Skip to main content

Rumor: LG to build the Nexus 5 after all?

LG G2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our review of the Google Nexus 5 smart phone.

The mystery of the Nexus 5 has taken a slightly unexpected turn, as despite previous statements claiming otherwise, a new report has linked LG with the Nexus 5. The news comes from the often reliable Vietnamese site Tinhte.vn, where it’s stated LG is hard at work modifying its new G2 flagship Android phone to become the much discussed device.

Before you get too excited, if the Nexus 5 does turn out to be version of the G2, it’s unlikely it’ll come with LG’s innovative rear-mounted buttons. It’s hardly surprising really, as this is what makes the G2 standout against the Galaxy S4, the Xperia Z, and the HTC One. However, the big, 5.2-inch 1080p screen should remain, meaning at least its specs will suit the 5 in the Nexus 5’s name.

Should LG be making the phone, it’s possible it’ll bring over the glass rear panel introduced on the Nexus 4, indicating the feature may become something of a Nexus smartphone trademark. Also, the Snapdragon 800 processor may provide the power, and the chassis could be slimmer than the already sleek G2.

This is all at odds with a statement made by an LG vice president earlier this year, who claimed LG wasn’t interested in making another Nexus phone just yet; a decision perhaps influenced by the considerable effort it had to put into getting the Nexus 4 out the door, only for it to be priced at cost by Google.

It also comes after a well-known Android blogger said Motorola would be building the next Nexus phone for Google, which made sense seeing as Google owns the firm; but crucially the Nexus 5 name wasn’t mentioned, meaning there’s a chance there are two Nexus smartphones on the horizon, or someone is mistaken.

Combine all this with the fact the Nexus 5 has been a consistent no-show for many months, and we don’t know what to believe. As always, none of this is confirmed, official information, so we’ll just have to wait and see what Google reveals when the time comes.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
What frequency is 5G? All the different 5G ranges, explained
Looking through foliage at a 5G tower against a blue sky.

If you’ve been thinking 5G seems more complicated than the cellular technologies that came before, you’re not entirely wrong. 5G promises faster performance, better coverage, and ubiquitous connectivity to power the next generation of autonomous cars and smart devices. To accomplish this, it needs to push the boundaries of what was possible with older cellular technologies.

This also requires 5G to operate across a much wider range of frequencies. After all, we’re talking about a technology that has the potential to replace wired broadband connections and even many traditional Wi-Fi networks. In the future, a 5G network won’t be something you merely fall back on when a better connection isn’t available -- it may very well be the best connection you can get.

Read more
The sordid history of 5GE, or when 5G isn’t 5G at all
Hold holding three phones from three different carriers.

In the quest to deliver true 5G technology, wireless carriers have naturally been trying every angle they can to promote their own 5G services as superior to the competition. This has resulted in a confusing assortment of letters and symbols often appearing after the letters “5G” on your smartphone to suggest that you’re getting service that is somehow better than the norm.

While this may be true in some cases, there’s at least one exception where it means the exact opposite: AT&T’s “5GE” or “5G Evolution” isn’t what you probably think it is.
When 5G isn’t actually 5G

Read more
Samsung’s Exynos 1280 chipset details promise ‘5G for all’
A graphic of the Samsung Exynos 1280 processor flying through the air with some emojis and square phone apps.

Samsung revealed the Exynos 1280 a while back, but has been stingy on details ever since despite launching the Galaxy A53 5G and A33 5G with the chipset. Now, the company is finally ready to share what's going on underneath the hood of its shiny new mobile processor. In short, the Exynos 1280 aims to bring solid 5G connection to devices in Samsung's budget to midrange lines.

The Exynos 1280 brings a lot to the table for the devices in which it will be used. Two Cortex A78 CPUs and six A55 cores give the chipset a good deal of processing power while not being overkill for the rest of the hardware. In terms of graphics, the 1280 features a Valhall-based ARM Mali-G68 GPU and can display 120Hz at 1080p.

Read more