At the Google I/O 2015 developer conference, there's been plenty of news about Android Pay, the forthcoming Android M, as well as the launch of Google Photos

In the past the way that this works is that Android's new features are announced at Google I/O and then followed up with a device launch on which they make their debut.

That's really what the Nexus programme is about, and there was more than a hint at what you'll see on the next Nexus, delivered today by Dave Burke, VP of engineering on Android at Google. 

Burke introduced a number of hardware-dependent features when talking about Android M. The biggest is the fingerprint scanner that sees native support in the future version of Android. Android M will support Android Pay, and fingerprint scanners will be a core part of authentication, so it's a dead cert that the next Nexus will have that hardware. 

Burke also said "Coming to a device near you soon," when talking about native support for USB Type-C. Again, with the march of USB Type-C now underway (including the recent MacBook and Chromebook), it's a pretty strong hint that we'll be seeing it in the next Nexus device.

Our first introduction to USB Type-C on Android was in the Nokia N1 tablet we saw at MWC 2015. At the time we remarked that it would make a wonderful Nexus tablet, but there's already rumours circulating that Huawei might be lining up a Nexus device.

Oh, and we also spotted on the list of unannounced features the suggestion that Android M would support a stylus too...

There's no word on when we might see new hardware, but we'd expect a new device to make its debut with Android Milkshake (?), ready for the support of Android Pay later in the year.

next nexus will have fingerprint scanner and usb type c google hint suggests image 2
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