Google launches 'phablet' this month, enters big-size smartphone segment

New York: In a bid to intensify competition in big-size smartphone segment, Google is all set to release its next “Phablet” with a 5.9-inch screen and a high-resolution display this month.

Named Shamu (killer whale), the new Nexus phone will be larger than Apple's iPhone 6 Plus (5.5 inches) and Samsung Galaxy Note (5.7 inches), Wall Street Journal reported.

Motorola Mobility, the phonemaker that Google is selling to China's Lenovo Group Ltd, is reportedly manufacturing the phone.

Google also plan to release a new version of its Android mobile-operating system simultaneously.

In 2011, phablets accounted for 1% of the global smartphone shipments but this year, these devices will make up 24% of the market, according to a report by global consultancy firm Strategy Analytics.