Will HTC produce both Nexus 2016 smartphones? Rumours suggest maybe
Following on from 2015's launch of two smartphones under the Nexus brand, Google is reportedly poised to do the same again this year. When this will happen remains up-in-the-air, however, as many expected the firm to go with its usual device announcement at the Google I/O developer conference, which took place in late May this year with no sight or sound of new Nexus hardware. For 2016 Google is allegedly handing over development and production of BOTH smartphone handsets (and possibly a tablet, if some rumours are true) to Taiwanese Android manufacturer HTC.
HTC has a tough act to follow as well. Last year’s Nexus 6P, which was built by Huawei, was one of the best Android phones of 2015 and EASILY the best Nexus phone ever built. It had power, design and a decent camera. Compared to previous releases, the Nexus 6P was a revelation — it was the handset we all dreamed of Google commissioning.
The other big thing is Android itself. During the past 18 months, Google has been working supremely hard on its platform, adding things, refining things and optimising things. The result — Android N — is a platform without equal. Nothing else compares. Not when it comes to choice, functionality and features. Not iOS. Not Windows 10 Mobile. Nothing. Android is the king of the mobile space now and, finally, with good reason too.
The next Nexus phones, therefore, need to be special. We get that Nexus phones are no longer cheap alternatives to Galaxy S phones and that’s fine so long as they match the Galaxy S handsets of the world with respect to specs and features. I will ALWAYS go with a Nexus handset over one from HTC or Samsung or Sony. Always have done. I prefer clean Android. And since 2015 it doesn’t feel like I’m making a concession by buying Nexus — the Nexus 6P was as good as anything released last year.
According to reports from GizmoChina, the HTC-made Nexus handsets are currently being tested running Android N, and what's more they have a full implementation of the previously rumoured pressure-sensitive touch display. There have been multiple reports that Google has incorporated support for pressure-sensitive touch directly into Android N's code; according to comments from Google devs, this was a feature requested by Android OEMs following Apple's reveal of its own equivalent tech aboard the iPhone 6s series, what Apple calls "3D Touch". Several Chinese manufacturers, including Xiaomi and Oppo, have confirmed they will develop pressure-sensitive touch display handsets inside 2016.
It is also worth noting that a few Android phone makers have already implemented proprietary pressure-sensitive touch inside their handsets. Huawei, for instance. However, with Google's 3D Touch -- or whatever it is called when it lands -- hardwired inside Android the performance and scalability will be much greater, as Google will be able to open it up to its legion of developers.
Nevertheless, anyone that has already committed to a H1 Android flagship will miss out on the new display technology. Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10 and LG G5 users are all out of luck. Google’s 2016 Nexus phones will likely be the first phones to feature Android N’s new 3D Touch display technology, but we can expect ALL Android phones to pack it during Q1 2017.
Whether phones launching later on in the year, phones like the Galaxy Note 6 and OnePlus 3, will feature Android N’s 3D Touch is also up for debate and likely depend on how far in advance Google briefs its hardware partners on developments within Android. We'd expect all major phone makers to know what’s coming at least 6-12 months in advance, so perhaps Google’s Nexus phones will be joined by some other Android phones with 3D Touch in late-2016.
What is odd, though, is Huawei not returning in 2016. The Nexus 6P still remains one of our favourite Android handsets currently available and was, easily, the most accomplished release of its kind in 2015. Usually, when Google has a very successful Nexus handset on its hands it keeps the OEM around for a couple of generations. Case in point: Samsung and LG.
But, no. This year's Nexus handsets will apparently be 100% HTC. Source were picked up via Chinese social network Weibo which say that HTC will make both a 5in and 5.5in Nexus phone inside 2016. It's a little odd to see such a minor variation in display size with these two members of the Nexus range. On the one hand it also seems odd that Huawei is not making a return considering how well the Nexus 6P was received, and the fact that Google tends to offer OEMs another go if things do go well (LG, Samsung etc.). That actually highlights another reason why it's strange for HTC to be front and centre on the Nexus project, as the firm made the Nexus 9 tablet that was a bit of a flop. Still, being part of the Nexus project can only be a good thing for HTC has it may help raise its profile just like LG's push into prominence via the Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 5X - HTC certainly needs the help given its poor market performance in the last few years.
