Addhavi Mallelu (Telugu Srungaram Kathalu Online)

HTC looks set to partner with Google on two new Nexus phones this year, reports suggest.

A tip from a user of Chinese social networking service Weibo claimed the Taiwanese phone-maker has been enlisted to make a 5–inch model and another, larger 5.5–inch device.

HTC made last year’s well received Nexus 9 tablet for Google, but has since struggled to make a similar impact in the smartphone market.

Its One M9 flagship failed to sell in large numbers, with punters instead opting for iPhones and Samsung's high-end Galaxy handsets.

Last year, HTC said it would stop issuing profit forecasts, in an effort to shore up its fluctuating share price.

The two new Nexus phones could go some way to giving HTC some financial breathing space, although the company said at the start of 2016 that it would be moving its focus to Virtual Reality