Google Nexus 5: Release date, price, specs, news and rumours

Google’s Nexus devices have become the best way to experience Android as it is intended. Launched last year, the Nexus 4 was a huge success for Google.

Now, one year later stocks are running low and rumours are growing that the company is about to launch a new, slightly larger replacement: the Nexus 5. Here’s what we know… Google Nexus 5 specs Most of what we know about the Nexus 5’s specs comes thanks to its filing at the US Federal Communications Commission. According to those documents, the Google Nexus 5 will come with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, Bluetooth 4.0, wireless charging and dual-band Wi-Fi. Previous rumours had suggested that Google may opt for the slightly older and less powerful Snapdragon 600 chipset to keep prices down. Google Nexus 5 looks When rumours of a new, five-inch Nexus smartphone began emerging, they hinted it would be based upon the recently unveiled LG G2. Since then, we’ve had two glimpses of the phone. The first happened during the launch of Android KitKat. An unnamed Google employee was seen using an unannounced Nexus device to film the unveiling of the new KitKat statue. Google later pulled the video, but not before several stills were captured. Then in the middle of October, a Google engineer left a prototype Nexus 5 in a bar. The person who found the smartphone took several pictures of the device, as well as a video. It shows a device with a five-inch screen, horizontal Nexus branding – partial obscured by an ID label – and the boot screen for Android KitKat 4.4. Google Nexus 5 Android version Rumours have speculated that Google will use the Nexus 5 to debut its next version of Android, KitKat 4.4. The best evidence we have to date that the Nexus 5 will be is the video of the device left in a bar in September. That video all but confirms the device will come with Android KitKat. Whether or not it will be the device it debuts with is another question. That said, Google is likely to want to debut the new operating system with a flagship device – and the Nexus 5 fits the bill. Google Nexus 5 release date There is currently no official word on when the Nexus 5 will be unveiled, never mind launched. What we do know that Google launched the Nexus 4 in October 2012. Add to that recent hints that Google is running low on Nexus 4 stock with no plans to order more and it is no stretch of the imagination see an October launch for the Nexus 5. In addition, rumours have begun to emerge suggesting that Google is planning an event in October. While it’s currently unclear what it is for, its timing suggests that it is for the unveiling of the Nexus 5. As for when you’ll be able to get your hands on a Nexus 5? Well that we don’t know. Don’t expect it to be any later than the end of November though.

Google Nexus 5 pictured at a bar

Images of what is believed to be a Google Nexus 5 have been published online.

Taken at a bar, the images show a device with a five-inch screen, horizontal Nexus branding – partial obscured by an ID label – and the boot screen for Android KitKat 4.4. It is unclear if the device was left in the bar, or whether someone saw an opportunity to take some pictures of the unannounced device. The situation is reminiscent of when an Apple employee left an iPhone 4 prototype in a bar in 2010. It is also the second time we’ve seen the handset thanks to Google employees. The phone’s discovery comes as Google confirms that it has sold out of Nexus 4 handsets. The handset is Google’s flagship Nexus device. It has seen a number of price cuts for both the 8GB and 16GB models over the last couple of months. Dwindling stocks have added fire to the rumour that Google is planning to replace the Nexus 4 with a new, slightly larger Nexus handset. “We are out of inventory,” Google Play states. “Please check back soon.” The Google Nexus 4 was originally launched in October 2012. It is unclear if Google intends to restock it. However, with rumours circulating that Google will unveil a successor for the Nexus 4 in the coming weeks, it seems unlikely. Rumours currently point to the Nexus 5 being the handset that will replace the now sold out device. Whether or not it will be able to compete with the recent crop of smartphones nominated for a T3 Gadget Awards, sponsored by Ford SYNC, remains to be seen. Details about the Nexus 5 have increased in recent weeks. The first hard evidence emerged at the launch of Android KitKat. A Google employee was pictured using an unknown Nexus smartphone to film the launch event. That was followed by documents from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Those filings detailed a new Nexus handset being developed by Google. According to reports, Google is expected to unveil the Nexus 5 at an event on October 14th.

