There were contrasting reports on Google’s plans for its Nexus device line, against a backdrop of speculation that a wider refresh of its Android hardware activities is in the pipeline.

According to reports this week, Google is planning its next-generation Nexus smartphone, which will (unsurprisingly) be called Nexus 6, which Ausdriod said will have a “very LG G3-sized 5.5-inch screen”. The South Korean device maker has been responsible for the most recent Nexus smartphones, meaning common specifications with the device maker’s flagship devices would seem likely.

But it was reported last week that LG had said it is not in the frame for Nexus 6, and that while the Google deal brings some marketing benefit, it does not do much for profitability.

This, of course, is not the first time that LG has said it is not working with Google on a new Nexus device, only for it to subsequently be confirmed as its partner. This time last year, it was reported to have said it would not be the maker of the Nexus 5 (pictured), before the device was officially announced.

But if LG is behind the Nexus 6, it would also mean the company has been responsible for three consecutive iterations of the line, following two for Samsung (Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus) and one for HTC (Nexus One).

Earlier this year, it was reported that Google may shift away from its Nexus activities and instead launch a programme called ‘Silver’, which would see it subsidising vendors offering pure-play Android devices.

This forms an extension of its ‘Play Edition’ strategy, which has seen vendors including HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony offer versions of their devices without manufacturer customisation of the Android platform.

While for some vendors the financial support would be welcome, for others, customising the Android platform is a key differentiation strategy, as hardware specifications become more homogenised.

Separately, it was reported that HTC is in the frame to deliver a high-spec, 9-inch tablet for Google, powered by a 64-bit Nvidia processor and with an LTE version anticipated.

It is likely to have a premium aluminium construction and, unlike other Nexus devices, comes at a price – $399 for the WiFi-only version with 16GB storage.