UPDATE : Date 30 September 2013 (Image Leaks)

UPDATE : Date 25 September 2013 (GFX Benchmarks)

New Benchmarks at GFX website confirm a Snapdragon 800 SOC ( Adreno 330 GPU) Very Very exciting ..

Update : Date 18 September 2013 (Nexus 5 Receives WiFi Certification)

Two LG Nexus 5 versions, LG-D820_C and LG-D820_S, have received Wi-Fi certification. It’s not clear what the difference between the two devices is at this time. What we do know from available details is that the two Nexus 5 versions will have dual band Wi-Fi support (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and offer Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac (AC, Take that iPhone) and Wi-Fi Direct support.

UPDATE : Date 17 September 2013

New leaked images of Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat boot animation video. Enjoy

Google Nexus 5 has also been spotted on GFXBench benchmark site. Full HD 1080p display (1794 x 1080) and Snapdragon 800 2.26 Ghz processor confirmed.

Google LG Nexus 5 (Main Article)

Its that time of year again. After the recent release of Apple iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c with much fanfare, its now time for best of Android, Nexus 5. Google Nexus program started in January 2010 to provide OEM guidelines and direction when making android hardware and as a reference devices for app developers . 3 years on Nexus brand and devices have become more mainstream. Nexus device offers a stock Android experience (No Manufacturer modifications) and receives Android updates directly from Google (Differentiates it from even Google Edition devices). Every successive Nexus release usually accompanies a new version of Android.

Android 4.4 Keylime Pie KitKat :

After no new Android announcements at Google I/O 2013 everyone was expecting Google to put out the next iteration of Android (Maybe Keylime Pie) with Nexus 7 2013 tablet. A new version did come but it was a point release, Android 4.3 Jellybean. After Nexus 7 the next big announcement on the Android calendar is Nexus 5. Android 5 with Nexus 5 on Android 5th year. Waiting for Nexus 5 launch was the plan until Sundar Pichai (senior vice president at Google, he oversees Android, Chrome and Google Apps) announced Android 4.4 Kitkat in a Google+ Post suspiciously timed a day after Apple iPhone event invitation. Another Point release (No Android 5 ??? ) but we moved to K. Why KitKat is a topic for another blog, here lets stick to Nexus 5. After the announcement Google put out a promotional video of them putting up KitKat Android statue on Google Lawns. however in that video comes an easter egg which I still maintain was intentional. Its a googler holding an unknown, unannounced Nexus device.

Google took the video down almost immediately.

Speculation began that Nexus 5 is being manufactured by LG because of a blurry, what vaguely looked like LG logo at the bottom of the device. LG manufactured Nexus 4 in 2012 which was wildly successful for Google ( most successful Nexus till date) and given that previous 2 Nexus phones (Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus) were manufactured by Samsung it makes sense that LG would manufacture fifth Nexus. however this was all still in the realm of speculation.

Nexus 4 was based on LG Optimus G, LG’s 2012 flagship, the phones were identical in terms of specs (Camera on Nexus 4 was 8 MP vs 13 MP on Optimus G). This year LG announced the G2, successor to Optimus G. So safe to assume that if LG indeed is manufacturing Nexus 5 it will be based on G2. LG G2 features the SnapDragon 800 SOC with a beautiful 5.2″ 1080p full HD IPS display powered by a mammoth 3000 mAh battery (International version have a smaller but replaceable battery).

Then Came FCC (iFixit Style)

A week after the Google video stunt that got everyone excited about Nexus 5, a FCC filing screw up by LG, a device model D820 got leaked in all its, blurry, glory. This leaked device is made by LG and has all the ingredients of a Nexus phone. Device matches the one spotted at Google Android Kitkat reveal (Camera and flash placement and the camera sensor size). Moves the controversial power n volume rocker buttons placed on the back panel of the LG G2 on the sides. Size of the screen from 5.2″ to a 5″ (4.96″) and retains the impressively thin LG G2 bezel.

A day later @evleaks came out and said D820 was not the next Nexus but CDMA version of LG G2, which did not make sense since D820 is nothing like the G2. Later @evleaks redacted and said he might be wrong about D820. Now it is almost certain that LG D820 is the new Nexus 5. With that established lets look at the leaks.

The person from FCC does a iFixit style teardown of D820 (Nexus 5).

Nexus 5 dimensions are 131.9 x 68.2mm (for reference Nexus 4 is 133.9 x 68.7 and Galaxy S4 is 136.6 x 69.8 ) so actually smaller than Nexus 4 and still manages to pack a 4.96″ full HD IPS display. Has the signature Nexus minimal all screen front along with the front facing camera on the top right corner and what looks like a notification light in the center top.

Since this is a FCC device the build material and design is nothing like the final product (Just FYI incase you find the device not particularly impressive). I think the final device will look like the one showed off in the Google KitKat video since the Nexus logo on the back panel matches the sideways design of the nexus 7 (Now Confirmed, See Updates below). The build material will be inline with Nexus 7.

If the Nexus 5 specsheet is inline with the LG G2 it would be powered by a Snapdragon 800 (Confirmed). However because with the Nexus 4 Google has gone the Amazon way and price these devices pretty cheap it would not really be a surprise if its powered by a Snapdragon 600 (Galaxy S4 and HTC One) which is no slouch but I have my fingers crossed for 800.

Next is battery. The phone is powered by a 2300 mAh battery which again is a significant step down from the 3000 mAh battery powering the G2. Nexus 4 was powered by a 2100 mAh and pretty much universally got bad reviews for battery life. 2300 mAh is not a big step up from Nexus 4 however it might not be that bad. With the release of Android 4.3 Google has significantly improved android power efficiency. People have seen a major difference in standby times for there 2012 nexus 7. I don’t see why the trend wont continue in Android 4.4 KitKat. Apart from software optimization’s in android the LG G2 also has something called VRAM (Video RAM). VRAM basically refreshes the display by itself without having the Processor to do it thus further improving battery life (10% improvements is LG’s claims). However we don’t know and can only hope this would be part of the Nexus 5 since this is a G2 feature. Apart from that the Snapdragon 800 is a fairly battery efficient SOC.

Camera: Nexus has conventionally had bad camera’s. This is about to change in the Nexus 5 as it takes the LG G2 camera (Rumors). If thats true then we have a 13 MP camera with OIC (Optical Image Stabilization). the camera software should also get an upgrade in Android Kitkat.

Another confirmed spec is NFS and Wireless charging.

Rumors are the device will be announced October 14 along with Android 4.4 KitKat.

Confirmed Specs NEXUS 5:

4.96″ Full HD 1080p display (1794 x 1080)

Snapdragon 800 2.26 Ghz SOC

Adreno 330 GPU

2 GB Ram

13 MP Rear Camera with OIC (Optical Image Stabilization)

2300 mAh Battery

Dual Band WiFi (2.4 Ghz and 5Ghz)

Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac

Wifi Direct

NFS & Wireless Charging

Android 4.4 KitKat

Will keep updating this blog as we have more updates.

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Author: Puneet Rajput