At Google’s recent Google I/O developer conference, lots of new and exciting things were revealed concerning the future of Android on the software side of things. But thanks to some excited employees, namely Google’s own Andy Rubin, we also got a few slight mentions of the next true “Google Phone”, the Nexus 3. Rumors surrounding the announcement pointed to an LG-made device. But new pictures that leaked out tonight show a device claimed to be a Nexus 3 — and it’s made by HTC.
What’s most interesting with the phone above is the lack of any physical or capacitive buttons. Though such a design goes along with Google’s grand plan to join the tablet (Honeycomb) OS and phone OS into one. As we now know, that joining together of big and small screens will take place starting with Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
If Google is to push the phone OS up to a new level and generation, we need only look to Honeycomb to answer the question as to why there are no buttons — because they aren’t needed. Having contextual menus in Honeycomb currently makes the overall software experience extremely adaptable.
The source of the images told TechHog that it is highly possible the device we’re looking at above will change (possible drastically) by the time it is released. Such things are expected when dealing with prototype hardware in all reality. With that said, we’re really diggin’ the buttonless face. Could you go button free?
Update: The images of the phone above have now been pulled. False claim. HTC-pushed initiative?
Source: TechHog
Via: BriefMobile

