Google will hold a press conference tomorrow in San Francisco, September 29, and it’s no longer a secret that two new Nexus smartphones will be unveiled there. That alone is notable, as it suggests that phone pricing has irrevocably changed. The LG Nexus 5X ships with a 2,700mAh battery, and a rear-facing fingerprint scanner called “Nexus Imprint”.
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This is the first time Google announces two smartphones in the same time. But the plan has always been a tough sell in the US, where consumers show a marked preference for buying subsidized phones and avoiding a big up-front cost. Those who preorder either (or both, if you wish) of the devices will receive a $50 Google Play credit. Google would be wise to do that with the Nexus phones, even if you don’t want Project Fi. Admittedly, I’m a little disappointed not to see an octa-core 2.2GHz Snapdragon 810 chip here (that’s reserved instead for the Nexus 6P), but I suspect LG would rather it didn’t outclass its own G4 when it comes to overall performance. The phones are a bit of a mystery, in fact.
The LG Nexus 5X will ship in October and pre-order begins on the Google Store in U.S., U.K., Ireland and Japan. The company blamed constricted supply, but there’s probably another culprit: it was far and away the most expensive Nexus yet.
The newly launched smartphones, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X – priced at $499 and $379 respectively, will come with Type-C USB, fingerprint sensor, large 1.55-micron pixels camera sensor and will run the latest Android operating system Marshmallow.
One thing I’m hoping the Nexus 5X will improve on over the old Nexus 5 is battery life, because as brilliant as the Nexus 5 was, it’s battery life left something to be desired.
When it comes to storage, the Nexus 6P comes in three variants (32GB, 64GB and 128GB), whereas the Note 5 is only available in two versions: 32GB and 64GB.
What’s more, much like Apple’s M9 coprocessor, the Android Sensor Hub can also track your movements, and automatically detect when you go running on are on a bike ride without even having to turn on the screen. But it seems the phones are doomed to be yet another Google hobby-a tech showcase, but not a true consumer venture. The new smartphones will be up for preorder Tuesday at the Google Store and will hit markets later, in October. Later in the year, you’ll also be able to pool your photos and videos together and get updates when new ones are added to your collection. The Chromecast Audio also comes with support for RCA & Optical Input.
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Finally, the company introduced a new convertible tablet called the Pixel C.
