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Google Shows Off 2 New Nexus Phones, a New Pixel, and More

Posted by timothy on from the ok-that-pixel-is-hot dept.

Two of the products officially unveiled at Google's much-anticipated (at least much-hyped) release announcement were widely and correctly predicted: a pair of new Nexus phones. The flagship is the all-metal Huawei 6P, with a 5.7" AMOLED display (2,560x1,440), 3GB of RAM, and a Snapdragon 810 chip. The Huawei overshadows the nonetheless respectable second offering, the LG-made Nexus 5X, which makes concessions in the form of less RAM (2GB instead of the 6P's 3), smaller battery (2700mAh, instead of 3450) and a lesser Snapdragon chip inside (808, rather than 810). Both phones, though, come with USB-C and with a big upgrade for a line of phones not generally praised for its cameras: a large-pixel 12.3-megapixel Sony camera sensor. Much less predicted: Google announced a new bearer for the Pixel name, after its line of high-end Chromebooks; today's entrant is a tablet, not running Chrome, and it's running Android rather than Chrome OS. The Pixel C tablet will debut sometime later this year; google touts it as "the first Android tablet built end-to-end by Google." Also on the agenda today, news that Android 6 will start hitting Nexus devices next week.

15 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Good and bad about 5X by iONiUM · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are both good and bad things about the new Nexus 5X.

    Good things: improved CPU/GPU, good camera (but no OIS, although they say they can't because it's 1.55um pixels), good battery, fingerprint reader, USB type-C.

    Okay things: similar screen, same amount of RAM, same amount of storage (I assume hatred for 16gb), no SD storage as before.

    Negative things: no OIS (as above), no wireless charging (a deal breaker, for many).

    Overall seems like a pretty decent device given the price, but there is room they could have improved.

  2. No wireless charging by hawguy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm disappointed by the lack of wireless charging on both the 5X and 6P. Sure, wired USB-C charging may be faster that wireless and the omnidirectional connector is more convenient than Micro-USB, but still, I like being able to drop the phone on my nightstand in the dark without fumbling for cables.

  3. NOPE by snarfies · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Incorporating a unibody build, it doesn't look like you'll be able to remove the back cover or battery"

    Stopped reading right there - do not want.

  4. Why wireless charging? by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I don't get why people are so enamored with "wireless" charging.

    I put that in scare-quotes because the wireless charging pads all have cords. So instead of just a cord, you have a cord and a pad...

    The Apple Watch has wireless charging and I don't find it any handier than using a cable. It can look cleaner but I don't see that it really gets you much.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Why wireless charging? by mrchaotica · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I don't use wireless charging (yet), but it seems for me the best advantage would be less wear and tear on the connector.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    2. Re:Why wireless charging? by Coren22 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I use this on my phone. It is nice as my phone has dust/water plugs in all the jack slots which are pretty flimsy. I also can simply drop the phone into the charger and not worry about plugging and unplugging cables. The ports also wear over time, wireless charging receivers don't. It is also nice in the car as I just drop it into a holder which keeps it in a decent spot for navigation and charges automatically.

      Car: http://smile.amazon.com/Itian-...

      Home: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/pro...

      It is nice to have a water resistant phone and not have to worry about getting wet in the rain or falling into a pool, or whatever might ruin other phones.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    3. Re:Why wireless charging? by kqs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      USB-c connecters are much better than micro-USB, so wear and tear isn't a big issue. Though that's a low bar; micro-USB is terrible.

      I do like wireless charging, but if the choice is "micro-USB and Qi" vs "USB-c", I'll take USB-c, thanks.

    4. Re:Why wireless charging? by countach74 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Wireless charging is one of those things that seems kind of pointless until you try it. I imagine it doesn't have the same sort of utility on a smart watch, though, since you (probably) aren't taking your watch off and putting it on the desk every time you sit down. With wireless charging, since it's as simple as setting your device down, I've found it's substantially easier to keep my phone's battery in the lithium ion's happy 40-80% range. Plus it means I almost always have a pretty good charge on my phone, which is good, since I have a Nexus 5. :) I have to say, the lack of wireless charging's a rather big bummer to me--not that I was looking to upgrade yet.

    5. Re:Why wireless charging? by markus · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wear and tear is definitely one of the factors. With wireless charging I don't have to worry that my kids trip over the cord and rip it out of the phone -- together with the phone's USB socket. But there are other benefits, too.

      I have a magnetic wireless charger in my car. When I get into the car, I just hold the phone against the charger, it positions itself thanks to the magnets, and it then stays in place and keeps getting charged for the entire trip. I can keep the GPS and the music player running on a long road trip and I don't have to worry about ever running out of battery.

      I also have a wireless charging pad next to my bed. Rather than trying to find the USB port when the lights are out and I am already half asleep, I just hold the phone roughly in the right spot and it attaches itself to the charger. It charges (almost) as fast as with my USB 2.0 cable, but probably not as fast as with a 15W fast charger. But who cares if it takes 2h to fully charge while I am asleep.

  5. Re:16 or 32 GB of storage? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    They didn't need to. If you need more storage just pop an SD-card in. Oh. Wait...

  6. No microSD slot. No, thanks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    No microSD, no thanks. You'd think Google would have gotten the memo by now.

  7. Re:Why Android on Pixel by kaiser423 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've had a number of $25 bluteooth keyboards for my tablets and they universally suck. I've probably tried 6-8. This one from Google, that latches strong enough that I can dangle the actual tablet by it, but also removes from the tablet pretty simply/quickly when I don't want it, and charges inductively rather than having to have another charging cable for it, is pretty nice. Maybe not $150 nice, but waaaaaay nicer than a $25 BT keyboard, and just slightly above that $25 price range, the BT keyboard market tops out still without implementing those other features.

  8. Not everyone wants a gigantic phone by ZorinLynx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It seems Google is ignoring those people who don't want a HUGE phone. The two models should have been the giant screened phone, and a smaller phone for those who like to actually be able to climb stairs with it in their pocket.

    1. Re:Not everyone wants a gigantic phone by JanneM · · Score: 3, Informative

      Sony Z5 Compact should be good for you? Definitely high end, and smaller than any other premium phone out there, iphone included.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
  9. No. by Leslie43 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A holster doesn't change the fact that I can't operate it with one handed, or that it looks like I'm holding a tablet to my ear while using it, or won't fit in a small clutch. I'm not wearing a holster with a formal/party dress. I want a phone to communicate when I need to, maybe check the weather, look something up or take a picture, not carry a full on portable computer or tablet. If I need that on a job, I take a tablet or computer with me.

    Companies need to get it through their heads that many people have very legitimate reasons why they don't want a massive device. That doesn't mean I don't want the latest OS (don't even get me started on this), or a good camera/screen/processor/storage/memory. I just want it all in a smaller device.