Report: Google will unveil new Nexus phones at September 29 event in San Francisco
According to CNET, Google will finally show off two new Nexus devices: one built by LG and another from Huawei. There’s been a pretty consistent stream of rumors that LG will manufacture a refresh of its popular Nexus 5 with a 5.2-inch screen, with Huawei making a 5.7-inch model.
Citing “people familiar with the company’s plans,” the report says Google will introduce both devices at an event in San Francisco September 29.
This would be the third partnership with LG, which built two phones in succession: the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5. This will be the first Nexus for Huawei, which is popular in its home country of China and other international markets, but wants to make headway into the U.S.
Huawei generally has a good reputation for excellent (though expensive) hardware, such as the Mate S and Huawei Watch the company just announced at IFA. The upshot to LG building another phone is that it has camera smarts, as the G4 has the best camera on an Android phone.
The story behind the story: Google’s Nexus phones serve as a flagship devices that show off the capabilities of pure Android. In the past they were wallet-friendly and sold directly from Google, though that changed with the Nexus 6. That phone, along with being too big, was priced at $649 and was sold in carrier stores (along with the new Google Store). It’ll be interesting to see where the companies land on pricing and availability for these new phones, which are usually eagerly anticipated by the Android faithful.