With Google expected to finally release the next iteration of its Nexus smartphone line, rumors continue to surface about the specs and design of the device.
With so many leaked specifications, it can be hard to keep up and determine what is and is not realistic. Here's some help:
Manufacturer
It was first rumored Google would be scrapping the Nexus line altogether in favor of a new project called "Project Silver." It was then rumored that HTC would be making the next smartphone in the Nexus line, as well as a new tablet.
However, latest rumors indicate Google's own Motorola Mobility, soon to be acquired by Lenovo, will create the new Nexus smartphone. It seems as though HTC will still make the new Nexus tablet, called the Google Nexus 9.
Name
The name of the upcoming device has been speculated upon a great deal, and it seems as though the device may not be called the Nexus 6, which would be in keeping with tradition. Google's past two smartphones have been called the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5, so a Nexus 6 would make sense. However, according to some the device will actually be called the Nexus X.
This is largely to avoid any copyright infringements on the name "Nexus 6," which is owned by the novelist Philip K. Dick ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," aka the 1982 movie "Blade Runner"). Not only that, but the name Nexus X has appeared on online retailer Best Buy's website.
Display
The display size of the device has been kept a little more under wraps and rumors have indicated both 5.9-inch displays and 5.2-inch displays. A newly leaked AnTuTu benchmark test has revealed the device will likely sport a 5.2-inch display, with QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution and a whopping 500 or more pixels per inch. This is a huge improvement over the Nexus 4.
Internal Specifications
The Nexus 6 will likely make use of Qualcomm's flagship processor, the Snapdragon 805, a quad-core processor that runs at a whopping 2.7 GHz. Coupled with the Adreno 420 graphics card and the rumored 3 GB of RAM, the Nexus 6 will be a formidable opponent to any competition.
We don't know yet if these specs are true. However, if they are it is likely that the device will be a little more expensive than last year's Nexus 5.
All of this will be powered by Google's new operating system, currently dubbed Android L.
Camera
The leaked benchmarking results also revealed a few supposed details about the camera. If they turn out to be true, then the device will sport a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera coupled with a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera.
These are the only details we have about the camera at this point, although many are hoping that the device will include a good quality camera, a feature that was missed in the Nexus 5.
Release date and price
The current rumored announcement date of the upcoming device looks to be on Halloween, and if past years are anything to go by then the device will go on sale on that date as well.
Recently, French e-commerce website Fnac listed both a 32 GB version and a 64 GB version of a device called the Motorola X T1100, aka Nexus X, revealing the price for both devices.
According to the listing, the 32-GB version will cost €419.99, or $544, with the 64-GB version costing €499.99, or around $647.
Conclusions
If these rumors are to be believed then the Nexus 6, or Nexus X, will be an extremely powerful device, capable of taking on any other flagship on the market. However, unlike previous years, it will come with a price tag to match.
