Here's a potentially interesting thought for next year.
Since their seems to be a wide disconnect between people looking for value vs those looking for premium, what if Google just made nexus into its own proper brand and offered 3 models next year.
Nexus 4 $200,$250, 5 inch screen
NEXUS 5 $400,$450, 5.5 inch screen
NEXUS 6 $600,$650 6 inch screen
Not sure about the specs other than the highest end nexus 6, which would have metal construction, 4 gb ddr4 ram, 820 processor, front facing speakers, 23 mp camera, 64/128 gb memory, and 4,000 mAh battery.
Trying to be realistic about what's possible not what I want.
For example if love a 1080 display to double screen on Time, but that's never gonna happen, not with everyone else packing 2k and now Sony. Packing a 4k in the z5 premium.
If also love a thicker phone, 9 mm, nice hey to it and capable of a 4500 or even 5000 mAh battery.
Anyway, I think a low, mid, and high end nexus would really help build the brand and let me people experience the joys of stock Android.
Another interesting thought, since android phones are now in a race to the bottom on price because no manufacturer seems willing to take the effort to cultivate a brand and fan base (moto was doing it until Lenovo fired the people behind all the moto x features we loved) how about nexus take a stand and try to stand out by offering more than just stock Android.
I'm thinking: 3 year pledge for updates. Meaning the version the phone comes with plus the next 2 as well.
That's longer than any other manufacturer is doing.
Also, big batteries, kinda how Droid maxx was all about the 2 day battery, let's to set a new standard for battery life, 2.5 days for the smaller phones. 3 days for the nexus 6 phablet.
Oh and finally, duel facing speakers because once you experience them going back sucks.
I'm tempted to also say water proof design, so basically we're having Sony build them, but I don't want to get too greedy, but what the heck, ip68 it is.
If I'm paying $650 for a phone I want it all