Nexus 6
Concept video of Nexus 6, uploaded on YouTube by CTNtechnologynews. Screenshot from YouTube Video

The Google Nexus 6 release date this 2014 could come soon enough, that is if the retirement of a number of Google Play devices and the emergence of an HTC-based concept of the handset are of any indication.

A check on Google Play Store would reveal that there might be some form of 'spring cleaning' that the Nexus maker is currently at work with - two Android flagships, the HTC One M7 and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, that are packaged as GPEs, disappeared from the site.

These smartphone will likely never to appear anew, according to a Gotta Be Mobile report, which suggests as well that the new development, like in previous occasions, point to the soon-to-be arrival of devices running on native Android.

They could be the next batch of Google Play phones so the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 come to mind. Or the preparation could simply be exclusive for a single device and easily the most sensible candidate to think about is the Nexus 5 sequel - the Nexus 6 that is.

To date, however, this signature Google phone remains shrouded in mystery and foremost of the questions that Android fans debate about is: Who is building the next Nexus?

The phone bearing the LG Nexus 6 brand is definitely a welcome treat for hardcore Android users as LG is good standing with the same crowd owing to the company's previous works on the Nexus 4 and 5.

But the South Korean tech firm could not make solid claims that it will assemble the much-awaited Android anytime soon. Note that recently, a company executive even revealed that Google has yet to initiate any project with them that pertains to the Nexus 6 rollout this year.

So it is prudent for now to rule out an upcoming Nexus phone that will originate from LG's production lines.

Enter HTC that is believed tapped by Google to come up with a high-specced iPad rival that will be known as the Nexus 8. With that, the likelihood is high that the Internet search giant would allow one device maker to take charge of its 2014 Nexus line up of devices.

One clue that leads to such scenario is the gorgeous Nexus 6 render, authored by Dmitry Stvolov, that according to Concept Phones is obviously a tweaked version of HTC's current flagship - the HTC One M8.

And it makes sense to pattern Google's hero phone with that of the One M8. Critics raved on the device, praising HTC for packing it with upscale components inside and wrapping it with a unibody aluminium chassis that nearly matches the iPhone's beautiful framing.

Many experts dubbed the HTC One M8 (and its predecessor) as the best Android smartphone ever that likely inspired Google to trust HTC for its Nexus smartphone thrust this 2014.

In reality though, the Google Nexus 6 release date remains up in the air but going by the past launches the device is likely touchdown between September and October this year, which positions it in a direct collision course with that of Apple's iPhone 6.