Pinch of salt time: a render of what purports to be the Nexus 5 has surfaced online, along with a spec list. There are plenty of reasons to think it's fake, but a few that hint it could be the real deal too.
An anonymous source claiming to work for Google sent the image and specs to Android and Me. They say the Nexus 5 is due for release around October, and Google is currently evaluating several prototypes from different manufacturers. This one is from LG and is codenamed 'Megalodon'. Sound real? Or bent as a nine-bob note?
The spec list does sound too good to be true. The Nexus 5 is said to be packing a 5.2-inch OLED display with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked at 2.3GHz, along with a ridiculous 3GB of RAM. Storage is said to go up to 64GB (dwarfing the Nexus 4's 16GB), and a 16-megapixel camera is capable of capturing 4K video. Like I say, it sounds too good to be true -- particularly if it's going to be as cheap as the Nexus 4.
Some of the tech isn't found even in devices yet, like Qualcomm's chip, though it should be by October. It also seems a bit early to be seeing renders, but then this could be more of an artist's impression. We've also heard previously that a successor to the Nexus 4 was already on the cards.
Adding fuel to the fire, the very reliable Twitter account @evleaks tweeted: "LG Nexus 5 looks pretty hot, if that was just it..." It followed this up with: "I had to beg to say even that much :P"
The Nexus 4 has been wildly popular, but Google and LG have had trouble meeting demand, with the device being in and out of stock at Google Play since its debut in November. That price tag of £239 will have helped, no doubt. Buy it elsewhere, and you'll have to shell out way more than that.
What do you reckon? Is that spec list too good to be true? Or could it happen towards the end of the year? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 14
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ivan 17 March, 2013 09:38
Mmmmmmm I Want that phone
anonymous 17 March, 2013 09:59
In my opinion the last two Nexus devices have the edge design wise over all other phones - clean and simple. Having used soft keys on my Galaxy Nexus I don't think I'd ever go back to physical buttons, they are just a waste of screen space.
For me vanilla Android with the latest updates top trumps anything on the market at the moment. I just hope that the Nexus 5 goes back to having the headphone jack at the bottom of the phone rather than the top - or maybe I have too much fluff in my pockets. Maybe I should check my washing machine filter...
aidey68 17 March, 2013 10:22
It would be a big shock a Nexus Google phone having more than 16Gb on board, as that appears to be one of the areas they compromise. (possibly not to affect their Google handset partners). Also a 16 Megapixel camera on a phone with no optical zoom; pointless.
I am intrigued as to the the Nexus 5 simply because the contract on my HTC One X would be due for renewal at the end of October.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 10:49
Blatently a fake, the images don't even look realistic & there won't be any Nexus 5 leaks yet. Surprised this image is doing the rounds, at most it's a placeholder image being used by LG, but most likely a fake.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 11:02
I really do get fed up of these tech sites reporting on 'renders' and asking 'is this the next...'. I know they need to write on something, but it just gets silly. Some of the stuff that they humour just beggars belief.
Could the Samsung Galaxy S3 have a bendy screen? Erm, no...
Could the Samsung Galaxy S4 have a bendy screen? Erm, no...
So next year, we'll have the same question about the SGS5. I'll probably copy and paste this post into that ludicrous article as well. In fact, if the Tizen phone is out in the summer, I bet we'll see a 'rumour' about it having a bendy screen.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 11:04
Also, I thought it was generally accepted that the Motorola X phone would be the next Nexus and would get its debut in late June.
These sites indulge in so many 'rumours' that they lose track of what they're reporting from day to day.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 12:27
If this turns out to be real, I want it I need it I must have it!
anonymous 17 March, 2013 12:28
Really hope that we're not waiting until October though, I'll be looking for a new phone around mid-May and frankly I cannot see past the N4, but that said I'd rather have a 5in screen and 1080p, I'm a screen junkie (I mostly use my phone for video and browsing, but as much as I love the look and idea of the Notes, I think they're just a little too big for my liking). I'll think long and hard about getting an SGS4, but don't want to be tied to a two year contract, nor do I want to be messing about with the update farces.
I'll wait until the Google IO in June before committing, but I doubt I'd wait until October to actually buy a phone.
Pankratous 17 March, 2013 18:24
Haha, hopefully that's the Nexus 6! That seems too much of an upgrade for one generation!
anonymous 17 March, 2013 20:23
Good thing my contract finishes next year. 2.3 GHz and 3 gigs of RAM, now that's evolution.
anonymous 17 March, 2013 20:26
men that phone looks great, i only hope when they release it, they can cover the demands
grindboy 17 March, 2013 22:46
I was going to post saying that it was clearly a render. Then I read the post and realised the author already caught that. I'm not sure why Google would use renders like this during their production process wouldn't sketches and 3d printed mockups be more Google's style?
Richard Hollis 17 March, 2013 22:51
anyone know whether or not this phone will have 4G?
anonymous 2 April, 2013 11:15
A Dutch website called Mobileaks just published a cool detailed render of the Nexus 5 http://www.mobileaks.nl/11796/officiele-render-van-nexus-5-opgedoken.
It looks pretty nice.