The folks over at MYCE discovered a potential codename for an unreleased Google device that recently made its way through the Chromium issue tracker. There is a build fingerprint in the listing that mentions two words – “volantis” and “flounder.” If you have followed any of our Nexus coverage over the years, the name “flounder” should stand out as being significant, since Google tends to give its Nexus products fish-related codenames. Is this the next Nexus? Let’s talk about it.

If you look back at history, then history will tell you that a reference to a Google product with a codename related to a fish is more than likely a Nexus. We have seen Google use toro (Verizon Galaxy Nexus), maguro (GSM Galaxy Nexus), hammerhead (Nexus 5), mantaray (Nexus 10), flo (Nexus 7, fish in Finding Nemo), mako (Nexus 4), and grouper (Nexus 7). This is how Google does it.

Flounder is new, though. There isn’t a current Nexus product that operates under this codename, yet the Chromium issue tracker has a device from Google with this name attached.

We should also look at “volantis,” the other name attached here. While this isn’t a fish-related name, it could be the product or software codename for this device. In other words, all Nexus products fall under two codenames – the device name and the device’s product/software name. For example, the Nexus 4 had a device name of “mako” and a software name of “occam.” The 2013 Nexus 7 has a device name of “flo” and a software name of “razor.” With “flounder,” we could have a software name of “volantis.”

While this doesn’t confirm anything at this time, we do have a new nicknames to keep an eye on. With that firmly planted in your brain, now you get to speculate on what it could be. Is it a new Nexus 10, a Nexus 8 or the Nexus 6?

Update: As renegad3 noted in the comments, the Chromium issue listing mentions exact device info:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Device: Volantis

Build: AAV36B

Repro: 1/3

So we should keep both “volantis” and “flounder” on our lists to track. Also, going forward, consider them to be the same device.