Google Nexus 6: 'Shamu' To Ship With Super-Sharp 5.9-Display And Android 5.0

Was Google Inc. feeling left out amid the phablet wars between Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc.? Because the electronics giant is expected to jump on the large-screen bandwagon with its own gargantuan device, which is expected to include a 5.9-inch display.

Tech publication Android Police says that the device will be called the Nexus 6 and will contain most of the specifications that have already been leaked. The device is likely being called the Nexus 6 due to its display being nearly 6-inches in diagonal width. The device is so large that Google has reportedly given it the internal codename "Shamu." Rumors that Google is releasing a smaller, 5.2-inch phone that may have been called the Nexus X are unlikely at this point.

Reports indicate that Google is working with its old subsidiary Motorola on the Nexus 6 and several mockups of the unreleased device suggest it will have a design similar to the Moto X (2014). This is in step with previous Nexus releases in that the hardware manufacturer that helps Google produce the smartphone usually designs the device after its most recent release. Last year's Nexus 5 was built by LG Electronics and has a similar design to the LG G2.

But internally, the Nexus 6 is expected to be much more powerful than the Moto X, as well as have a super sharp QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution display. The device may feature a 2.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which would make it at least 50 percent more powerful than the Moto X (2014). In addition to a 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization and a 2-megapixel front camera, the Nexus 6 is expected to power all of its hefty specifications with a massive 3,200mAh battery, which has almost twice the power of the 2,300mAh battery in the previous Nexus 5. The Nexus 6 should also be compatible with Motorola's turbo charger, which provides up to 8 hours of battery life in a 15-minute charge.

Recent mockups indicate that the Nexus 6 will have front-facing stereo speakers as well as its power button and volume rocker situated lower on its chassis to accommodate its size. But there are also several updates expected on the software side. Android Police says the upcoming Google software may be called version 5.0, while recent reports suggest that Google may adopt the nickname Android Lollipop; currently the software is being called Android L. Users can reportedly expect changes to the Nexus 6 home screen with update icons for Google applications including dialer, Play Store, Gmail, and Google Play, among other cosmetic tweaks.

Google is known for launching new devices in the fall, between mid-October and mid-November. Last year, the Nexus 5 smartphone launched on Oct. 31, and the Nexus 6 is also expected to launch during this time frame. Thus far, no launch event has been announced. Notably, Google introduced the Nexus 5 by simply putting the device on sale at the Google Play Store, sans a launch event.