Ever since Google released the Nexus 5 in October 2013, speculation has been rife about when the search engine giant would release the upgraded Nexus 6.

The Nexus line of smartphones became an instant hit with people when they launched, especially for those wanting to buy high-end phones at affordable prices. However, a lot of time has elapsed since then and now, and the wait for the next big release, the Google Nexus 6, seems to be dragging out.

Earlier reports assumed that Google would release its Nexus 6 this October. However, judging by the market trend as well as the increasing demand for Google smartphones, new reports claim that that the device is likely to hit stores some time in the second quarter of 2014.

However, Google senior vice-president Sundar Pichai confirmed on Feb. 27 that the Mountain View-based company had no firm plans to launch the Nexus 6 during the first half of 2014. But he did not provide any further detail regarding the smartphone's release date.

So why are some still assuming the Nexus 6 will be released in October or November? Well, they argue that previously, Google had released the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 in late 2012 and late 2013 respectively. Therefore, the chances are the company will follow a similar trend and release the Nexus 6 just a few months before Christmas.

A look back at the history of smartphones in the Nexus series is interesting. While the HTC Nexus One was launched in January 2010, the company released the Samsung Nexus S in December 2010. This was followed by the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in November 2011 and the LG Nexus 4 in late 2012. The company released the last and, perhaps also the best smartphone, of the series - the LG Nexus 5 on Oct. 31, 2013.

The Nexus 5 is certainly not the best smartphone out there in terms of a pure specs by specs comparison, but as far as price is concerned it has overshadowed its competitors and grabbed the attention of millions of smartphone users interested in getting the best value for money.