In time to battle Apple head on, the next Google phone, known now as the Nexus Prime, is rumored to also launch in October.

Time’s Techland reported the Prime will run on Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich OS, which is built for both tablets and smartphones. Currently, there are different versions of the Android operating systems for the devices.

The Nexus is expected to provide a pure Android experience, meaning no custom user interfaces or bloatware from wireless providers. The phone is rumored to include a 1.5-gigahertz dual-core processor and a 4.5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 by 720.

Also ready for battle come this holiday season: Samsung and its Galaxy S II phones, Motorola and its Droid Bionic (possibly also the Droid HD) and Microsoft’s Windows phones.