Google's Nexus 6 smartphone may have been spotted in the wild as new purported images of the handset have appeared online, Digital Spy said.

The photographs, obtained by Android Police, offer a clear look at the Motorola-built device's 5.9-inch display.

Previous reports suggests that the Nexus 6 will feature a 2560 x 1440 resolution screen, a Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera, 32GB of storage and a 3200mAh battery.

The latest leaked photos appear to show the phone running the Android L operating system, while the rumoured front-facing stereo speakers are also visible.

The Nexus 6 is believed to be in the works under the codename of Shamu, a reference to its hefty proportions, and is expected to be announced later this month.

Google has been tipped to launch the phone alongside the HTC-made Nexus 9 tablet.