Google Nexus 2016 News Update: Smartphone For October Release? What Are Its Confirmed Features? [Rumor Roundup]

Google's Nexus 2016 smartphone has been announced for release later this year and speculations are that the device will be in the market in October. At the Google I/O conference in May, the company confirmed that the Nexus will bear its newest Android N operating system, which improves on Android Marshmallow. But what other features to the Nexus are confirmed?

Google's Sundar Pichai stated in a coders' conference Wednesday that future Nexus smartphones following Nexus 2016 will still be made by its partner phone manufacturers, like Huawei and LG. However, the Alphabet company will be "more opinionated" when it comes to its design and software, especially if this means that its Nexus smartphone's performance will be pushing the boundaries forward, per CNet.

No More Google Nexus OEM Branding

Android Headline reports that despite the partnership, Pichai also stated that the Nexus smartphones will be without the OEM branding. Since its first release in 2010, the Nexus had the name of its manufacturer stamped on the back. Future Nexus devices will no longer have these.

It was previously reported in February that the company would like to have control of its Nexus smartphones the way Apple does it. But the only difference is that Apple makes its own gadgets, while Google will work with "hardware makers" tasked to take their orders, per AsTechnica.

If you haven't already, it's time to stop thinking of Nexus phones as "Stock Android." They're "Google Android." https://t.co/pqXL2rQUAP

— Dieter Bohn (@backlon) June 1, 2016

Improved Google Nexus Hardware  

Additionally, the Nexus 2016 smartphone will have better appearance and hardware. It's not amiss among Google executives that the previous releases had performance issues. The company and its manufacturers are ensuring to correct these in the coming releases. 9to5 Google reports that there might be two versions of the Nexus smartphone with the Android N.

HTC is building a pair of Android N devices for Google internally dubbed M1 and S1 #nexus

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 27, 2016

Google Nexus Specs and Features

It is speculated that the Google Nexus 2016 will be running with a Snapdragon 820 chip and will have 4GB RAM. Its screen is pegged as either a 5-inch or 5.5-inch display and the unit will come with pressure-sensitive display. It will have a 12 MP camera on the rear with dual-tone LED flash and laser autofocus.

NSea Voice reports that the Google Nexus 2016 smartphone is likely to have the capacity to use Daydream. This the company's virtual reality (VR) platform, which was announced at the last Google I/O conference.