While Lenovo may soon become its new owner, Motorola is still working closely with Google, its current owner, on at least one new device. Rumours surfaced this past weekend that the two are working on a 5.9-inch smartphone (or phablet) codenamed Shamu.
The Information has now corroborated the report after talking to “three people with knowledge of the matter.” Despite the fact that Google knew that it would no longer own Motorola, it wanted to develop one more device with the company to incorporate the Touchless Control and Active Display technologies that Motorola first introduced last year on devices such as the latest DROIDs and Moto X.
The report does not specifically mention the Shamu’s display size though, only describing it as “large.” It does not provide any other details either.
The report also calls into question whether Google will in fact move forward with the oft-rumoured Android Silver program. Expected initially to replace the Nexus program entirely, more recent rumours have suggested that it would complement it instead. And now it appears that it may not even launch as its main backer, Google Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora, is leaving the company to join Softbank Internet and Media as its CEO.
As AndroidPolice points out, it appears that the Nexus program may have indeed been cancelled in favour of Silver but then made a miraculous recovery in time for Google to possibly unveil both the HTC-built Nexus 9 and Motorola-built 5.9-inch Shamu (as the Nexus 6?) with Android L later this year.
It also appears that Motorola may be on its way to profitability by the middle of next year after years of losses.
Sources : The Information // AndroidPolice