The Nexus 7 has been released and now phone enthusiasts are awaiting the launch of the Nexus 5, which is expected to be announced later this year.

"Considering Google's prior release schedule, it appears highly likely that a Nexus smartphone could follow the new Nexus 7 release," the International Business Times reports.

"Google introduced the original Nexus 7 as its first tablet in July 2012, following up with the new Nexus 7 in July 2013; the current Nexus 4 smartphone released in November 2012 alongside the wide-screen Nexus 10 tablet."

The release date of the Nexus 5 has not been released but some speculate that Google is awaiting a partnership with Taiwanese phone developer Asus to announce the product's availability.

Google will not be partnering with LG for the development of the Nexus 5.

"The firm's chairman Jonney Shih recently confirmed that Asus is moving forward with retailer and carrier talks with the ultimate intention of building and launching a Smartphone - most likely for an early 2014 release date," Highlight Press writes.

"Asus already has the Padfone and the Fonepad in circulation which do great jobs of confusing the hell out of the punters. Both are however considered more as tablet-type gadgets than fully-fledged Smartphones and neither has proved to be a rip-roaring success."