Skip to main content

Huawei Nexus prototype leaked in photos, corroborates rumors of metal chassis and rear fingerprint sensor

Update: The same source has posted more images of the purported Huawei Nexus, this time showing the bottom half rocking a USB Type-C port. The new USB-C standard is reversible, meaning there isn’t a right-side up and the male side of the cable can be flipped on either side and it’ll still plug into the device. They’re also bidirectional, able to send data and power in either direction. Google announced during its I/O conference that it has been working closely with device manufacturers to introduce phones which take advantage of it.

The purported upcoming Huawei Nexus is one of this year’s biggest rumors so far. It would mark the first time we’ve seen Google partner with a Chinese manufacturer for its ‘Pure Google’ smartphone, and could help the search giant finally get its Play Services running in China. Despite seeing multiple rumors, schematics and leaks, we’ve not seen any real physical evidence of the device’s existence. Until now. Steve Hemmerstoffer has published a couple of photos to his blog showing off what looks to be a pre-release or prototype model of Huawei’s stock Android phone.

As previous renders suggested, the camera and its dual LED flash are housed in side a glass pill-shaped panel on the back. This panel, unusually, sits in what looks like something of a hump, presumably to avoid having a protruding camera. As well as that, on the back is a fingering sensor colored to match the chassis of the phone, the large ‘NEXUS‘ branding and a microphone as well as the usual antenna bands normally found on metal phones. The front is one glossy sheet of glass with what we’re expecting to be a 5.7-inch QHD screen as well as a pair of front-firing speakers and a front-facing camera.

There are many reasons to be hopeful for this unreleased smartphone, at least from my own personal perspective. If it wasn’t for the terrible software experience, the Huawei P8 would have been one of my favorite phones of this year so far. The hardware is well made and attractive. What’s more, the camera and screen are fantastic. With a Nexus, we get the same attention to great hardware and don’t have to put up with any of Huawei’s laggy or unintuitive interfaces. If this leak is anything to go by, this could a very pretty phone. I like the look of the curved metal back and the rounded corners on the front.

It’s perhaps still to soon to get excited just yet, but with the rising number of leaks all pointing in the same direction, it seems very likely that we are going to see this Huawei-made Nexus land on the market later this year alongside a smaller Nexus made by LG.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel