is probably the only real option on Verizon, but its not even new anymore!
No Nexus 5 on a major carrier like Verizon? That’s truly unfortunate.
But the question is, what happens next year when Nexus phones turns 7? Nexus 7?
Nexus 6 = the last Nexus phone
No it won’t be the last
Why do you say that the “5” in Nexus 5 is for the screen size instead of it being the 5th generation of Nexus phone? Has Google ever specifically said that?
Agreed, Nexus 4 would have been called Nexus 4.7
the marketing department would never allow that as it would make the phone name too complicated, which is why they settled for Nexus4. it used to be named by generation number, but that’s changing… they changed the naming convention. It used to be all about generation#, for example, the Nexus One. but that changed. If its called the Nexus6, it’ll be because it’s going to have a 6-inch screen, just like the LG G Flex which will also have a 6-inch display. However, if the next Nexus has a 5-inch display, then it will be called the Nexus5 again
so what happens after the nexus “6” is released?
so n7 is the 7th generation?
there’s no order, it’s chaos
that’s how it used to be, but that’s changing… they changed the naming convention. It used to be all about generation#, for example, the Nexus One. but that changed. If its called the Nexus6, it’ll be because it’s going to have a 6-inch screen, just like the LG G Flex which will also have a 6-inch display. However, if the next Nexus has a 5-inch display, then it will be called the Nexus5 again.
I know they won’t but I really wish Google would take full force. Build a more serious phone and slap that bad boy on every carrier. Same release date, same price, no exclusive colors, no cutting corners. The price of each Nexus device goes up each year as hardware and software improve. Still managing to keep it at a nice buy unlocked. You can’t keep it but so low and try to cut corners still. Those Play Editions definitely aren’t selling.
Actually, the Nexus price hasn’t gone up every year. The first 3 (Nexus One, Nexus S, and Galaxy Nexus) were all priced like most flagship phones in the $500-650 range. The Nexus 4 was the first to come out with a low price point off contract. The N5 did go up in price, but that’s only a two year trend. The fact of the matter is, Google has shifted it’s strategy with the Nexus line, first bypassing the carriers and selling direct to the customer, and now selling them cheap enough to make them affordable for anyone which puts their services in the hands of more people. Now they’re taking a hit on the hardware to sell their services.
I hope it’s not 6″… 5″ is pushing it already.
Agreed.
I want a 6″ would get a mega or one Max but there is little developer support… you can keep your 5 and tiny screen with tiny battery
they have phones with 5 inch screens with batteries that rival that of ones with 6inch screens.
I would love a 6” inch Nexus but I doubt they will make one.
I think it’ll something like ‘the new Nexus 5’ or the Nexus 5 (2014). I can’t imagine that every year they’re just going to go bigger and bigger. What about after the Nexus 6 (if the numbering scheme is about screen size)?
Then next year we will have the Nexus 7 (phone) and the Nexus 7 (Tablet)
Just a few more short years till a Nexus 10 refresh then ;)
now it’s about screen size. but that’s not how it used to be… they changed the naming convention. It used to be all about generation#, for example, the Nexus One. but that changed. If its called the Nexus6, it’ll be because it’s going to have a 6-inch screen, just like the LG G Flex which will also have a 6-inch display. However, if the next Nexus has a 5-inch display, then it will be called the Nexus5 again.
I’m a of the nexus 5, so I think it would be a good idea.
I’m a fan of the nexus 5, so I think it would be a good idea.
My guess is that they’ll release the Nexus 8 in partnership with Asus (or possibly LG. The G-Pad 8.1 was dope!!!) sometime near the developers conference… Then LG’s New Nexus 5 will come later this year, likely in late October or early November like the other nexus phones.
I’d prefer a LG G3 GPE. Or a Sony Z2 GPE.
GPE is a little overrated considering you now have access to Cyanogenmod’s Installer that unlocks the bootloader, roots and installs CM in no time at all.
I have nothing against LG, but I personally would like to see it from a different manufacturer for a change. HTC, Lenovo/Motorola, Huawei, heck even Sony. Just someone different.
An HTC or Sony Nexus would be interesting indeed.
I like what LG has done with the Nexus 5. I would like to see what Sony could do with the chance to design one.
Tbh I’m pretty much over the whole “phone made entirely of glass and aluminium” fad. Don’t think I’d really want a Nexus that looks like the current Sony generation.
I don’t want a device with a power button that’s half way down the side of the phone. Sony produces some beautiful designs, but the ergonomics of their button layout choices is beyond me.
6″… no
Either make a Nexus 8 (8″) or an Nexus 5.1
I would prefer Sony to get a shot at a Nexus phone or even HTC.
I think 5.2″ is the most I would go for a daily use phone….
Agreed. The Nexus 5 is about the largest frame size I’d want to go, so whatever the biggest display they could fit in that frame size would be fine with me.
Right on. Perfect screen size while making bezels very small and the device just about pocketable.
Go back to Nexus 4.7 please.
You again? Your hands still freakishly small? Awww
Yeah I can’t believe this guy is still complaining about this. Grow up, phinn (literally)
Are you Zack “small hands” Epstein from BGR.
Gf with small breasts would appreciate those, though. Any delicate tasks would benefit as well.
C’mon Google, give the Nexus program back to a company that can provide superior hardware……. HTC.
HTC or Sony….I wouldn’t mind either of them.
