Google shocked everyone when they announced and confirmed the next version of Android wouldn’t be 5.0, and instead we’d see a minor bump to Android 4.4 KitKat. That was followed up with our first look at the LG Nexus 5 which leaked on accident, and recent FCC filings have shared all the physical details we need. Now, all we’re waiting for is a release date and more 4.4 details, a few of which we’ll talk about below.

Today we’re seeing a few different reports, but they are all just rumors from “tipsters” so we’ll be taking them with a grain of salt. A few different sources are claiming October 14th will be the official release date for the LG Nexus 5, and it will come with Android 4.4 KitKat. Which also means the rest of the Nexus family will likely receive the same chocolaty treat that day and throughout the week.

Ausdroid claims to have a good source on this 14th date, but they’re also taking this as a soft rumor as well, so make of it as you will. Their tipster says the 14th is the day, and even shared a few thoughts on Android 4.4 and what changes we’ll see. They confirmed the LG Nexus 5, as well as changes for Android. Things like a new color to replace the cyan blue text and accents, which I hope they leave alone, support for a wide array of older devices, and many will even be able to update to KK. Tons of new animations, APIs, gallery visualizations and tweaks, and a new notification widget. That last one sounds really interesting.

Screen Shot 2013-09-13 at 9.49.26 AM

Again, we’ll be taking all of this with a grain of salt, and we’ve actually heard a different date and will share more details on that soon enough. Their tipster had nothing to say about a new Nexus 10, but that’s reportedly in the works as well. Late October is when the Nexus 4 was announced, and we’re thinking Google will try to stick to an October reveal this time around as well. Hopefully they can release it in the same month too, we’ll see.

Thoughts?

96 COMMENTS

    • The above picture is just a render,it isnt the real deal.The FCC images also might not depict the production version as google can change any feature of the exterior before launch.We just have a basic idea of what the device looks like

      • I thought the reason the G2 had super sleek bezels was because they placed the volume and power buttons on the back so it allowed them to make the bezels thinner since the buttons aren’t there to take up space.. If the buttons are not on the back of the Nexus 5 then i’m not sure how sleek its bezels will be for it.

      • LG created a new way to rout the wires around the display…instead of them all running from bottom to top, they split the wires to only run half way, so half run up the display, half run down the display……cutting the bezel width in half. weather they were able to get the bezels so thin by moving the buttons to the back, only LG knows.

    • They also move the the camera hardware, button locations, changed the battery size. It suffices to say that about the only thing the Nexus 5 will share with the G2 is possibly the chip set. We can put the notion of a G2 clone to bed.

    • these are just fan renders as well. keep that in mind. but if the rumors are true, it wont share the same 5.2″ screen…which means, those narrow bezels aren’t a given on the N5. lets just hope they implement the same space saving technology for the 5″ display and we do have those tiny bezels.

      • The phone at least on the top / bottom / sides from the back plate measurements is actually slightly smaller than the nexus 4 while having a larger screen according to the FCC documentation on the supposed (and most likely) nexus 5 which is the d820

      • oh i know…I am up on my Nexus 5 leaks 😛
        but if you look at the to scale render, the bezels dont look that small. i really expect them to be “g2 thin-ness” but nothing is guaranteed until the phone is completed. also, pretty sure google/LG can change the exterior of the phone any time they want to….so what we have seen so far, could be completely wrong on the design.

    • So many googlers praising the virtues of the nexus 4, and it has hardly sold a couple of millions of devices in one year. Weird?

      Before flame starts: just kidding. I will buy it if it keeps the 300 dollars price for sure!

      • Well the average Android user doesn’t go out looking for a Nexus device. They walk in an get whatever At&t and whatever carrier suggests. I would have bought the Nexus 4, but like myself and probably alot of others couldn’t because we have Verizon. if it was available on Verizon’s network, you can guarantee that number would be much higher!

      • I’m with ImmaDroid. If Verizon didn’t mess up the GNex, there would have been a lot more people buying the N4, including myself.

      • I suspect a lot of it is that most people get phones from the networks on contracts, where the price advantages of the Nexus 4 are lost (anecdotal conversation at work last week: “I got the Nexus 4, it’s only £200 with the recent price drop” “£200! That’s really expensive for a phone! I get mine free [on contract]!”…)

        Also zero marketing – I’ve not seen a single Nexus 4 advert, from Google or the networks. (Though it’s not as bad as the Nexus 10’s marketing disaster – an excellent product with the highest resolution at a much lower price to the competition, yet zero marketing, and impossible to buy anywhere except Google’s online shop. Hopefully they get it right for the next version.)

        Anyhow, the first iphone only sold a few million, compared to 10s of millions of the competition, yet the media raved about it constantly and ignored the alternatives.

