LG joins Google for new Nexus

Tech giants LG Electronics and Google are currently working together to roll out the U.S. Internet giant’s marquee smartphone, Nexus, in October this year, according to sources Thursday.

Google has collaborated with global smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung Electronics and HTC, to develop its flagship Nexus phone every year, which provides reference for manufacturers and developers of Android-powered devices.

The upcoming NEXUS phone, likely to be fitted with a 5.2-inch (13-centimeter) display, is expected to incorporate new technologies, which were unprecedented in the previous models, such as a fingerprint sensor and a mobile payment system called Android Pay.

The new smartphone will run on the Internet giant’s latest mobile operating system Android M.

A market official said the fingerprint scanner to appear in the next Nexus phone indicated that future LG flagship smartphones would sport the fingerprint technology, which will enhance the security of mobile payment services.

Global tech firms including Samsung Electronics and Apple have already thrown their hat in the ring for mobile payment.

Samsung, which will unveil its flagship smartphones -- the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus -- in New York next week, will also commercialize its mobile payment system, Samsung Pay, this month.

Samsung Pay utilizes both the near-field communication and magnetic secure transmission technologies and is forecast to have a significant impact on the online and offline commerce industry.

Apple’s mobile payment system, Apple Pay, only supports the NFC technology.

Google showcased the new operating system and mobile payment technology at its annual conference for developers in May this year.

“LG has already produced the fourth and fifth generations of the Nexus phone, and the latest collaboration will further beef up the ties between the two partners,” a market official said.

Chinese smartphone maker Huawei will also make a Nexus smartphone featuring a 5.7-inch (14.5-centimeter) display for Google. The reference smartphone to be made by the Chinese firm is aimed at increasing Google’s foothold in the Chinese market.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)