The news of Google working on two smartphones code-named Walleye and Muskie hasn’t even settled and we are hearing another report about a third device dubbed Taimen. Whether or not it is phone, tablet or hybrid notebook-like device is not known for sure, but Droid Life says it was “told that ‘taimen’ is a phone.”
Google continues to name phones for aquatic animals
Droid Life also said that its sources have confirmed “Muskie” and “Walleye” to be the correct names of Google’s upcoming phones. About “Taimen,” it said “the existence of the name and device comes to us via multiple sources, though the exact details of it are scarce.” According to Droid Life, the third device Taimen is a large smartphone with a larger screen than that of both Walleye and Muskie. Its code-name also suggests it will be bigger, as taimen is a type of large fish.
If you remember the massive Nexus 6, you will know why we are so sure of its size. The Nexus 6, which was released in 2014, was a large-screen device that was code-named Shamu, and the code-names of other Google smartphones have been inspired by aquatic animals. The Nexus 5 was code-named hammerhead, and the Nexus 6P was called Angler.
Taimen to be different from Walleye and Muskie
Even though the Taimen smartphone could be as large as 6 inches, it is still referred to as a smartphone. But the large size is nothing new, given that the upcoming Galaxy S8 Plus will likely be a large device. Consumers are now used to large-screen devices, so Taimen will probably attract a good share of the market when or if it releases.
As for the size of Muskie and Walleye, Walleye will probably be smaller than the other two phones. Android Headlines notes that Walleye could be the 2017 Pixel, and Muskie could be the 2017 Pixel XL. But while Walleye and Muskie are expected to be Pixel and Pixel XL follow-ups, Taimen will be a new line. We are not certain whether this Google smartphone will be more premium than Muskie and Walleye, but according to Droid Life, it is being produced and developed separately from the other two smartphones.