  3. Didn’t Google say earlier this year that they will be updating the camera – dramatically? Which Android phone currently has the best camera? iPhone5/5s and Windows Phone (Lumia 1080?) have great cameras. This seems to be an area that Android is lagging.

    • I’m going to take this opportunity to say: The camera on my wife’s iPhone is MILES ahead of my Galaxy Nexus. It’s the only thing that makes me jealous about the Apple package.

      • Yep, I have both an iPhone 5 and s4 and other than well lit scenarios the iPhone takes a more balanced shot. It also adjust much better on the fly to dynamic lighting whereas the s4 requires a lot of adjusting. Of course in daylight the s4 is obviously superior. I’m hoping the nexus 5 has a better camera because I just want a stock google experience that doesn’t require waiting around for a 3rd party rom. If only the Moto x had a better camera. Nearly perfect for me.

      • The Galaxy Nexus camera did suck, I hated it. My S3 was actually really good, an my S4 is either really good, or really bad. I guess depends on the setting. But low light shots are excellent

    • Check out the comparisons of the LG G2 with Apple, Nokia, Sony etc. and you will see that the LG camera fares very well because of the OIS. I have high hopes for the camera on the Nexus 5 since it is based on the LG phone.
      By the way THE LG G2 and Sony Z1 cameras leave the apple 5 camera in the dust. Check them out.

    • They did in fact say they wanted the camera better this time around. The LG G2 camera is speculated as given OIS and the rather large cut out and stuff for it (the d820 and leak video have very similar cut outs) so it is hard to say what will happen. I’d wager it is an OIS camera either way the rest remains to be seen however.

  4. I’m seriously thinking of just jumping ship to the iPhone. I’m so tired of all these Android phones underwhelming with bad camera, lags, etc. I have the moto x now and it’s better than my old galaxy nexus but still not a phone that I’m content with. Im sure the nexus 5 will be a disappointment somehow too. 🙁

      • I hope you dont think throwing megapixels = better pictures. The iPhone 5s will probably beats any camera on any phone with only a 8 megapixel captor. Too bad the screen is too small for my needs because I really love the 5s

    • Sounds like your just looking for the bad in everything. I can’t see you enjoying any phone. And if you think the iPhone is going to make you happy after having a Moto x than your in for a lot of disappointment. Good luck with the iPhone.

    • u have no idea what ur talking about, bye.

      idiot goes buys a mid range moto x wanting it to out perform top end iphone 5s and nexus 5. get out of here noob. u dont know what your talking about.

      nexus > all

      • No I am not Rich inTX. I actually looked at comparison shots. The iphone 5 (not the 5s) performs worse than the lg g2 in almost every shot taken and especially in low light. The HTC One was also better for most shots than the iphone 5 was as well. Go look for comparison shots with outdoor stuff in low light or indoor stuff with low light. The g2 is barely grainy if at all vs the iphone 5 which is grainy as hell.

    • Sorry you got suckered on the Moto X. It’s a mediocre, midrange overpriced phone with last year’s specs. The Moto X and LG G2 were announced within days of each other, and the G2 made the Moto X utterly forgettable. 720p display? Are you serious? All top tier Androids in 2013 come with 1080p or go home.

      Motorola is not playing in the big leagues anymore. LG whipped their butt with the G2. And that’s why Google is choosing the G2, even though they own Motorola. But I knew this last May.

      Since May I’ve been posting that LG is making the Nexus 5, based on the LG G2. With Snapdragon 800, with 5″ – 5.2″ 1080p display. To be announced in October, released in November — just like the last two years. Do you know how I knew that — since May? Because I have been following this story for a year. I’ve been researching, reading foreign newspapers online. Leaks from LG to Korean Times, to Daum, leaks from LG factories in Vietnam. I’ve been on this story.

    • I’m hoping.. But I doubt it. I want to pull the trigger on the Galaxy Note 3 otherwise, asap, so the sooner this is confirmed, the better. :p

    • FCC shows it does not have the bands, if this is the Nexus 5. I’m sure they are going to carry a version but with only Verizon bands. But it won’t really be a nexus now will it. Being that it will be $600 off contract and come with Verizon bloat.

      • And this is why the Nexus 4 wasn’t on verizon even though they could of done one. Verizon wants way way way too much control over the device

      • It won’t be updated like it should, but it will still be equipped with GSM radios, since Verizon is forbidden to SIM-lock those devices with 4G LTE support. The only way it wouldn’t work is if there were no GSM radios in the device, but Google would just as a way to give Verizon the finger.

