LG, Google may launch next Nexus smartphone by November

Over the past few days, there has been a lot of speculation about the upcoming Google handset that will supposedly be manufactured by LG. According to a report by CNET, the handset will be unveiled by the end of this month. Now, a report by Pocket-lint states that the handset will be launched by November.

As per the report, “Our own intel, which we've refrained from publishing until now, suggests that the LG Nexus will be launching in November. We are also hearing that O2 will be the lead network in the UK, although we stress we haven't independently verified this yet.”

Hitting shelves next month

We can expect the handset to land on shelves in select countries across the world by November. However, one should not have one's heart set on India being one of the countries to receive the upcoming LG Nexus, given the track record of Nexus devices. They have not been officially launched in India, although they are highly popular here.

Here is a quick brief of what to expect when the LG Google Nexus is unveiled. LG is working on a Nexus phone that will be similar to the Optimus G, which the brand has recently unveiled. The phone is expected to come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1280 x 768 True-High Definition IPS display, an 8-megapixel camera, and a non-removable battery. It will also have no microSD slot, and from 8GB to 16GB of internal storage.

Google will co-host the launch 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.

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.