Back in January, reports were circulating that Google was planning on doing away with its Nexus line of products in favor of Android Silver, a new project to bring high end mobile hardware running the unadulterated version of Google's mobile OS direct to consumers. Thankfully, Google dispelled such rumors at this year's I/O conference, stating that the search giant would continue to deliver products under the Nexus brand. 

According to BGR, Google will indeed be making another Nexus handset for release this year, and it could come from an unexpected source.

Since 2010, Google has made five Nexus smartphones and three Nexus tablets, partnering with hardware manufacturers HTC, Samsung, LG and ASUS along the way.

During that same period, Google famously bought and sold Motorola, and while Google was its parent company, many thought it only a matter of time before Motorola was pegged to deliver the next Nexus handset. 

Well, unfortunately that never happened -- until now, maybe. 

Android Police is reporting that Google's next pure Android handset, currently code-named Shamu, is a 5.9-inch Motorola-made giant of a phone.

If true, this would mark the first Google-Motorola collaboration since Lenovo purchased Motorola from Google earlier this year. This would also be the largest Nexus smartphone to date, and by a long shot. LG's Nexus 5 is currently the largest Nexus phone at 4.95-inches. Jumping to 5.9-inches would almost make this phone a small tablet--or phablet, as their called. 

Android Police is also claiming that the Nexus 6 would also come with a fingerprint sensor and launch sometime in November, most likely coinciding with the launch of Google's next mobile OS, Android L. Along with the Nexus 6, and new Nexus tablet is also rumored to be launching this year. The Nexus 9 (aka the HTC 'Volantis') is rumored to also be releasing with Android L on board, and according to Android Police, could launch in tandem with the Nexus 6 this November. 

Google announced Android L back in June at its annual I/O developer conference. The next iteration of Android is to feature a new design aesthetic called Material Design, and Google claims it will allow users to interact with apps in a far more intuitive way than ever before.

Much like Apple's iOS releases, Google typically releases a new major update to its mobile OS once a year -- usually sometime in the fall.