Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Is the Motorola Shamu the next Nexus phone?

David Nield
By

nexus 9 nvidia k1 htc news back
Image used with permission by copyright holder
We’ve heard rumor and counter-rumor about whether Google’s Nexus program has a future, but some digging by Android Police has uncovered a Motorola handset that could be the Nexus 6. According to the information obtained by Android Police, the device has a 5.9-inch display, sports a fingerprint sensor, and is slated to appear just after the iPhone 6.

Many of the whispers make sense — we know that Google and Motorola have a close working relationship, even after the two companies parted ways at the start of this year, and sources from inside LG (makers of the Nexus 5) have said the firm will not be building the next Nexus-branded phone. If Google does indeed want a Nexus 6 to challenge the next edition of the Apple iPhone, Motorola would be an obvious choice for a hardware partner.

Recommended Videos

Android Police’s Liam Spradlin seems fairly confident that a Motorola device codenamed Shamu is in the works, though as yet there’s no concept imagery or any sneak peeks at the design — the main piece of evidence is an entry in Google’s issue tracker system which has been captured for posterity. “We are confident that Shamu is a real device under active development, and fairly confident that it is a contender for the Nexus program, but are just slightly less confident about its specs, simply due to the information at our disposal,” says Spradlin.

Related

It goes without saying that Google and Motorola have nothing to say at this stage. Last month Dave Burke, head of Android engineering and the Nexus program, refuted claims that Nexus devices were going away: “There is no way you can build the open source code without the phone or tablet or whatever you are building,” he said. “You have to live and breathe the code you are developing.” In this case that code would be Android L.

Even with a lack of details to pore over, it looks like there’s some hope yet for those of you who are keen on the low-cost, stock Android range of Nexus devices that Google has been releasing since the Nexus One in 2010. By Christmas you could be making a decision between the iOS 8-powered iPhone 6 and the Android L-equipped Motorola Nexus 6.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
David Nield
David Nield
Contributor
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
Android 15 release date: When will my phone get the update?
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has announced Android 15, the next major evolution of its mobile operating system. As usual, the development and release cycle will follow a three-phase strategy. February 16, 2024, marked the start of the first phase, which squarely targets developers and phone makers to provide them with a look at the changes so that they can get familiar with the new software.

The first build of Android 15 is the Developer Preview phase, and a Beta release follows it. This release can be downloaded over the air without any special tactics. Once the beta testing phase is over, the final stable version is released. This usually happens toward the end of the year.
All the phones that can download Android 15

Read more
Here’s how Apple could change your iPhone forever
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying on its back, showing its home screen.

Over the past few months, Apple has released a steady stream of research papers detailing its work with generative AI. So far, Apple has been tight-lipped about what exactly is cooking in its research labs, while rumors circulate that Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for iPhones.

But there have been a couple of teasers of what we can expect. In February, an Apple research paper detailed an open-source model called MLLM-Guided Image Editing (MGIE) that is capable of media editing using natural language instructions from users. Now, another research paper on Ferret UI has sent the AI community into a frenzy.

Read more
How to use iMessage on an Android phone or tablet
iMessage on an iPhone 14 Pro Max, plus iMessage on an Android phone using the Beeper app.

One of the big draws of iPhone and Mac is the iMessage software. This texting app makes it easy to stay connected to friends and family, and many users point to it as a key reason they stay within the Apple ecosystem – venture off to Android, and you'll be stuck with third-party apps or standard text chats.

However, that's not actually the case anymore. While Apple's iMessage software is exclusive to iOS and you won't find it in the Google Play Store, a new app called Beeper lets you access the iMessage platform. The universal chat app works with a variety of texting software beyond iMessage, making it a one-stop-shop for all your communication needs.

Read more