Prototype of HTC Nexus Marlin, disguised by case, shows Android 7.0 is installed

posted by Alan F. / Jul 22, 2016, 12:02 PM

A prototype of the HTC Nexus Marlin shows Android 7.0 pre-installed

HTC is expected to produce two Nexus phones for 2016, code named the Marlin (M-1) and the Sailfish (S-1). The latter is said to feature a 5-inch screen, while the former will offer a 5.5-inch display. A picture has been discovered showing what is alleged to be a prototype of the HTC Nexus Marlin wearing a case to hide the design of the phone.

What couldn't be hidden was the image on the screen which confirms that Android 7.0 (Nougat) will be pre-installed. In addition, we can see that the device has received the July security update.

The Marlin is expected to feature a 5.5-inch screen with a 1440 x 2560 resolution. The Snapdragon 820 chipset will be under the hood with a quad-core CPU and the Adreno 530 GPU. 4GB of RAM should be inside and the camera combo from back to front will weigh in at 12MP/8MP. A 3450mAh battery powers the whole shebang. According to the source, the prototype carries 128GB of internal storage and resembles an HTC 10 with a fingerprint scanner on back.

HTC was responsible for one other Nexus handset. The very first phone in the series, 2010's Nexus One, was manufactured by HTC. The company also produces the Nexus 9 tablet.

Thanks for the tip!

via Techdroider.com

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35 Comments

1. Babadook

Posts: 230; Member since: May 24, 2016

Random question, does Verizon typically carry Nexus phones? (Can't decide between this and the Moto Z Force). (Also, do Nexus phones have something similar to Moto Display (or can you download something similar?)).

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:10 PM 2

5. roldefol

Posts: 4744; Member since: Jan 28, 2011

Verizon has a complicated history with Nexus phones. They carried the Galaxy Nexus, but since Verizon insisted on controlling software updates, it wasn't much of a Nexus experience. And they sold the Nexus 6, but it was locked to their network. Starting with the Nexus 5X and 6P, you can buy the phone unlocked, insert an active Verizon SIM, and you're up and running. That's what I did. Other than a slightly glitchy VM alert, I've had no problems.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:39 PM 8

8. Babadook

Posts: 230; Member since: May 24, 2016

So what are the odds Verizon will sell the new Nexus in store this fall?

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:06 PM 0

12. ProblemSolver15

Posts: 372; Member since: Jun 14, 2010

The odds are zero. Meaning I'll take the under if the line was 1. They will not carry a Nexus device. At least if I were a betting man, I don't think they would.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:23 PM 1

13. Babadook

Posts: 230; Member since: May 24, 2016

Eff. That means I'll probably be getting the Moto Z Force instead. Rats

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:32 PM 0

16. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

I doubt they will. It will most likely be the same as the 6p and 5x. You can buy them through Google or HTC and they'll work on any domestic US carrier. Unless they offer a payment plan (like Huawei did or Google did if you were on Fi) you'll probably be paying the full retail cost upfront.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:53 PM 0

18. justrt

Posts: 446; Member since: Jul 10, 2014

I doubt Verizon will carry the next Nexus phones in store. My advice to you is, choose Nexus over Verizon. I have the Nexus 6P and I love it. Bought it unlocked, got a Cricket SIM card, $40 a month in the AT&T's network - problemless! My wife switched from Verizon to Cricket also. If you are worried about paying full price, just put it on your credit card and you can pay it off in less than a year with the savings from your bill.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:06 PM 2

34. sgodsell

Posts: 7219; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

The Moto Z's have more features, plus the same RAM, CPU, and GPU. Not to mention the Moto Z modules.

posted on Jul 23, 2016, 8:21 PM 0

11. ProblemSolver15

Posts: 372; Member since: Jun 14, 2010

The iffy voicemail alert with the text message unicode thing we have to live with on our Nexus devices is such a pain in the arse. But, it's what we have to live with and I'll take that trade any day.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:21 PM 2

35. roldefol

Posts: 4744; Member since: Jan 28, 2011

I read somewhere that it can be fixed, but you'll need to contact Verizon support to do it. Something along the lines of downgrading from "basic visual voicemail" to "basic voicemail" changes the coding. I'll talk to Verizon tech support and see if it's true.

posted on Jul 24, 2016, 10:41 PM 0

15. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

True, but the unlocked Nexus 6 sold through Google and Motorola acted just like the 6p and 5x, they would work on any domestic carrier. The only difference is buying from either of those places meant paying for the device full retail upfront, rather than getting it subsidized through the carrier or making monthly device payments.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:51 PM 0

29. manzer

Posts: 57; Member since: Apr 05, 2014

I ran my Nexus 9 the same way off Verizon's network. Still was a little glitchy.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 7:43 PM 0

9. Lauticol

Posts: 404; Member since: Jun 25, 2011

Don't know about Verizon, but Nexus phones have Ambient Display (in my opinion it's better than Moto Display).