Google Nexus 4 successor makes another appearance in leaked images and video

Google has been tight-lipped about its alleged Nexus 4 successor since a while. However, the device has made multiple appearances on the Internet via FCC filing and image leaks.

Thanks to 9to5google, the alleged Nexus 4 successor has again been spotted in new live images and a video. The site has posted some images of a pre-production unit of the next Nexus smartphone that reveals the front and rear panel. The rear panel of the device houses a large camera sensor at the top right side. The front is majorly dominated by the display with no physical buttons. The new images of the device match the leaks we have seen as of late. The site has also posted a video that does not reveal much except the lockscreen of the alleged device.

Additionally, Spigen, a case and accessory manufacturer for various smartphones including Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy range of smartphones has listed a case for the next-generation Nexus smartphone on Amazon. The listing offers a potential insight into the launch date and on how the handset might look.

Earlier, the alleged Nexus 4 successor was revealed in pictures by FCC filing. The photos offered glimpse of the externals and internal components of the same phone that was spotted in the Android KitKat statue unveiling video in the hands of a Google employee. While the phone in the pictures did not sport the Nexus branding unlike the previously spotted phone, it had the same large camera lens and LED flash. The back of the phone appeared to sport a rubberised matte finish.

Previously, @evleaks suggested that the rumoured LG branded D820 devcie was just a CDMA variant of the flagship, but later backtracked saying that he was wrong.

Google Nexus to launch October 14th

Google is reportedly preparing to launch its next Nexus handset on October 14th.

The Google Nexus 5 has already been at the centre of a number of leaks. Last month, a Google employee was caught using the phone in a video to promote the launch of Android KitKat. That was shortly followed by an FCC filing that confirmed the existence of the Nexus 5. The filing also revealed that the handset will feature Qi wireless charging, LTE support, NFC and Bluetooth 4.0. Previous reports have suggested that the phone will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. While the FCC filing did not explicitly confirm that, it did strongly suggest that it will use that processor. The documents also confirmed that the Nexus 5 will come with a 4.96-inch display and be 131.9mm long by 68.2mm wide. No depth was mentioned. The phone is widely expected to be the first official outing of Android’s next version, KitKat. It has been suspected for sometime that LG will be the company behind the next Nexus 5. Its LG G2 handset scored highly in reviews. Though it is impossible to confirm, an October unveiling does make sense. It would be just over one year on from the launch of the Nexus 4. Expect to see invitations go out during the first week of October if there is any truth behind the rumour.

Potential Google Nexus 4 successor spotted on the FCC website

A new FCC listing features a mysterious LG D820 device that appears to have the same dimensions as the Nexus smartphone that was spotted a few days back in the Android KitKat video released by Google.

S4gru has posted some images from the FCC filing that featueres a smartphone dubbed as LG D820. The image posted by the site reveals the back of the device that looks pretty similar to the alleged

Nexus 4 successor seen in the video that captured the unveiling of the KitKat statue, and was pulled later. The rear panel of the device in the image part of the FCC listing, also shows a large space for the camera sensor.

It's worth pointing out that the alleged Nexus smartphone spotted in the video also came with a large camera sensor, not seen yet on any Nexus smartphone.

Some other details revealed by the LG D820's FCC listing include the firmware M8974A running on the device and the software version listed as, "aosp_hammerhead-userdebug KyeLimePieFACTORY eng.sangjoon84.lee.20130618.015154." It comes with a 4.96-inch display and is possibly powered by a Snapdragon 800 SoC. The device comes with connectivity options like GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and various LTE bands, as per the listing. Unfortunately, the FCC listing does not reveal any other detail about the alleged LG D820 device.

Peviously, reports have claimed that LG will continue to be the preferred OEM for the Nexus phone, a second year in a row. A Vietnamese site had claimed that the next Nexus smartphone would be based on the recently launched flagship smartphone, the LG G2, though it won't be an exact copy.

The Nexus 5 is rumoured to pack a 5.2-inch display just like the LG G2, and also come with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

There's no word on when the next Nexus phone will be launched, though it is expected to be unveiled within the next couple of months.