No More Nexus 2016 Release as Google to Soon Launch Flagship Smartphones with Customized Android 7.0 Nougat? (Photo : Android Police)
Google appears to have commenced the preparations for its Nexus 2016 release date plan as reports emerged that the Nexus 6P is now in the process of updating to Android 7.0 Nougat. Fresh leaks also suggested that the next Nexus will start selling at no more than $350, at least for the cheaper model that is supposedly made of plastic and metal.
The Nexus premium flagship of 2016, according to 9toGoogle, is now on Android Nougat or the next-generation of Google mobile OS that will replace Marshmallow. This is the case with one Redditor named brianmoyano, who shared that his Stock Android smartphone quietly jumped to Android version 7.0.
The 49.5MB update fila arrived via over-the-air or OTA and is relatively small. But what's more notable, 9to5Mac said, is the "Android N description that accompanies the OTA update is also slightly different from during the beta program."
The development somehow indicates that the Android N final cut is ready to materialize anytime, which aligns with the hints from Google that Nougat will begin its global deployment within the third quarter of 2016 or an August rollout at the latest.
And with Android Nougat officially revealing itself soon, Nexus fans expect that the 2016 version of Google's signature smartphones will hit the market at around the same time. Without any confirmation from Google or HTC, the next Nexus is expected to unbox as early as next month and coming in two editions that are codenamed for now as Sailfish and Marlin.
In a related report, Phone Arena said that Sailfish and Marlin are shaping up as Nexus handsets that will challenge leading Android and iOS flagships, boasting of high-end specifications and metal-clad bodies. But the same blog post claimed that the more affordable and smaller Sailfish will not be full-metal.
The outer materials for device will be a combination and metal and plastic, the report said, pointing to a recent article published by Nexusblog. The Sailfish finish was apparently decided upon for Google to provide the handset at a very affordable level.
The blog post claimed that the 5-inch Nexus Sailfish will retail starting at $350. No price point was mentioned for the more premium Nexus Marlin but it is believed that the tag will be no more than $450 to $500.
On their rumored August release date, both the Nexus 2016 models are said to be powered by Snapdragon 821 processing chip with 4GB of RAM support for the Marlin and 3GB RAM for the Sailfish.