Between those two, I’d vote Sony (once the fix their displays)
If you have used HTC’s latest phones and LG’s latest phones your thoughts on this might be different. The G2 blows away the One
HTC needs to provide a superior battery as well…
Meh
Yechhh for using the word “meh”. Your indifference is not welcome here, sir.
So the Nexus One had a one inch screen?
Correct and the the Nexus S has an S inch screen :S
Don’t even know what to make of the Galaxy Nexus…..an Inch Galaxy screen?
It had a 100,000 light year screen. True story.
The 2nd and 3rd Nexuses were called Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus because Samsung insisted on it… Google wanted them to be N2 and N3.
Exactly… the number is the generation, not the size.
they changed the naming convention. It used to be all about generation#, for example, the Nexus One. now it’s about screen size. If its called the Nexus6, it’ll be because it’s going to have a 6-inch screen, just like the LG G Flex which will also have a 6-inch display. However, if the next Nexus has a 5-inch display, then it will be called the Nexus5 again.
They only use the screen size for the tablets.
As much as I’ve liked my 4 and 5, I’d still prefer to see HTC and Sony try and build a Nexus. I want their hardware to shine with Vanilla Android and a low price point
I think HTC would do a good job.
“The number designates the display size of the device, not the generation.”
For the tablets, yes. For the phones, no.
Was the previous iteration the Nexus 4.7, and did the Nexus One have a 1″ screen?
Correct
Sony needs a shot at a Nexus….but not cut any corners on downgrading certain specs. Yes I know why it had to be done on the Nexus 4 and 5 BTW, I’m just saying.
I’d love a Nexus 6! If not possible, a 5.5 will do :)
I heard it’s gonna have mediatek lol. It’s going to sell for $50 and everyone will buy one. Domination.
The Nexus 6 destroys its maker.
Love
Google should keep the Nexus line with LG. LG does a good job keeping the Nexus specs top tier. Samsung only cared about their Galaxy phone.
No news on a nexus 10 2014
If they call this nexus the nexus 6 then i wonder what they would call next years nexus phone since that name is already taken. I just hope they dont make the nexus 6 too big.
Considering all the rumors that the nexus 6 we be the last nexus, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that.
If its called the Nexus6, it’ll be because it’s going to have a 6-inch screen, just like the LG G Flex which will also have a 6-inch display. However, if the next Nexus has a 5-inch display, then it will be called the Nexus5 again.
I love my N5 right now, I may skip the next version if this holds up but I’d still like to see HTC or Moto/Lenovo take a stab. Sony has some decent phones but I think they need to experiment with their form factors a little more.
There is a good chance that the next version is the Last version of Nexus…. so you might not want to skip the next version. Google is rumored to be phasing out nexus phones and transitioning to a Google Phone Experience program where you can buy handsets on the play store.
Has this replaced the rumour that Google was dropping Nexus devices in favour of Google Play Editions ones then ?
This year’s nexus will probably be the last nexus phone….. so make sure you buy it, so you could be part of history.
I don’t think the Nexus line is disappearing, and I’ll put money on it. Google sold Motorola being their only in-house hardware manufacturer and though they are ramping up on the Project Ara devices, those don’t scream Nexus to me.
I think either, a) Project Ara replaces the Nexus line, or b) the Nexus line continues but gets a new name/branding. I just can’t see Google only selling GPE devices.
How can you say it doesn’t tailor to the generation? The 1st one was the Nexus 1, the 4th and 5th were the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5, respectively. I think it’s more of a play on words, a coincidence that the screen sizes matched the generation.
But I’d love to see something like the Nexus 1 again. Or am I the only one that likes trackballs or trackpads on their phones? Those were pretty nifty. I’d love to see those come back.
I could get behind a curved and flexible Nexus phone. That said, I doubt Google is going to increase the number in the naming convention. I suspect that they will freeze the naming at Nexus 5 to denote the phones, just like they did with the Nexus 7 to denote the tablets.
I feel they should stop changing the numbers and just keep it at 5 like they did with the 7 and define it by the year…… Like they do with cars.
Please NO CURVED SCREEN!
A curved screen is like a boomerang. It’s really cool until it comes back and pokes you in the ‘nads.
Google most likely to choose another OEM to build their next Nexus smartphone. It will not be Samsung or LG this time even they already launch S5 Premium or LG G3 (upcoming). Google have to be fair for other OEM whom never build Nexus device. Sony and Motorola (Lenovo) is likely to be next Nexus maker this time since both companies has their best technology in their respective flagship smartphone. We also should not be surprised, if this time Google will choose Xiaomi or Oppo to build next Nexus smartphone in order to penetrate market and direct competition with Apple at China.
NEXUS phones are the only thing going for LG right now. Given LG’s poor Android update schedule. It’s a good thing NEXUS devices are updated directly from Google. I have the LG G Pad 8.3 tablet. Great build, awesome screen, but still running JB 4.2?! Really?! And if you contact LG about KitKat for this tablet, no one knows when the update will hit. Get with the program LG. Seems LG’s only sure update for their hardware is with the NEXUS line.
The G Pad 8.3 is also offered as a Google Play edition. You might want to consider is seeing if you can find the Google Play edition ROM and load it manually so you can bypass LG altogether. It’s a bit of a pain, but an option if you don’t want to rely on LG or go with custom ROMs.
Personally, I wish that manufacturers would be responsible and support their products for a reasonable amount of time, not just take the money and run.
I say it’s gonna be made by Motorola, likely deal done when sales to Levono.