According to the latest leak, when Google releases its next pure Android phone, they’ll launch running Android 7.1. The news comes from @LlabTooFeR, a leader known for revealing nuggets of HTC-centric information before it’s confirmed.
Perhaps notably, the tweet refers to the next phones like the Pixel and Pixel XL, rather than any form of Nexus, corroborating rumors that Google is shifting its hardware strategy this year.
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- New Google Pixel phones, Daydream VR, and more expected 4 October
- Pixel and Pixel XL to replace Nexus range
- Phones expected to run Android 7.1
- Android 7.1 first major Nougat update
As for Android 7.1, that’s yet to be released by Google and is likely to be the major AndroidNougat update that initially includes software elements and features exclusive to the new phones. Most notably, Daydream VR.
Daydream is almost certainly going to launch first on the two new Pixel phones, setting them apart from any currently running Android 7.0 Nougat or any device that’s being updated between now and when the Pixels are announced.
There have been rumors for months claiming that Google was turning to HTC to build its next stock Android phones this year. Likewise, speculation and inside information seemed to suggest that HTC wouldn’t be a Nexus partner manufacturer but used more as a contractor to build Google’s hardware designs.
That’s significant because it means we’re unlikely to see HTC’s branding on the devices, and we won’t see the familiar Nexus moniker stamped anywhere either.
The Pixel branding has so far been used for Chromebooks and a tablet of Google’s design. Launching a Pixel-monikered phone would certainly help tie all of the search giant’s hardware together. It is worth noting that Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C haven’t exactly sold like hotcakes, so it’ll be interesting to see if the most in-house effort on the phone has a negative or positive impact.