Specs For Nexus 2016 M1 "Marlin" Leak Online
Following on from the below Sailfish leak, the same Android Police sources, and simultaeously sources on Weibo, have leaked a detailed set of specs for the larger phablet handset, the 5.5in "Marlin", also known as the M1. The report says that the site's confidence level is 9 out of 10 for this new spec sheet, and adds that it retroactively upgrades the Sailfish leak to a 9 out of 10 confidence level due to corroborating evidence.
Here are the specs from Android Police:
- Manufactured by HTC
- Quad-core Qualcomm processor
- 5.5" QHD (2560x1440) AMOLED display
- USB-C port
- 12MP rear camera, 8MP front
- Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
- 4GB RAM
- 3450mAh battery
- Bottom-firing speakers
- 32/128GB of storage
- Bluetooth 4.2
To clarify, yes that's a Type-C USB port, and the processor, according to the Webio leak, will be a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 with an Adreno 530 GPU. All the other details match up perfectly. Android Police also added that it believes this leaks details of an AMOLED display likely suggest the Sailfish (below) will also use AMOLED.
This specs have been been noted again by a seperate source, adding weight to the Weibio leak.
“The Marlin will be a powerhouse,” notes Android and Me. “The report states that the Marlin will boast a Qualcomm quad-core processor under the hood and a 5.5-inch Quad HD AMOLED display. On the back there’s a 12-megapixel camera, while the front-facing camera is an 8-megapixel shooter. Other specs include a USB Type-C port, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, 4GB of RAM, a 3450mAh battery, and bottom-firing speakers. The Marlin will also apparently come in 32GB or 128GB variants and feature Bluetooth 4.2.”
Specs For Nexus 2016 Phone "Sailfish" Leak Online -- This Is The Nexus 5X Successor
This is apparently it — the full spec list for one of Google’s upcoming Nexus phones, currently referred to as Sailfish. The news comes via Android Police and the blog says the source is legit, though it did not name who it was — but this is understandable, as it is likely in insider at either Google or HTC.
The Sailfish phone looks to be the more of a mid-range affair, meaning the Marlin will be the high spec phone. Essentially, this phone looks as if it will be replacing last year’s Nexus 5X.
“Here is what we know about one of two Nexus phones,” said the blog, “codenamed Sailfish.”
- Manufactured by HTC
- 5" 1080p display (~440PPI)
- Quad-core 2.0GHz 64-bit processor (model unknown)
- 4GB RAM
- 2770mAh battery
- 32GB storage (unknown if multiple models will be available, or even if this is the base storage level)
- 12MP rear camera, 8MP front
- Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
- USB-C port (bottom)
- Bottom-firing speaker or speakers (unknown if dual)
- Top-mounted headphone jack
- Bluetooth 4.2
Nexus 2016 Phones To Feature Snapdragon 821 CPU
This year’s Nexus phones, which are apparently codenamed Marlin and Sailfish, will use a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU, according to a report from Focus Taiwan. HTC is the firm tasked with building the handsets and both will be based on the HTC 10’s industrial design — though there will likely be some changes.
If these rumours pan out it will mean the Nexus 2016 phones will be more powerful than nearly all current flagships on market, as all current models use the Snapdragon 820. Furthermore, it is believed the Galaxy Note 7 will also use the Snapdragon 821 CPU. Details about the new chipset are pretty thin on the ground at present, but sources claim the KRYO processors inside will be clocked at a higher speed — 2.3GHz vs 2.15GHz.
"This is a slight improvement and you will be able to notice these improvements in benchmarking tests. However, when conducting real-world operations, we highly doubt that you will see that much of a difference when pitting both SoCs together. Perhaps this is the reason why manufacturers tend to decrease the clock speed of Snapdragon 820’s CPU; they know that decreasing that speed will have a minute difference in performance and users will also be able to rake more battery life out of their handset, making it a win-win situation at both ends," reports WCCFT Tech.
Huawei Now Linked To Nexus 2016 Phones As Well
There's been a ton of rumours doing the rounds which have all pointed to HTC handling Google's Nexus line-up for 2016, and many of these rumours even indicate a three-year deal which will see Google and HTC in cahoots on the project going forward. There's been so much talk about HTC, and not much about other Nexus partners such as LG, Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei that all thoughts of a non-HTC Nexus seem to have fallen by the wayside.
Until now.
What this means for the current rumours about HTC making 2016’s Nexus phones is anyone’s guess; could there be three models? Is Huawei a last minute change? Did HTC pull out? All of these are viable scenarios and it will not be clear what’s happening exactly until Google confirms so at the handset’s launch, which, in case you didn’t know, is usually a very quiet affair featuring a press release and an updated Google Play.
I’ve been using the Nexus 6P since it came out as my daily driver. The Nexus 6P is fantastic, easily my favourite Android phone of 2015. It has stood the test of time well, still performs like a monster, and, importantly, it still looks great. The Nexus 6P was a watershed moment for Google’s Nexus lineup, just as the Nexus 4 was all those years ago, and with this in mind it’s no wonder that Google wants the Chinese phone maker back in the fold.
Huawei previously built the Nexus 6P, and as of June 2 the firm launched its Huawei P9 handset in South Africa - according to a report from Gearburn one of the firm's executives spoke out at the event with regard to Nexus 2016 projects. Charlene Munilall, Huawei's general manager of its phone business in South Africa, was asked why Nexus handsets had not been made available in the country, but point blank she said "we're dong the Nexus again this year, by the way." Can't get much clearer than that!
The revelation also fits in with comments made by other Huawei execs following the announcement of Google's Daydream VR project; none other than Huawei Director Richard Yu confirmed that the company plans to launch a Daydream compatible handset in Autumn, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal. While this could be alluding to a non-Nexus Huawei device that is specced for Daydream, it seems reasonable to suppose that whatever Nexus devices Google launches going forward, whether Huawei, HTC or otherwise, will be Daydream compatible. Yu also stated that Huawei's team-up with Leica for camera tech was a long-term partnership for at least five years, but although that means we can expect to see more Leica camera-equipped Huawei devices we wouldn't go banking on the next Huawei Nexus to pack such a dual-camera setup.
What could Huawei's 2016 Nexus handset be like? Well given the way Google has operated with repeat partnerships with LG the safe money is on it being another Nexus 6P revamp with better specs rather than anything drastic. Naturally we'll be keeping an eye out for more info as it emerges, but by all means leave us your Nexus 6P 2016 (or whatever you think it should be called!) wishlist in the comments below!
HTC Partnered On Google Nexus Program For Next Three Years?
HTC may actually be working on more than two device for Google's Nexus project, just not in the immediate future - the rumours say we're looking at a couple of Nexus phones in 2016 and possible a tablet, some, or possibly all of which may be made by HTC. BUT, allegedly HTC may be making more devices in subsequent years, as it's claimed the firm has partnered with Google for a three-year deal to make Nexus hardware.
The info is contradictory to earlier reports which indicated Google was effectively wrapping up the Nexus project as an external partnership program and bringing everything in house - Apple style. But it seems this is perhaps not the case, and instead we'll see continued deals between Google and OEMs over Nexus development and manufacturing.
What Does The HTC 10 Tell Us About Google’s Nexus 2016 Phones?
The HTC 10 is here and it is very impressive. The handset, while familiar looking, is a big step forward for the company with vastly improved imaging technology, awesome audio performance and brilliant software. The battery life on the HTC 10 is also exceptional -- easily on a par with the biggest and best phones around right now.
But how much of this will come across to the Nexus 2016 phone? Is it going to be based around the HTC 10 or feature a brand new design? Because it is HTC it will likely feature an all-metal chassis alongside Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 CPU and between 4 and 6GB of RAM.
Where things will get interesting is the imaging technology. Will Google allow HTC to use the same setup present on its HTC 10, or will the search giant push for something more refined? A dual-lens setup, perhaps? This is tough to call. Imaging is very important these days and while the HTC 10’s camera is vastly improved it is no way near as good as what’s available on the LG G5 and Galaxy S7, for example.
I’d like to see HTC’s audio technology make the transition, though. Having HD audio on a phone, with the ability to upscale sound, is immense for music lovers -- or those with expensive headphones. Why this hasn’t happened sooner is beyond me. But I am super pleased that HTC included such a comprehensive audio package inside the HTC 10. I just hope it comes to the Nexus in 2016 as well.
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