Samsung's November product event sparks rumours of a Nexus Two launch

After the ill-fated Nexus One, Google declared it was getting out of the smartphone game, and that there would be no Nexus Two. And yet rumours surrounding a Samsung product launch next month continue to suggest otherwise. So will there be a second, better Nexus, or is the rumour-mill off the mark?

It's certainly true that Samsung is scheduled to hold an Android-based event in the Big Apple on November 8 - journalists have already received invites.  But will it be the unveiling of the Nexus Two? Well, tech blog Android and Me thinks so, quoting "multiple, trusted sources familiar with the project" - who of course wish to remain anonymous - and saying: "Google and Samsung will announce the 'Nexus Two' at a press conference on November 8th in New York city. The phone will be the first device to ship with stock Gingerbread (Android 2.3) and it will be available soon on multiple carriers."

So if it were a Nexus Two launch, would it be worth getting excited about? The Nexus one was widely considered to be a reasonable piece of kit which was killed off by some odd decisions about how to distribute it. It certainly didn't set the world on fire - so would a Nexus Two be any different? Well, possibly. Samsung hardware is popular, with the Galaxy S in particular gaining significant traction; and add to that the latest eagerly-awaited Android release, Gingerbread, and you could have something.

But is it likely? You never know, but probably not. The launch event seems to be a Samsung-only deal, and doubters are asking why Google would let Samsung have all the limelight, when all its previous launches have at least been shared. More likely, perhaps, is a follow-up to the Galaxy S.