Google skipped releasing a regular-sized smartphone last year, instead opting to present the world with the not-so-successful oversized Nexus 6. This year, it seems like they’ll be back with both a 5-inch type smartphone and a 6-inch type phablet. It’s the former that I’m interested in, and we’re hearing that it’ll be called the Nexus 5 (2015) made by LG.
The last couple of Nexus smartphones have been quite awesome. The Nexus 4 (pictured above) and Nexus 5 set the expectation of a spectacular reasonably-priced smartphone from Google in 2014. It didn’t happen, much to the disappointment of many people, myself included. I decided to get the OnePlus One last year, and it was a pretty awesome flagship smartphone with premium specs but budget price.
With the One’s success, I was looking forward to OnePlus’ successor, the OnePlus 2. Now, it seems to be a pretty awesome phone too, but it seems to be missing a few things. I’m alright not to have microSD slot, as long as there is enough internal storage, or a removable battery, among others. But to be missing NFC and wireless charging, it seems we’re settling with some compromise. It’s disappointing, particularly when OnePlus tells us to #Never Settle.
I’m back eyeing some flagship from Google. The rumoured 2015 edition of the Nexus 5 in particular. By all accounts thus far, it looks to be a pretty good smartphone.
Here’s what we’ve heard, enough times, that the rumours can almost pretty much be taken as close to facts:
- Made by LG
- Fingerprint sensor on back
- USB Type-C port
- NFC and Android Pay
- 5.2-inch display with 1440 x 2560 resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor
- 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM
- 64GB of internal storage
- 13MP main camera with laser autofocus
- 4MP front camera
- 3180 mAh battery
- QuickCharge 2.0
- Dual front facing speakers
I like the render made by OnLeaks and uSwitch.
The OnePlus One I currently use has a 5.5-inch display which I think I can do with something less expansive, as long as, of course, that means a smaller-sized phone overall. I can do with lesser resolution too, though of course the rumoured 1440 x 2560 resolution is something good (though unimportant to me) to keep up with the Joneses.
The plasticky build, at least on the back cover, may be a let down to some people. Prototypes we’ve seen, being the unfinished product, could of course be less refined than how the final product will look like. The plastic could also mean more lower cost.
Most importantly, the Nexus 5 (2015) is expected to be affordable. Hopefully, that means something like the Nexus 5 of 2013. That was a great Nexus smartphone. Unfortunately I wasn’t in need for a new phone at that time, and by the time I needed one, the Nexus 5 had become a little dated, although admittedly it still presented itself as a viable choice.
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