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Google's next phones may be much more expensive
For years, Google's reference Android smartphones have been relative bargains. Even the $649 Nexus 6 was a steal considering its then cutting-edge screen. You might have to get used to shelling out much more going forward, though. A reportedly trustworthy Android Police source claims that Google's HTC-made 2016 phones (currently known as the Pixel and Pixel XL) will start at $649. That's the typical manufacturer price for a mainstream device like the iPhone 7 or Galaxy S7, and well above the $499 it took to buy the Nexus 6P when it was new. The Pixel XL would almost certainly cost more, too.
HTC's Nexus phone efforts show up at the FCC
If there was any doubt that HTC is working on at least one Nexus phone this year, the FCC (and a handful of leaks) just erased it. The regulator has received an HTC filing for smartphones that will be explicitly branded as a Nexus -- a letter says you'll find the user manual on Google's Nexus page. The entries don't really show the devices or say exactly what they can do, but the hardware should have full network support for all major North American carriers and beyond. Not that there's much mystery as to what one of those devices looks like, as you'll soon see.
Google's 2016 Nexus phones could feature a new launcher
While we've had early looks at Android Nougat for months, it appears Google may be saving other software tweaks for its next Nexus devices. Android Police has screenshots that it says show "in progress" evidence of the new software, with a replacement for the Google Search bar widget at the top, a new way to open up the app drawer and space for potentially revamped navigation buttons.
