Google To Release Nexus Phablet Bigger Than iPhone 6 Plus And Galaxy Note 4

Google is preparing to launch its next smartphone, which will be its biggest yet.

Before the end of the month, Google will release a new Nexus-branded smartphone that will feature a 5.9-inch display, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The phablet will be manufactured by Motorola, which Google is in the midst of selling to Lenovo for $2.9 billion.

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If the measurements of the new Nexus smartphone's display are accurate, it will be larger than both Apple's iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy Note 4, which is set to be released on Friday of next week.

"I don't think we've pushed the limits yet on how large a successful smartphone can be," said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Austin, Texas-based tech analyst firm Moor Insights & Strategy. "We've seen successes at 5.7 inches. I'm not sure going 0.2 inches bigger will turn people away. The fact is Google needs a larger phone to compete out there with the Nexus brand. Right now, the Nexus offering is smaller. They have a 5-inch phone [the Nexus 5], but that isn't close to what's out there these days."

Moorhead said that he sees the phone competing with both the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note. He believes the new Nexus smartphone will feature a larger display, but less resolution, which will allow Google to sell it at a lower price point.

"Samsung has had a number of large phablet-type units, and they've seen success with it," said Douglas Grosfield, president and CEO of Xylotek Solutions, an Ontario-based solution provider and Lenovo partner. It's developed enough of a market that BlackBerry released a big-screen smartphone in its unique square-display Passport. The new iPhones are both significantly larger than iPhones of the past. Obviously there is a market for it."

Google will launch its long-awaited Android L operating system along with the new smartphone, according to the Wall Street Journal report.

The tech giant first announced Android L at its Google I/O event in June.

"I will note that because of Google's market presence, this may be an effort by Google to shift where the industry is heading," said Allen Falcon, CEO of Westborough, Mass.-based solution provider Cumulus Global. "When Google released its first phone, Android was not yet a significant player in the market. With Google's market leverage, the other manufacturers scrambled to release comparable devices, Android market share soared, and Google pulled its phone off the market."

Google did not respond to a request for comment.

With Google's event expected before the end of the month, Apple's event coming on Thursday, and Samsung set to launch the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge on Friday, the second half of October could have a large impact on the mobile world.

PUBLISHED OCT. 10, 2014