Family Google smartphones Nexus appeared in early 2010. The first Nexus One smartphone for a long time was considered a phone made solely for developers, with no clarity on whether it would ever be marketed to general users.
This was Google's first step, with which the search giant clearly defined the concept of its Nexus phone - a smartphone developed by Google itself that runs on such Android versions, as it was originally intended by the company.
For a long time, Nexus devices were not popular among ordinary users. They were mostly used by Android developers and fans. In 2016, Google closed the Nexus project and introduced a new line of devices called Pixel. This was a series of truly premium flagship phones that Google thought would appeal to everyday users.
In 2017, the company presented the most advanced and. Galagram invites you to remember where it all started and what Google's Nexus phones have become today.
- Release date: January 2010
- Codename: Mahi Mahi or HTC Passion
The phone that started the Google Nexus line is the legendary HTC Nexus One. Of course, today its characteristics look simply ridiculous, even among smart watch now there is more memory and more powerful processors. But at the time of the announcement, it was a cool flagship with a 3.7-inch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor and 512 MB of RAM.
The Nexus One introduced a fancy trackball that could be used in place of an optical mouse for more precise input. Google's first phone had a weird design good display and a modern (at that time) processor, and was also equipped with a pure version of Android 2.1 Eclair.
- Release date: December 2010
- Codename: Crespo
The second Nexus was called Samsung Nexus S. A card slot was cut out of its body microSD memory, and this was a sign that no next Nexus would get this slot. What was the reason? Google engineers were concerned that slow SD cards were slowing things down. Android systems. And this entails a bad user experience, which the company could not allow.
The Nexus S smartphone ran Android 2.3 Gingerbread, one of the oldest versions of Android. The Nexus S itself was a plastic phone that didn't stand out in terms of design. Among other things, it was last phone Nexus with capacitive under-screen buttons: All other Nexus phones since late 2011 have shipped with on-screen navigation keys.
- Release date: November 2011
- Codename: Maguro
The legendary Nexus from Samsung was released in 2011. At that time, it was equipped with a “huge” 4.65-inch display with HD resolution 1280x720p. A notable feature of the Galaxy Nexus was its design with a slight curve to the body, like the original prototype Samsung Galaxy S. It also had a removable back cover for easy access to the battery. But the next Nexus was already solid without the ability to open the case.
And yes, the Galaxy Nexus was a kind of platform for the announcement of the version of Android IceCream Sandwich and the era of on-screen navigation buttons. The new face of mobile operating system Google looked stylish, futuristic and more similar to Apple's iPhone.
- Release date: November 2012
- Codename: Mako
LG's Nexus 4 was one of the most important phones Nexus and the reason for this was not only that it ran on stock Android and promised timely system updates and top-end specifications. Its calling card has become its affordable price.
The starting price of the Nexus 7 in the US was $299, which, for a moment, is half the cost Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy at that time. Nexus 4 has become an attractive purchase not only for developers, but also for ordinary users.
This phone from the Nexus line was made in the style of LG devices. Many people remember it by its glass back and iridescent pixel pattern on the back edge.
- Release date: November 2013
- Codename: Hammerhead
With a 5-inch display, the Nexus 5 has become the go-to smartphone for many people and has stood the test of time, remaining fast even after several Android updates. Another convenience that carried over from the Nexus 4 was support wireless charging, especially useful feature, which manufacturers still install in their devices.
And while Google set out to be on a mission to fix the problem that Nexus phones had in terms of camera quality, the Nexus 5 fell short of those efforts. Its 8-megapixel main camera was a huge step up from the Nexus 4's mediocre rear camera, but it still fell short of the iPhone 4S/5 and Samsung Galaxy S3/S4, either in terms of speed or image quality.
The Nexus 5 also suffered from problems with processor heating and terrible throttling, and the only solution was to place it in the refrigerator to get the maximum clock speed. Despite some technical problems The Nexus 5 was one of the most successful Google phones. It had a very affordable price and nice design, especially in the red body color.
- Release date: October 2014
- Codename: Shamu
The largest 6-inch Nexus 6 released Motorola company in October 2014. The manufacturer Motorola was not chosen by chance: after all, Google recently acquired part of the Moto business and several important patents of the company. Despite this, the Nexus 6 is one of the least popular phones from the Nexus line.
