Combo of HTC 10 & Android N to Make Best Nexus Flagship Phone Ever (Photo : Image Credit: Reddit/Daman09)
Google appears all fired up for its Nexus 2016 release date plans as fresh reports emerged that Taiwan-based device maker has been tapped to build two Pure Android smartphones. At around the same time, the Nexus 9 tablet, also an HTC product, just disappeared from the Google Play Store.
So it's a case of bad news/good news for HTC. It might be that Google is no longer interested in selling the Nexus 9 tab but the tech giant is apparently planning to keep the HTC 10 maker busy - by putting together the two Nexus 2016 smartphones. No less than gadget leaker @evleaks broke the news in a tweet:
HTC is building a pair of Android N devices for Google internally dubbed M1 and S1 #nexus
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 27, 2016
Picking up on the Evan Blass report, Android Police said that that codenames M1 and S1 seem to align with the aquatic labels Marlin and Sailfish - thought to be as the devices that will replace the Nexus 5X and 6P. The same report recalled that before the 5X and 6P were deployed, Google labelled them as Bullhead and Angler so the consistency is very much apparent.
The internal names also hinted that the Nexus 2016 will be powered by a Qualcomm chip as Android Police said that Marlin is an engineering code that is associated with the chipmaker. But what exactly the processing chip will be?
The solid candidate, as expected, is Snapdragon 820 and according to 9to5Google, the SD 820 powering an upcoming Android N handset was hinted by a recent Geekbench result. The document alluded to a Google Nexus 6P test results but with figures that exceeded the known prowess of the 6P. The Nexus device has a Marlin motherboard with SD 820 on board.
And that SD 820-powered device is supported by 4GB of RAM, 9to5Google added on its report, indicating of the minimum memory chip provision that the next Nexus will have.
As for the Nexus 9 being pushed out of Google's priority radar, the development should indicate that preparation is already underway for the sequel. Since HTC will have its hands full for the two Nexus candidate, the rumor that the next Nexus tablet will come from Huawei is gaining more traction.
Huawei is said to be assemble a 7-inch stock Android slate that will be called the Nexus 7 2016. Rumors claim that it is a scaled up version of the Nexus 6P with premium build and top-notch specifications.
The Nexus 7 2016 is likely the first device in the Nexus 2016 series to come out, perhaps within or immediately after the Google I/O 2016 that will kick off May 18. And following soon would be the two Nexus phones with the HTC branding. All devices will run on Android N - the official name of which will be revealed soon.
