Rumors about the release of the much-awaited Google Nexus 2016 smartphone indicate that it will indeed come out this year. However, fans may have to wait until the release of Android N, since the upcoming smartphone is said to be released with Google's new OS.
There have been speculations that Google Nexus will be launched this August. This could be overambitious considering the beta testing for Android N is expected to complete by the end of this month, according to Android Police.
There have been reports that Google is working with the Taiwanese tech giant HTC to make the imminent 2016 Nexus smartphones. The two companies have collaborated for many years to make Google's flagship smartphones.
Several reports indicate that HTC has been picked again to manufacture Google's upcoming Nexus smartphones. The handsets, which are codenamed M1 "Marlin" and S1 "Sailfish" have already been spotted on Geek Bench, displaying a few key features.
The Nexus M1 is believed to have received a single-core score of 2084 and multi-core score of 4969, according to Browser Primate Labs. Nexus enthusiasts now have a chance to look at the external features of the upcoming smartphones before they are officially released.
From the leaked stills, the HTC M1 and S1 handsets will come in black and dark gray aluminum casing. The design has a two-tone look attributed to a glossy plastic or glass cutout on its back, which is said to function as a window for an NFC reader and other radios.
The back of the upcoming smartphones has a gentle curve around the edges. This will make it comfortable for users to hold the devices. Three holes can be spotted next to the main camera, which are believed to be for autofocus and secondary sensor.
The front part of the smartphones reveals one earpiece speaker, a front facing camera for selfies, and sensors. When the 2016 Nexus M1 and S1 finally release, they will run on Android 7.0 Nougat as opposed to the previous Nexus devices that ran on Android M. Google could be set to use a simple "G" logo on the back of the devices, although this has not been confirmed.
The M1 will include a 2560 by 1440 QHD display and 4 GB of RAM. The phone will also ship with a 12MP back camera, 8MP front shooter, a 3450mAh battery, and a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC.
On the other hand, the 5-inch S1 is believed to have a 1920 by 1080 Full HD display. It will have the same specs as those of the M1, but ship with a 2770mAh battery.
Here is footage for more information on the upcoming devices: