The fourth quarter of the year is closing in, and if we are to treat Google’s release schedule from previous years as a sneak peek of the future, we can expect a new Nexus smartphone to be announced in roughly a month. These suspicions have been backed up by a multitude of leaks and rumors that have continued surfacing during these past several weeks. The new Nexus smartphone, or the “Nexus 5, is apparently being built by LG, the same company that made last year’s Nexus 4. Although Google remains quiet about this particular gadget, the launch of a new Nexus smartphone seems inevitable. The announcement of the new Android 4.4 KitKat operating system is also an indicator that a new Google handset is in the works, so all-in-all, fans of the series are eagerly waiting for the big day.
Until that day comes however, smartphone enthusiasts and fans of the Android platform have an opportunity to find out certain aspects regarding this handset thanks to the amount of leaks that have hit the tech blogosphere. Today we are going to round up all of these bits of juicy information, so assuming that you’ve missed out on some of the latest happenings, this is your chance to get back on track.
Nexus 5 – The Mysterious Appearance in the Crowd
As mentioned above, Android 4.4 KitKat was recently announced and this can be viewed as a confirmation that the Nexus 5 is in the works. Or not… After all, Android 4.3 didn’t introduced a new Google smartphone. However, the situation is different with Android 4.4, mainly because, even though it’s an incremental update, it has its own name (Android 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 have all been called Jelly Bean) – and due to the fact that the mysterious Nexus 5 was spotted in the crowd during the unveiling of the Android 4.4 KitKat statue.
While Google has removed the official video where we were able to see the Nexus 5 briefly captured on-camera, screenshots and a clone video still exist.
Nexus 5 – Visit at the FCC and Brief Hands-On Videos
You may consider the brief appearance of the device in the aforementioned video to be less than sufficient in order to be convinced of the handset’s existence. If that is the case, then your skepticism may soon take a big hit.
FCC filings for what appears to be the Nexus 5 were spotted not long ago, a clear indicator that the device is getting ready for its market release. More so, multiple photos depicting the same device as the one in Google’s video have been leaked from the FCC as well.
As if that’s not enough to keep the interest going, the same smartphone was spotted in a couple of short “hands-on” videos as well. The mysterious device briefly showed off the boot animation of the new Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, as well as the lock-screen animation.
Nexus 5 – Rumored Specs and Alleged Launch Time-Frame
While all of the aforementioned leaks are pretty exciting and accurate enough in order for Sketchfab to create a full 3D (unofficial) render of the device, we’re also very interested in what will make this smartphone tick.
Spec-wise, the Nexus 5 is expected to arrive with a 4.96-inch display featuring a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (1080 x 1794 effective, due to on-screen navigation buttons). The device would supposedly be powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.26 GHz, and evidently, Android 4.4 KitKat. These bits of information have been revealed via a benchmark website, where the presence of the SD 800 SoC has been confirmed.
Other than these particular details, it’s speculated that the handset will also feature a 2,300 mAh battery, Pentaband HSPA+ and multiple LTE bands with support for all four major carriers in the US (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint).
As far as the main camera goes, rumors indicate that the handset will boast a 13 MP sensor. Furthermore, since LG has allegedly built the Nexus 5 using the LG G2 as a foundation (much like they built the Nexus 4 using the LG Optimus G as a starting point), the main camera is expected to feature Optical Image Stabilization – a sought-after feature that only a handful of smartphones (including the G2) are offering.
Last but not least, there’s the alleged launch date of the handset. According to rumors coming in from Ausdroid, the Nexus 5 might be unveiled by Google on October 14, alongside the new Android 4.4 KitKat OS. Although an exact release date has not been specified by the source, we expect the handset to go on sale sometime in the following month – November.
This pretty much concludes the latest rumor and leak round-up, but we’re fairly confident that bits of information will continue to surface while we wait for the official announcement. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Are you a Nexus 5 enthusiast? Would you purchase this particular device? What features would you like to see on the next Nexus smartphone?
Vlad Andrici is editor for gforgames.com and writes about technology issues. Follow Vlad on Google Plus.