The Nexus series is one of the most loved on Android. Motorola, Samsung, Huawei, and LG have all had a go at co-creating a Nexus smartphone with Google, but which manufacturer will be next? The latest rumor suggests there to be three years of HTC Nexus devices to come. And what will it be like? And when’s it coming and how much will it cost? Now that the Nexus 6 (2016) rumors have begun we’re here to try and answer these questions.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) price and release date
Information about the release date of the Nexus 6 (2016) hasn't been announced yet, but we can already predict that it won't land until the fourth quarter (of this year), like the previous Nexus devices in the series.
Concerning the Nexus 6 (2016) price, given that the original Nexus 6 and Nexus 6 (2015) both launched for around US$649, we expect a similar price range for the upcoming handset also.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) design
An early rumor from Gizmochina suggests that it could be Huawei once again who is tasked with co-producing the next Nexus 6. If this is true, we could speculate that another metal phablet is in store.
While Huawei’s Nexus 6P design was generally well received, its rear visor became a subject of contention after it was rumored to be shattering for no apparent reason. The internet is awash with examples of this cracked visor now and it has called Huawei’s design skills into question. Despite this, we consider the Nexus 6P to be one of the best-looking Nexus devices yet and hopefully Huawei would deliver in this area once again.
In opposition to the Huawei rumor, a renowned leakster posted on Chinese networking site Weibo stating that HTC is the manufacturer of choice for Google in 2016, and not just for one, but for two devices: a 5- and a 5.5-inch device, marking a .2-inch decrease in size from last year's Nexus 5X and 6P.
If the rumor is true, it might go some way to helping HTC pull out of its financial woes, but then the Nexus 9 tablet was hardly a roaring success for the company.
It had previously been reported that Google was planning to take more control over the Nexus line, or even shut it down entirely, but a new report lends credence to the HTC rumor, suggesting that HTC has signed a deal with Google to manufacture the Nexus devices for the next three years. The deal seems to only pertain to smartphones and phablets, but it would mean, if it proves true, that the Nexus 6 would be an HTC device.
As for removable battery and expandable storage options, given the Nexus history, it’s unlikely that the Nexus 6 (2016) will have such features.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) display
The original Nexus 6, developed by Motorola, had a 6-inch QHD display. Many found this phone a little too big and its successor was agreeably smaller, with a 5.7-inch screen. It's still a mighty big phone, but will the Nexus 6 (2016) shrink again and receive the 4K treatment?
It’s possible, but this display resolution also has a niche appeal and is expensive to produce. It's far more likely that the next Nexus 6 will have 2K resolution once again (just as the original Nexus 5 from 2013 and Nexus 5X from 2015 both have Full HD resolutions). As for the display size, we expect something between 5.5 and 6 inches.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) software
Even if Huawei is the manufacturer, the Nexus 6 (2016) is sure to arrive with the next version of Android, which we are currently referring to as Android N. What new features this will include is still being speculated on but you can read more about the direction that Android N seems to be heading in by following the link.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) camera
Neither Google nor Huawei are famed for camera quality in their devices, but put them together and somehow it just works. The Nexus 6P really delivered in the camera stakes and if Huawei is developing the Nexus 6 (2016) this should be even better. Check out our Nexus 6P gallery for examples.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) performance
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 is the processor rumored to appear in the Nexus 6 (2016). This next-gen processor brings a new architecture (ARM Cortex-A57 / 53) which could help it achieve faster speeds than the Snapdragon 810 and hopefully do so without the overheating problems. If it is packing this chip, performance and graphics should be at the very high end.
Google Nexus 6 (2016) battery
The Nexus 6P is the Nexus device with the largest battery capacity to date, at 3,450 mAh. Though battery capacity doesn't tell us everything about battery performance, with improvements afforded by Android Marshmallow, this large cell helped the 6P achieve good battery life numbers overall. Thankfully, Huawei is in the habit of delivering phones with large batteries, and it may well do this again with the next Nexus.
The 6P did lack wireless charging, though, so we hope that this makes a return, alongside quick-charging, in the Nexus 6 (2016).
What are your predictions for the next Nexus 6? Let us know in the comments.