    • Supposedly, the latest leak with the fully assembled pics indicate it will be on Verizon. Unless the pics were just mistakenly put in that filing because all the other documentation is for the G2, it would seem that the N5 will be on Verizon. Let’s just hope it will be as cheap as the N4.

      • Ummmm… the bands aren’t there for Verizon. There could be another version that supports Verizon, but it would likely have passed through the FCC already.

    • Honestly I hope they do not release a Verizon phone so I won’t have to scroll through all the complaining when it takes months to get every update.

      • I mean, this is people on the internet you’re talking about. Are you expecting any less complaining about other things, regardless of what happens?

      • After the Galaxy Nexus fiasco, would you? Also, if Google is going to choose a CDMA carrier to support in the new Nexus, consider this: which CDMA carrier is a member of the Open Handset Alliance, and which one isn’t?

      • Owning a Verizon GN, I know the delays kind of suck but being the same phone as GSM, we’ve always had timely AOSP releases and dev work. I’d rather have the phone support Verizon and grab the stuff from devs then nothing at all.

      • Yes but verizon dicked google around entirely. The updates were slow and they were forced to put verizon bloat wear onto the device

      • I’d rather have the unlocked version and not have the handicaps Verizon locks you into with their bloatware. Having used both the unlocked and Verizon Galaxy Nexus, the GSM version is better and actually had better all-around performance.
        You may want to get into ROMing your phone, but there are others like me who love having the vanilla android feel and the latest version of Android.
        I had been a loyal Verizon customer since 2004, and their service and attitude towards their customers was always spot-on. However the past few years everyone at Verizon has been a complete dick to me. The lack of care for smartphones and atrocious new pricing is absolutely ridiculous. I have begun using Straight Talk on my GNexus with android 4.3, which still has yet to come to the Verizon version (if ever). I honestly get better customer service than I have in a while. I will probably head to AT&TGoPhone or Net10 sooner or later, once my son’s contract expires.

    • Probably no. There has been the possibility for some time about a GSM device with support for a CDMA carrier. Based on the Nexus 7 using Verizon’s LTE bands, people thought initially that it would be Verizon. However, recent FCC filings show that it will use this model supproting Sprint rather than Verizon.

  6. Oct 14 would be the “announcement” date, not the “release” date. That will be in November.

    Last two years, Google has “announced” the new Nexus and Android OS, then actually released them in November.

      • That cut was to remove the back. It’s been suggested that it won’t have a removable back and therefore won’t have a removable battery. Also if it does have an IR blaster it would need to be there for the FCC to review.

  13. your article is WRONG. DATES ARE WRONG.

    “Late October is when the Nexus 4 was released, and we’re thinking Google will try to stick to an October release this time around as well.”

    ANNOUNCED and RELEASED are two different things. Microsoft ANNOUNCED the Surface Pro 90 days before RELEASING IT. Companies announce products and show prototypes months before actually releasing the product, if ever. RELEASE date — when you can buy it — is what gets recorded. Go look it up. Nexus 4 was RELEASED in November 2012. Not October.

    Google has NEVER — I repeat NEVER — released a Nexus phone before November. NEVER.

    The last two years, they ANNOUNCED the Nexus phone in October and RELEASED in November.

      • No, it’s just I’ve been on this story for a year and I’m tired of reporters who don’t even know the basics of the Nexus smartphones. First it was “Nexus will be released in May with I/O” which was ridiculous. Then “Nexus will be released in August”. Then “Nexus will be released in September”. All you have to do is look at the historical cycle.

        Sure, Google can change it up, but all 4 Nexus phones have been RELEASED in November, December, January (the first one, which was an outlier). The last three in November and December. The last two in November, after an October announcement. IF you are going to guess WHEN the Nexus 5 will be available for sale (actually RELEASED), then bet on November.

        And for tech reporters to keep confusing “announcement” with “release” is ridiculous. When Microsoft or Apple announces a product, that’s NOT when it’s “released”. Same with Google. Besides that, saying the Nexus 4 was clearly released in November. Look on any site like PhoneArena. Do they not fact check news articles anymore?

  14. you can leave it there all you want, but that was media LIE. LG never said that. Go back through my posts since May and you will see the PROOF I provided LG was doing the Nexus 5 IN SPITE OF MEDIA INCOMPETENCE.

    You have to know Asia corporate culture. They keep secrets but they rarely outright lie. LG NEVER NEVER NEVER said they were not doing the Nexus 5. They said they didn’t NEED to do the Nexus 5 to burnish their reputation. They said they wouldn’t turn down the opportunity. Basically it was the Asian corporate speak of “We can neither confirm nor deny”. Wink, wink. But it was so subtle the media took it as a denial.

