Google on Thursday took the wraps off the Nexus 5, adding 4G LTE capabilities, camera improvements, and the zippy new KitKat version of Android to its flagship smartphone.
Sundar Pichai, head of Google's Chrome and Android businesses, said the company focused on three themes for Android 4.4, also known as KitKat -- making sure it will work on low-end phones, making it more "beautiful and immersive," and bringing "Google smarts" to the device.
"Our vision for computing is to design Android as something that can run across all devices, not just the phone," Pichai said during a press briefing Thursday. "But it's important to get Android on the same version that can scale across all form factors. KitKat repfresents the first big setp in that direction."
New features of that operating system include a redesigned dialer that allows users to search for any number, even if it's not in their phone books. For example, users can start typing the name of a restaurant and see the number appear in their list. In addition, search results or queries now pull data from apps as well as the web. A search for a restaurant, for example, could pop up an app.
As for the Nexus 5, the device sports a 5-inch screen, making it the largest Nexus smartphone to date. Its resolution comes in at the same 1,920x1,080-pixel HD display as the LG G2, which equals a 445-pixel density.
In terms of components, the Nexus 5 runs on a quad-core 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 CPU. The front-facing camera runs at 1.3 megapixels, while the rear comes in at 8 megapixels. The rear camera also includes optical image stabilization and a new feature from Google, called HDR+, that reduces blur and helps with shots taken in bright or dim light situations.
The device costs $349 for 16GB or $399 for 16GB unlocked and is available in 10 countries through the Google Play store. It also will sell at retailers such as Best Buy and RadioShack and at carrier stores. The phone will work on the AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, but is not compatible with Verizon.
It comes in two colors -- white and black.
Like the Nexus 4, the Nexus 5 is manufactured by LG under Google's guidance. Google has continued to partner with a variety of handset vendors on Nexus devices despite recently buying Motorola Mobility. For some, like LG, that has helped boost their positions against giants such as Apple and Samsung.
Google's Nexus phones have slowly gained in popularity, with Android fans gravitating toward them because they include the latest version of Android. In addition, their "pure Android" features attract many people looking to avoid skins like Samsung's TouchWiz interface. And their lower selling prices also make them appealing, particularly when high-end smartphones retail for $600 or more off contract.
The Nexus 4 sold out in less than half an hour the day it was released a year ago. Inventory for the device remained low for months afterward, with buyers forced to wait many weeks for the device to go back in stock online. The popularity came despite the fact the Nexus 4 didn't offer 4G LTE capabilities, something that had become standard with smartphones.
Google remained fairly secretive about KitKat during the development process. Officially, it only said that its goal with KitKat was to "make an amazing Android experience available for everybody." Many believed that meant new Android-powered devices such as game consoles, smartwatches, smart TV, and laptops. Others looked for a kinder, gentler platform that plays nice with older hardware.
In reality, KitKat places more emphasis on Google's smarts, such as being able to predict what users want before they ask.
To "get Android to work for the next billion people," Google made KitKat compatible with lower memory requirements -- 512MB -- than other recent Android versions," Pichai said. That means low-end phone makers can load KitKat onto their phones, rather than run older versions. Pichai noted that most phones in emerging markets still ship with Gingerbread, which can't even run the Chrome browser.
One KitKat feature unique to the Nexus 5 is the launcher. It shows a translucent Google search bar on every screen. By swiping from left to right, users are to access Google Now. That features new cards that give people information related to common searches and interests.
New features of that operating system include a redesigned dialer that allows users to search for any number, even if it's not in their phone books. For example, users can start typing the name of a restaurant and see the number appear in their list. In addition, search results or queries now pull data from apps as well as the web. A search for a restaurant, for example, could pop up an app.
I ordered the black one. I promised myself I would get a white Nexus 5 because the white Nexus 4 caught my eye but I like the black one better. I have to sell my Nexus 4 now.
omg between this, Chromecast, and rumors that YouTube is going to integrate Google Play Music, Google is coming for BLOOD this Holiday season
This is the year of Google. I wonder if Android 4.4 will come out today.
Edit: Android 4.4, KitKat, which comes on Nexus 5, will also soon be available on Nexus 4, 7, 10, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks.
I ordered the black one. I promised myself I would get a white Nexus 5 because the white Nexus 4 caught my eye but I like the black one better. I have to sell my Nexus 4 now.
I almost ordered the black one, but then forced myself to get the white because the front part is still black
Gonna sell my HTC One and get this bad boy.
