Google, LG may unveil next Nexus phone this month

Last year, Google and Samsung paired up and announced the Galaxy Nexus. Though the handset was not officially available in India, it is by no means in short supply here. This year, various reports have indicated that Google may team up with LG to launch a Nexus handset based on the recently announced LG Optimus G. There is no word on the date of the unveiling of this handset. According to a report by CNET, LG’s first Nexus-branded smartphone may be announced at the end of this month.

According to the report, author Roger Cheng states, “LG will finally get its own Nexus smartphone based on its recently unveiled flagship Optimus G, CNET has learned. The phone will be announced at the end of the month, according to a person briefed on the matter. While it will run some of the same specifications as the Optimus G, it will be modified to fit into the Nexus program. Google and LG haven’t yet come up with a name for the product.”

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Could be the next Nexus

According to a recent report, Google will co-host an event with LG where it will introduce the next version of Android – version 4.2, rumoured to be named Key Lime Pie – along with a new phone, presumably a Nexus based on LG’s recently announced Optimus G. The report also states that the Google’s Nexus flagship device concept is going to undergo a major overhaul. Now, any manufacturer will be able to release a smartphone under the Nexus banner, but they will have to adhere to some strict rules set by Google. According to the rules, manufacturers must use stock Android and have 64MB of secure memory for media streaming. Custom UI skins such as HTC’s Sense UI or Samsung’s TouchWiz will be allowed in the new Customization Center. Also, some hardware requirements must be met so that the devices will be able to run Android v5.0, scheduled to arrive by fall 2013.

The report by CNET says, “The confirmation comes amid several reports that LG is working on a Nexus phone. Modaco has listed detailed specifications for the device. Like the Optimus G, the phone is expected to come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon quad-core processor, 2 gigabytes of RAM, a 1,280x768 True-High Definition IPS display, an 8-megapixel camera, and a nonremovable battery. It will also have no microSD slot and only 8GB to 16GB of internal storage, according to Modaco.”

Although Google seems to be about ready to showcase the next version of Android, devices that run on the operating system are still heavily fragmented. According to a recent report, only about 23.7 percent of all Android devices are running on Ice Cream Sandwich, with 1.8 percent running Jelly Bean.

However, the figures have shown some growth since last month. The number of devices running ICS grew by almost 3 percent from last month’s 20.8 percent, while Jelly Bean gained a measly 0.6 percent. The number of devices running Gingerbread (Android v2.3) is at 55.5 percent, a 1.7 percent fall compared to last month’s 57.2 percent. The number of devices running Froyo (Android v2.2) is now at 12.9 percent, down from last month’s 14 percent. All of these figures are based on the number of Android devices that have accessed Google Play over a 14-day period.