It’s hard to say what the reason is: maybe its price or the dimensions of the case. Various sources, including official Google reports, have indicated that sales of the phone were significantly lower than expected.
The Nexus 6 also had a poorly calibrated AMOLED display that showed very unnatural colors. This was the first phone with Android firmware 5.0 Lollipop on board. Even now this device is still sold somewhere in the USA and Europe. Google Company has cut the price of the Nexus 6 to $299, making it one of the most affordable Nexus devices on the market.
- Release date: September 2015
- Codenames: Bullhead and Angler
After the failure in 2014, rumors surfaced that Google might kill off the Nexus line entirely. But in 2015, Google Nexus finally returned to the scene. The company introduced two Nexus smartphones at once: a 5.7-inch phablet from Huawei and a more compact 5.2-inch phone from LG. Both gadgets ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Among the features, both devices received front-facing stereo speakers, a fingerprint scanner on the rear panel and a modern connector USB Type-C. The Nexus 5X was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, while the Nexus 6P comes with the Snapdragon 810. Apart from the display size, the processors were the biggest difference between the two.
- Release date: September 2016
- Codenames: Sailfish and Marlin
In 2016, Google completely closed the Nexus program, and instead launched a premium line of devices under the Pixel brand. By comparison, the Pixel is a more ambitious project than the Nexus. Google is trying to sell phones to the masses, not just developers and enthusiasts. Pixel smartphones are now premium products with a flagship price to match (the smaller version costs $649). The OS out of the box for the Pixels is Android 7.0 Nougat.
The key features of the Pixel are its clean interface with the most advanced features and system updates, and its excellent camera. The Pixel is also the first phone to feature Google Assistant. The company's engineers optimized Android on Pixel and Pixel XL devices so well that these devices even now work better than any other Android smartphone.
With the Pixel line, the company wants to compete not only with A-brands and manufacturers Android phones, but also Apple itself. After all, the camera on the original Pixel smartphone is no worse than the iPhone.
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2
- Release date: October 2017
- Codenames: Walleye and Muskie
The second-generation Pixel smartphones bring another significant change: the XL 2 now features a modern edge-to-edge design, while the smaller Pixel 2 still has bezels around the screen. Both phones have front-facing speakers and no 3.5mm audio output. Headphones will have to be connected via a USB Type-C port using a special adapter.
Additionally, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are expected to be powered by the flagship Snapdragon 835 chip, which is more powerful and more energy efficient than the processor in the first-generation Pixels. And of course, Android 8.0 Oreo is preinstalled out of the box on both the younger and older versions.
When Google abandoned the Nexus program, many die-hard fans of these devices couldn't understand why. Even when the Pixel series arrived, some people continued to puzzle over this question. Now, when after Android program One is about to start Android Go, Google's master plan has finally become clear.
Devices Nexus offered relatively high-quality specifications and were designed to best demonstrate Google's vision for the Android OS. For some time, these devices were very inexpensive, and their popularization was focused on affordability. At that time, this strategy was a win-win and did not require even more or less serious investments in advertising from Google. Somewhat later, the growing popularity of the Nexus program prompted Google to reconsider its ambitions and develop, making this area a priority.
The first Pixels were actually very similar to the Nexus phones, with the main differences being in pricing and marketing approaches. Google still worked with manufacturing partners to produce the disparate components that actually formed the smartphones. While the corporation positioned the Pixel as a “phone from Google,” in fact Pixel could more accurately be described as "Nexus by another name".
Google usually does not advertise sales data and shares this information only in relation to Chromecast, so we can't say to what extent the ad budget allocated to the Pixel contributed to demand activity. Just before the release of the new Pixels was announced, it turned out that the share of these first-generation smartphones was only 0.7% of the total number of devices sold in the United States. It turns out that by moving to the less crowded premium level, Google is positioning itself in the same orbit as Apple and Samsung in essence, but not in sales. It was different with Nexus...
