Google and Motorola are apparently working on a Nexus-branded device, which would mark an entry into the phablet category for both the Nexus line of products and Motorola.

Android Police said the device will have a 5.9-inch screen, and include a fingerprint sensor. An availability date of November was given, meaning it is likely to coincide with the Android ‘L’ platform release.

According to some reports, it is the anticipated sale of the Motorola business to Lenovo that paved the way for the deal, because it removed any immediate concern that Google was favouring its own hardware arm over other players in the Android device space.

Earlier rumours indicated that Google was set to release a new Nexus smartphone called Nexus 6, which would have featured a “very LG G3-sized 5.5-inch screen”.

While it is certainly possible that the company is working on devices with multiple manufacturers, the small difference between a 5.5-inch screen and a 5.9-inch screen makes it unlikely that both are true.

It was reported that LG had said it is not working on Nexus 6, although it has previously issued a denial only for it to then unveil a Nexus device.

It has also been suggested that HTC is working on a tablet for Google which will be released under the Nexus brand, which is likely to feature a 9-inch screen, be powered by a 64-bit Nvidia processor, and otherwise have a mid/high-tier specification.

Unlike the previous Nexus 7 tablets, it will be a premium device, with aluminium body.

It was also reported that the previously-suggested “Silver” programme, which would have replaced Nexus and seen multiple vendors offering devices powered by an unmodified version of Android, has fallen by the wayside.

This was linked to the departure of Nikesh Arora, Google’s business chief, who would have led the programme.