Early rumors that came out about the Nexus 2016 suggest that Google, with the hardware assistance coming from HTC of Taiwan, is putting together two premium phones to challenge both the Apple and Samsung flagships. The next Nexus handsets are shaping up as the best Stock Android devices to come out, ever.
Here the known details so far on Google's upcoming signature phones (some have been confirmed while others remain in rumor zone):
Premium Nexus
Nexus fans first got a taste of premium with the Huawei-built Nexus 6P of 2015 and all indications point to a similar serving this 2016, specifically in the case of the 5.5-inch Nexus Marlin (M1). Rumors persist that like the HTC 10, Marlin is metal-clad as two devices come from the same maker. The smaller Nexus Sailfish (S1) has specks of metal too but the build material is mostly dominated by plastic but of the high-end kind.
AMOLED display from Samsung, 2K screen resolution
Both Nexus 2016 models will reportedly slip out of the box boasting of AMOLED display panel. For the larger Marlin, the screen resolution will stun at 2560 x 1440 or 2K while the slightly smaller will remain impressive rendering at 1080p Full HD.
Impressive firepower
Firing up the new Stock Android smartphones is the latest and greatest chipset from Qualcomm - any of the Snapdragon 820 or 821. The system will include Vulkan graphics support and OpenGL es 3.0 support. And to ensure that multitasking will be smooth with the next Nexus, 4GB of RAM will come on board.
Android 7.0 Nougat
The one thing that is confirmed about the Nexus 2016 is the operating system that according to Google will be called Android 7.0 Nougat. Among the key feature upgrades to expect are new alarms, notifications, ringtones, UI sounds, boot animation, ambient display and Night Light (similar to Night Shift on iPhone). A number of these bumps are said to be exclusive to the next Nexus though one thing is sure - everything about the new Nougat will be tasted first by Nexus device users.
Camera bump
Nothing yet is written in stone on the next Nexus camera setting but it's widely expected that the 2016 versions will most reflect what were seen last year. It's certain though that significant shooting refinement and enhancements will be part of the package, notably with the inclusion of Sony IMX179 camera sensor.
Telco partnership and pricing
BGR said in a report that for the Nexus 2016, Google will be in close partnership with the likes of AT&T and Verizon but it's unclear how the collaboration will impact on the pricing decision. Rumors say the next Nexus will remain affordable starting at no more than $350 for the basic Sailfish model and around $400 for the premium Marlin edition.
Launch
There were reports indicating that the Nexus 2016 release date will happen October 4 but Android fans would want to believe that availability of the devices will happen at the same time with that of the Android Nougat rollout, which Google has reportedly set to go live before the end of August.