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:09 PM 2

17. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

Having used both, I'd take Moto Display any day over Google's Ambient Display. It's nowhere near as consistent, probably due to the IR sensors in the front face. But even the original setup on the 2013 Moto lineup (before they added the IR sensors in the face) were more consistent than Ambient Display. Normally the only way I can get it to work is move it from the display facing towards the ceiling to it facing straight at you (swinging it 90 degrees). Even doing that it doesn't work consistently. On the original Motorola Active Display, all you had to do was bump the phone (even walking heavily could activate it if it was on a table). On the Moto Display models with the IR sensors, all you had to do was put your hand above the display. And both implementations worked every single time. Ambient Display is hit or miss. I'd say it works around 50% of the time in my experience with it.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:02 PM 3

20. marorun

Posts: 5029; Member since: Mar 30, 2015

Care to explain how? My moto x play was able to sense my hand comming toward it even in complete darkness. something nexus phone cant do.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:17 PM 0

22. MingLiangChen

Posts: 329; Member since: Jul 06, 2012

There's an app on Play Store- Glance Plus. You can wave your hand over the proximity sensor to activate the notification. Slower than Moto's sensors, but works better than AcDisplay's waving gesture.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:35 PM 0

23. MingLiangChen

Posts: 329; Member since: Jul 06, 2012

p/s: it's more troublesome to unlock the phone from it but I guess with a fingerprint sensor, the steps become one.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:46 PM 0

24. trojan_horse

Posts: 5868; Member since: May 06, 2016

But Samsung's gesture sensor which was in the Galaxy S4 is better than Google and Motorola's Active Display.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 3:17 PM 0

2. Fona13A unregistered

I still think Sailfish is a weird codename for an Android handset when there is an OS named 'SalfishOS'. I know it probably means nothing, it's still weird. I'd take the Sailfish 5'' over a 5.5'' anyways.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:17 PM 3

3. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2277; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

Is there no way that this year's or next year's nexus will come with a 5.7" screen? I do not feel like going back to smaller screen sizes...why did they shrink it down, no one was complaining Disappointed

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:24 PM 1

19. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

Go to Android Forums and there were tons of people complaining. There were some that had the Nexus 6 that were okay with it (and some that didn't like hat they went smaller than the 6). But many were not happy anout it. Especially the ones who bought the 5x. It was bigger than the Nexus 5, and it had poorer performance due to the SD808 CPU. I would say that most of the Nexus users wanted something around the original Nexus 5 footprint rather than anything 5.5" or larger, going by the comments on those forums. I can make do with my 6p, but something a bit smaller would be welcome IMHO.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:07 PM 4

21. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2277; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

That's probably because the 6P had big bezels, if people don't have a problem with the screen size of the Notes, then why would they have a problem with that of the Nexii?

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 2:20 PM 0

27. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

The only large bezels the 6p has is one the top and bottom. They don't affect the ability to hold it as much as large side bezels would. But being a large screen to begin with it already going to be harder to use one handed. The people who buy Notes are already comfortable with using a phablet, because that's what the Note has always been from day one. With the Nexus, they've only had large screen devices the past 2 years, prior to that, the largest Nexus phone was 5". You make it sounds like everyone looking at a Nexus device was also considering a Note, and while that may be true in some instances, it's not the case for all potential Nexus buyers.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 7:12 PM 0

31. combatmedic870

Posts: 984; Member since: Sep 02, 2015

Because the note uses the 5.7 differently with its pen. It's worth it. The nexus was big to be big.

posted on Jul 23, 2016, 2:30 PM 0

4. NexusPhan

Posts: 632; Member since: Jul 11, 2013

Fake. Why would it say android version N? The developer preview says 7.0. It just doesn't make any sense that the next generation nexus would say N.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:34 PM 9

6. GrimJow

Posts: 27; Member since: Mar 24, 2016

Not at all a fan of on-screen buttons.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:41 PM 3

30. BLSEOTB

Posts: 334; Member since: Mar 24, 2015

Its common on Nexus phones

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 8:56 PM 2

32. combatmedic870

Posts: 984; Member since: Sep 02, 2015

That's pure android. It's on screen.

posted on Jul 23, 2016, 2:31 PM 1

7. Bankz

Posts: 2531; Member since: Apr 08, 2016

This year nexus handsets are pretty shaping up to be your average high end phone. Nothing special. All phones are virtually thesame now. Imo, I think flagship releases. Should be done every 2 years tbh

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 12:47 PM 1

14. SuperAndroid507

Posts: 361; Member since: Jan 06, 2014

That's right, basically manufacturers advertise each release as something new when in reality there nothing "new" on them, just incremental upgrades with fancy features here and there.

posted on Jul 22, 2016, 1:32 PM 0

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