Nexus smartphone to launch with Android L in fall; Android Silver line will not replace handset

Nexus 7

To the dismay of waiting fans, Google did not reveal a new Nexus device at the recently concluded I/O Developers' Conference. However, it confirmed that the Nexus line was not axed for the alleged Android Silver program.

The head of Android engineering and Nexus program, David Burke, cleared up the rumors pertaining to the Nexus program. He said that the Nexus line is not going anywhere anytime soon. He also hinted that the rumored Android Silver may be coming, but it will not replace the Nexus line.

"People just get excited by concepts and forget why we do things ... We are still invested in Nexus. ... People have been commenting about Nexus because there is something else and they think that means the end of Nexus. That is the totally wrong conclusion to make ... When we are working, there are sort of two outputs. We're building a Nexus device and we're building the open source code. There is no way you can build the open source code without the phone or tablet or whatever you are building. You have to live and breathe the code you are developing," he said.

He quickly added that one cannot build a platform in the abstract and it is essential to build a device or devices. Thus, the Nexus will not go away and he explained how the Nexus program provided an interesting way on how the Android OS should run and function.

These statements prompted rumors that the new Nexus device will be launched in the fall alongside the Android L. The Google exec did not specify what particular Nexus device will take center stage later this year.

There were speculations that Google will unveil a new Nexus 8 or Nexus 9 tablet made by HTC. However, there is a big chance that the tech giant will reveal the successor of the Nexus 5 smartphone.