A Google search page is reflected in sunglasses in this photo illustration taken in Brussels May 30, 2014.
A Google search page is reflected in sunglasses in this photo illustration taken in Brussels May 30, 2014. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

Whether Google's Nexus 6 release date plans this 2014 is really coming real soon or still a number of months ahead, the pure Android device is worth waiting for.

The hardware stuff that the next Nexus smartphone is made of has been pretty much established - that is if the speculations are correct that Google's upcoming flagship device will be the repurposed 2014 Moto X.

Early reviews of the Moto X summed up into a ringing endorsement that it is the best Android smartphone to date - hardware- and software-wise. It follows then that its supposed near-clone, the Nexus 6, has the potentials to match the iPhone 6 that easily took the plum label of the best smartphone in 2014 even prior to its mass roll out.

But beyond the Nexus 6 specifications (check the Moto X specs for details on this), it is the killer features that Google will pack with the operating system that will bring the device into life. That OS, of course, is Android L.

In recent reports, two key Android L features emerged as two of the reasons to hold out for the Nexus 6:

Material Design

Material Design, according to Google, will enhance the Android device experience that even before the actual Android L release has been gradually pushed out. Recently, the Google Play Store was bumped up to 5.0 that highlighted the new design language's simplistic but powerful touch to the Android environment.

Then Hangouts also got a taste of Material Design this week, Android Central reported, somehow dropping clues that most of the Android L elements will be in place by the time the Nexus 6 is all set to come out of the box.

Data encryption

Likely wanting to prevent a repeat of the nude pic hacking of celebrity iPhone users, Google is reportedly deploying Android L with a robust data encryption similar to that of the iOS 9-powered iPhone 6.

The powerful protection is a default element of the next Android version, that according to 9to5Google, "the feature will automatically be turned on, meaning no data on the phone will be accessible without the owner's password."

Data encryption is expected to initially showcase its capabilities with the Nexus 6 as the device is believed as the first device to run on Android L or 5.0 (also referred to as Lion and Lemon Meringue Pie).

Release date of the Nexus 6 or Nexus X (due to its Moto X base-model) is seen to happen in late October 2014, likely to be followed shortly by the 8.9-inch Nexus 8 or HTC Nexus 9.