    When the media reported it as a denial, LG even said it was mistranslation and issued a second statement . Because LG didn’t want to be accused of lying. Yet to the media the 2nd statement was just as vague and also sounded like a denial (to Western media ears). So, no real corrections were ever issued.

    All the article shows is media incompetence.

    In the meanwhile, LG was leaking nuggets of information to South Korean outlets like Korean Times, Daum, which I posted. Google CEO Larry Page visited LG in early May and the LG CEO personally showed him the Nexus 5 prototype. This was REPORTED by Korean Times in May.

    In July, Daum published the specs of the G2 and Nexus 5. In July, before the G2 specs were even officially announced. And Daum confirmed the G2/Nexus 5 were in the same development project.

    In August, LG Vietnamese factory sources again confirmed the Nexus 5 was coming from LG. I posted all this. So, your article means nothing, except you have to do REAL research to uncover the truth.

    • Wow, take a chill pill. We know, the article was a lie and LG is in fact making the next phone, no need to go on a huge rant. A simple “it was a lie” would have sufficed.

    • are you serious? i have the Gnex, but it is far from amazing.
      horrible screen (horizontal banding and screen burn in/ghosting) terrible radios, poor battery life, less than stellar camera. I am personally hoping this phone is all G2…screen, camera, processor, battery ect. its a sweet phone.

  16. I like my Android phones as much as the next human, but there is such a thing as too much passion for an inanimate object. BTW, I’ve had my Galaxy Nexus since late 2011, and you can’t convince me it’s not a great phone, even if the battery life could be better. Nothing is perfect.

    • I too have a Galaxy Nexus and it is one of the best phones I have ever owned. I have absolutely no reason to replace it other then it is getting old. I’m trying to hold out as long as possible because there isn’t much reason to “upgrade”. If the Nexus 5 supports Verizon, I might have to pick it up.

    • My house has two Galaxy Nexus. Bought July 2012. Still too new at the time to replace with the Nexus 4 in November. Still VERY good phone (dual core, 4.65″ 720p) But now want slightly bigger 5″ full HD 1080p display, more RAM and faster CPU. In fact the Snapdragon 800 beats ANYTHING else on the market right now.

      Kicker is the Nexus 5 is going to give me all that in same size package as my Galaxy Nexus. (The gen5 Nexus 5 is smaller than the gen4 Nexus 4 and about the same size as the gen3 Galaxy Nexus).

      PLUS, it’s unlocked with multiple LTE bands and pentaband HSPA+.

      • Two weeks ago, they were there. They come and go. Right now, can’t find them. Mid-September you could get it for less than $38 per month. And you could load up for as many months in advance as you wanted.

  17. I am moving over from Iphone to Android. I am looking to get the LG G2. Why would I wait for the Nexus 5? Will the software be much different? They are both made by LG, correct?

    I much prefer the IPS screen, so I am ruling out the Note 3..I also
    would not like to use a ‘s pen”… Both are made by LG? Help…

    • LG G2 will have LG’s variant of OEM skin. The Nexus 5 will be pure Android. The internals are supposed to be close (if not the same) but most likely Google will sell the Nexus 5 on the Play Store for ~300/350 (see original N4 pricing).

      The variant OEM skins of Android bother a lot of people and they tend to add a lot of bloat. There isn’t any guarantee that the N5 will be available on any CDMA US Carriers (Sprint/Verzion) so you’ll most likely only be able to use it on T-Mobile and AT&T. If you need one of the other carriers, you’ll probably need to look more closely at the G2. If you’re happy with the other two carriers (or some prepaid carriers), I’d strongly look at the N5. It’s going to be the lowest priced option. And, dare I speak some heresy, if you don’t like the Android ecosystem you aren’t locked into a contract or out ~$650.

      Edit: forgot to elaborate more on skins. They are how the OEMs diversify themselves, even if the skin sucks. I’m personally not a fan. A basic (not complete) definition of a skin is basic look and feel of the device. If you’re familiar with Linux window managers, its similar to that. Only other comparison I can make is a bad one, but it’s like Mac vs Windows vs Linux. they all do the same basic things, but some features are tied to the custom skin. For example the Note2 (and most Touchwiz’s) multi-window feature that lets you see 2 apps on the screen at the same time is dependent upon Touchwiz. Sometimes the OEMs will actually remove features from pure Android because it conflicts with the UX they are trying to provide.

      If you have more questions, please feel free to message me. I’m happy to support a convert 😀

  18. all sounds great BUT for me the deal breaker will be the battery life. As much as I love my Nexus 4 it has terrible terrible battery life no matter how hard you try to preserve it (unless you keep it off). If nexus 5 has the same flaw I’m out. Getting G2 instead.

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