Looking back at the rather chaotic history of the Nexus, we can trace how Google got to the Pixel line. First there were the cheap Nexus phones like the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5, then the more “flagship” ones like the Nexus 6 and , and then came the Pixel line. By the end of the Nexus program, Google had a clear focus on the market segment high-end phones. Of course, Nexus needed rebranding, since it previously had a large target audience, which could roughly include any person buying a smartphone. The transition to Pixel has narrowed this audience significantly, despite the fact that many still see Nexus phones under this name.
But what about the mid- and entry-level markets, where most manufacturers draw most of their profits? They know exactly where they will get the “next billion” from. Google hasn't forgotten about the more accessible segments of the market either, it just doesn't serve them directly anymore. Just like Nexus was replaced by Pixel, Android One program adopted the specifics of the Nexus program, which has always been more focused on software than hardware. The difference is that Android One is open to any interested electronics manufacturer, meaning that they can all use their expertise combined with the platform's capabilities to mobile phones in their market segments. This opens up new and broad prospects for Google. The future of Android One now looks bright, as the program is being rolled out in devices of different price levels. And this is its very important difference from Nexus, along whose path it initially moved. Experts remember that after a disastrous start, Android One disappeared for some time. Now “pure” Android is back - with colorful banners and high-profile releases from Xiaomi, Motorola and HTC. The platform also appeared in the United States, providing what Nexus used: affordable smartphones with Android on board. Some smartphone models are sold by their manufacturers both like any other device in the product line and in version Google Play Edition. Marketing the Android One program makes them more visible and desirable by adding "Google-approved" software.
The Android One program is said to now aim to deliver a range of mid-range Pixels. Although, of course, it is unlikely that we will get a real average Pixel. As Android One moves up the food chain, its entry-level audience will be served by Android Go, a new strategy for mobile phones at a price up to $100. Just as Nexus rose to Pixel and Android One filled the vacated space on average price segment, Android Go is coming soon to replace Android One.
Android Go was introduced earlier this year and is original software from Google that addresses the hardware capabilities of entry-level devices. This is a super lightweight version of the OS designed for smartphones running with 1 GB of RAM or less. Oddly enough, Google hinted at such an outcome of the matter almost two years ago, only the words about software for “state employees” for some reason went unheeded. Now, Google has developed special versions of Go for its apps that run on the new lightweight version of Oreo to ensure optimal software experience no matter how strong the hardware specs. Starting in 2018, all low-cost Android phones will come with Android Go out of the box.
This strategy gives Google full coverage of all segments. The corporation has a high-end device that it fully controls and can best demonstrate its vision of Android, and OEMs install software products from Google to its mid-range and entry-level devices. As a result, everyone wins: manufacturers “skim the foam” from sales. Google demonstrates its capabilities with the example of the high-end Pixel and delivers software, receiving a certain share of the profit for it. The corporation is also working on its image by distributing a “pure” version of Android - without add-ons, which often only complicate and slow down the operation of devices. Moreover, OEMs take on all the risk in terms of investment, but relieve themselves of the burden of responsibility for support software. What about consumers? They are perfectly happy to receive guaranteed updates and security threat fixes on both Google-approved hardware and software. What could be better?
Finally, a complete and convincing plan for Android has been developed. Now Google is moving towards becoming the first company to develop the direction A.I. (artificial intelligence). As such, the corporation will need the tightly integrated network of high-performance hardware, software and AI that Pixel provides to make this dream a reality. Android One allows Google to focus on the future while leaving the here and now for someone else. And Android Go is working to make Google's next billion with Google-endorsed Android apps on entry-level devices. This is exactly how the corporation sees the process of further promoting “Android-as-Google-want-it”. Well, for those who are not fans of Android, most Android devices One are available in a version with a platform from the manufacturer, for example, .
Google launches its new smartphone Pixel XL, having created it yourself (although I still assembled the device HTC). How does it compare to last year's Nexus 6P, which involved more middlemen in its creation than it does now? Let's compare.
1 – size
The newcomer is lower and narrower by 3 percent, but they are equal in thickness.
2 – weight
The weight difference is 6 percent: the Pixel XL weighs 168 grams and the Nexus 6P weighs 178 grams. Thus, the new product has become at least more compact and lighter.
