REPORT: Google's Next Smartphone Could Be Gigantic
The company is reportedly working with Motorola on the phablet, which will supposedly come with a fingerprint sensor and will launch with major US carriers.
It's unclear what the device will be called, but Google and Motorola are said to be calling it "Shamu" internally.
That size is unusually large for a smartphone. It's one inch shy from being the same size as most mini tablets, such as the Google Nexus 7. Samsung's Galaxy Mega, which comes in both 5.8-inch and 6.3-inch screen sizes, is the only other phablet that compares in size. Most phablets fall into the 5.3-5.7-inch range.
An unnamed source reportedly shared this information with Android Police, and a tipster sent the website a screenshot from Google's issue tracker for developers showing a clear reference to the device. The issue mentioned in the screenshot refers to a bug in Android L, Google's upcoming version of Android that debuted at Google I/O.
Android L only works with Google's Nexus devices, which is part of the reason Android Police believes this could be an unannounced Nexus smartphone. The Android news blog also mentions that the so-called "Shamu" phablet is running on a Google-built kernel, which is usually only present in Nexus phones and tablets.
A kernel is the central component of an operating system that manages the way software and hardware components interact with one another. Think of the kernel as a bridge that allows the software and hardware to work together.
There's been some confusion about what will happen to Google's line of Nexus devices over the past several months. Rumors have suggested that Google will axe the brand in favor of a new Android Silver program, but Google denied any changes to the Nexus line in an interview with ReadWrite in June.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- Having an regional accent can be bad for your interviews, especially an Indian one: study
- Dirty laundry? Major clothing companies like Zara and H&M under scrutiny for allegedly fuelling deforestation in Brazil
- 5 Best places to visit near Darjeeling
- Climate change could become main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century: Study
- RBI initiates transition plan: Small finance banks to ascend to universal banking status