Google is reportedly set to drop the Nexus brand for its upcoming flagship smartphones, with a new report from Android Police indicating that the devices will be marketed as Pixel and Pixel XL. The 5-inch handset, codenamed Sailfish, and the 5.5-inch version, codenamed Marlin, are expected to be unveiled at a major hardware event on October 4th.
According to Android Police, which cited two independent sources, the HTC-built phones will be completely different from previous Pixel hardware. The event is also anticipated to include the launch of a new 4K Chromecast device, possibly named Chromecast Plus or Chromecast Ultra, as well as the Google Home smart speaker and a Daydream VR viewer called 'Daydream View'.
The shift from Nexus to Pixel has been rumoured for weeks, but this is the first concrete indication of the name change. The exact location of the October 4th event remains unknown, though San Francisco and New York have been typical host cities for Google in the past.
Google's VR division, led by Clay Bavor, previously revealed that virtual reality would be a key part of Android N, with the Daydream platform. The company is developing its own headset design and a controller for navigating the virtual world, alongside bringing Google Play and apps like YouTube and Street View to the VR system.