3 – building
Both bodies are actually made of aluminum, but the Nexus 6P also had a glass bar on the back that covered the cameras and hid the antennas. Design-wise, the old representative looks even more beautiful with its smooth, streamlined shapes. The new smartphone's plastic antennas on the body stand out too much.
4 – water protection
Both phones never received any protection from water.
5 – colors
Both then and now, Google offers a choice of black or silver. The new one now also has a blue color option, but the old school also offered gold and white colors.
6 – display
And here it turns out that reducing the height and width of the case affected the size of the display. The newcomer lost 0.2 inches, but thereby increased the pixel density per inch. After all, in fact, the resolution remains the same - 2560 by 1440 pixels. The screen type remains the same - AMOLED. There were no technologies added that could sense the force of pressing the screen. Simply put, the screen hasn't actually changed.
7 – cameras
The cameras haven't changed at all. All the same 12 and 8 megapixels. No dual cameras.
8 – battery
The battery capacity remains the same: 3450 mAh. Only for the previous model it gives up to 23 hours of battery life, and for the newcomer – up to 32 hours of talk time. Fast charging, USB-C connector and no wireless charging are included.
9 – processor
How much faster has it become? Snapdragon processor 821 compared to Snapdragon 820, it’s difficult to judge without tests, but a beginner is definitely faster at handling everyday tasks smartphone.
10 – RAM
The Nexus 6P had 3GB of RAM, and the Pixel XL had 4GB of RAM.
11 – memory
Both devices offer 32 or 128 GB of memory. But the previous phone also offered a 64GB option. Both smartphones do not support additional card memory.
12 – virtual reality support
Only the new Pixel XL will be able to work with the mobile platform virtual reality Daydream. The Nexus 6P, according to Google, is "underpowered."
13 – headphone port
Both smartphones have it.
14 – fingerprint sensor
Both smartphones have it on the back.
15 – mobile payments
Both smartphones offer Android Pay mobile payments.
16 – virtual assistant
New virtual assistant Google's Pixel XL can do more than that Google system Now.
17 – software
Google offers its smartphones pure Android, and the Nougat version. Only the Pixel XL gets version 7.1 out of the box, and the Nexus 6P should update to it from version 7.0 over time.
18 – release, price
In October 2016, Pixel XL was released at a starting price of $769. In October 2015, the Nexus 6P was released at a starting price of $499.
19 – output
The difference in price between the devices is impressive – $270. Despite the fact that the displays of both smartphones are actually the same (the Nexus 6P has even more inches), the cameras are the same and the design of the Nexus 6P looks even better. The Pixel XL has a slight lead in terms of the amount of RAM and the new processor, but the gap is not so big that the company could refuse to support the “old man” for the Daydream platform. The company rather needs to show why the newcomer costs significantly more, although it is only half a step away from its predecessor. Daydream is one such tick of difference. Otherwise, it's still the same phone.
Google abandoned the Nexus smartphone brand and replaced it with models called Pixel. In this regard, is it necessary to buy a new Pixel to replace the previous generation Nexus 5X?
Although Nexus smartphones will no longer be produced, they can still be purchased in stores. A year after its appearance, is the device created by the company still able to interest buyers? Note that although Google talks about Pixel as its product, it is manufactured by the company.
Google Pixel and Nexus 5X prices
Google has raised prices compared to Nexus models. The smaller Pixel costs £599 in the UK for the 32GB version, which is the same price as the . The 128GB version costs another £100 more.
The Nexus 5X retails for under £200 for the 16GB version, with the 32GB variant costing £269. So is it worth overpaying more than twice for Google Pixel?
Design and build
The Pixel is thicker and heavier than the Nexus 5X, despite the smaller screen size. Its case thickness is 8.5 mm, weight is 143 g versus 7.9 mm and 136 g. This is not a huge difference; the weight has increased due to the metal and glass of the case.Nexus 5X has one of the best plastic cases, but doesn't have the premium feel that the Pixel does. Despite the high-quality materials, the Pixel does not have the most convincing design on the back side, where a third of the surface is covered with glass. The white model looks like she's been dipped in chocolate.
At this price, you'd expect the Pixel to be waterproof like other flagships. In fact, the IP53 standard only provides splash protection. The Nexus 5X doesn't have that either.
