Alleged specs and image of LG-made Nexus 5 leak

When Google went with LG to manufacture the Nexus 4, there were some doubts about the build quality of the device, considering the company’s affinity for tacky plastics. However, LG delivered a premium handset with glass on the front and back and focused on the details. The result was a great looking phone, which at first sight doesn’t look anything like what LG has made before.

Looks like Google liked what LG brought to the table and is going back to the Korean manufacturer for the next Nexus smartphone. According to a tip received by Android and Me, the Nexus 5 will be made by LG once again. The tip comes from an anonymous source, who claims to be a Google employee, and told the website that the prototype shown in the leaked image is the real deal. However the source also says that Google is testing many prototypes from different manufacturers and among them is the LG Nexus 5, codenamed Megalodon (a giant prehistoric extinct shark, if you were wondering). Of course, there is no indication of such a handset existing, so we would advise you to take this with the usual dose of salt.

Is this the Nexus 5? (Image credit: Android and Me)

The smartphone will reportedly hit shelves in October this year and the tipster revealed the specs of the device, which sound more like the fantasy of a rabid Android fan than actual specifications. The leaked image shows a device with straight sides, which launch into dramatic curves on the top and bottom of the device. A notification LED is below the display, which is where Google had placed it on the Nexus 4.

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Apparently, the Nexus 5 will be powered by the top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU, which has four Krait cores clocked at 2.3 GHz. As if that was not enough there’s a massive 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, which would be a first for a smartphone.

The OLED display of the device will follow the 1080p trend and it will be slightly larger than the Nexus 4 at 5.2 inches. The source says that unlike the Nexus 4, the Megalodon will have either 16, 32 or 64GB of internal storage.

In the imaging department, LG has managed to rope in OmniVision’s 16-megapixel module, which is capable of amazing feats like 4K video recording, 1080p video @60FPS, Real Time HDR & HDR video recording. The camera will pack a second-generation BSI sensor. The 2.1-megapixel front-facing unit will also be able to record full HD video at 30FPS. At the recent MWC, Qualcomm showed off the 4K UltraHD recording capabilities of the Snapdragon 800 chip and stated that it would be available in devices by the middle of 2013. So from a technical point of view at least, the rumoured camera module is supported by the SoC. To cope with the powerful processor and the power hungriness of the full HD display, the Nexus 5 will have a massive 3300 mAh Lithium Polymer battery, according to the leak.

Connectivity wise, the Nexus 5 will pack a Qualcomm RF360 radio chip, which brings Cat 4 LTE (Download speeds up to 150 Mbps) and HSPA+ support. Apparently, there will also be an integrated DVB-T / ATSC-antenna, which should allow for live TV on the go. The picture also shows front positioned stereo speakers, just like the recently-announced HTC One. Interestingly, the source says that the phone will have gesture controls for navigation and zoom, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S4’s Air Gesture feature.

Admittedly, there is more than a little doubt about the veracity of these specs. It sounds more like a wishlist than actual technical specifications. Do you think there’s a possibility of seeing this phone in the market? Let us know in the comments.