Specifications and hardware characteristics
Keeping with the current trend in the smartphone market, Google has made the screen smaller than its predecessor. The diagonal is 5 inches instead of 5.2 inches, so the difference is small, but it is there and will allow those with small hands to better handle the smartphone.The screen resolution in both cases is Full HD (1080 x 1920), so the Pixel has a slightly higher pixel density. It uses an AMOLED panel instead of LCD, giving more rich colors, but some people will find the colors on the 5X more natural.
As it should be when compared to a year-old device, the Pixel wins when comparing internal components. The new flagship is used here Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 821, 4 GB random access memory versus Snapdragon 808 and 2 GB for Nexus 5X. Despite this, the performance level of the 5X is quite high, especially considering the price.
Like Apple, Google doesn't offer a microSD card slot, unlike most other Android manufacturers. In this regard, the Pixel wins, with a minimum of 32 GB and a maximum of 128 GB versus 16 and 32 GB for the Nexus 5X.
In terms of communications, there is approximate parity: dual-band 11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and NFC. The Pixel has Category 9 LTE versus the Nexus' Category 6, but no one will notice the difference.
Both phones have a fingerprint sensor on the back, but the Pixel can be used for camera gestures and notifications.
There is also not too much difference in the batteries and the set of connectors. Both have USB type C, the Pixel battery is 70 mAh larger - 2770 mAh. Both smartphones do not support wireless charging; the Pixel has fast charging standard version 3.0.
On paper, the Nexus 5X and Pixel have almost identical rear cameras - 12.3 MP, f/2.0 aperture, 1/2.3-inch sensor, 1.55 ns pixel size and dual flash - but the Pixel has phase detection and autofocus. DxO rates the Pixel's camera at 89, which is 5 points higher against (which has the same camera as the 5X).
The front camera on the Pixel has a resolution of 8 megapixels versus 5 megapixels on the Nexus, so its selfie photos are of higher quality.
Software
It would seem that comparing two Google smartphones in terms of operating system does not make sense, but this is not so. Pixel runs on latest version Android 7.1 Nougat with a number of exclusive features.
The home screen has a new look with navigation buttons, Google tab Instead of a search bar, accessing the list of apps involves swiping up rather than tapping on an icon. These may not be the most significant changes, but they are there.
There is also a new Google Assistant, which is not available on other smartphones without rooting and editing system files. It is launched by a long press on the Home button from anywhere in the system. This is an improved version Google Now, which is designed to help the user make the most of the smartphone's capabilities.
Nexus 5X is being updated to , but when will it get 7.1 and that's it functionality Pixel, unknown yet.
Conclusion
Although the Pixel is ahead of the Nexus 5X in a number of ways, it’s hard to recommend spending more than twice as much on it when you have a very high-quality device with a good camera. Perhaps the desire to get 128 GB of internal memory can justify such a decision, but the price difference will become even higher.Google has announced a fundamentally new family of its own smartphones, which is significantly different from the Nexus series. Many rumors claimed that HTC, which produced the very first Nexus back in 2010, had the honor of becoming the pioneer of the Pixel series. But this participation was supposed to be purely technical - there is no HTC branding on the new Pixel and Pixel XL. Its place should be taken by the Google logo on the metal back surface. And so it turned out - Pixel and Pixel XL are positioned as independent Google projects, without any mention of partners. In general, the positioning remains the same - all the best that Android can offer on top-end hardware. The main trump cards up the search giant's sleeve are the design and the new 12.3-megapixel camera. Pixel and Pixel XL offer a metal unibody design with a glass insert on the back. The camera lens is inscribed in it, led flash to it, as well as a fingerprint scanner.
The technical characteristics of Google Pixel and Pixel XL did not present any special surprises. The younger version received a 5" AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a Snapdragon 821 chipset with a frequency of 2.15 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 128 GB of ROM, a 12.3-megapixel main camera with a large 1.55-micron pixels, PDAF focusing and LED flash (Google calls it the most best camera in smartphones today), an 8-megapixel selfie module, a 2770 mAh battery, a fingerprint scanner and Android 7.1 Nougat. The XL version features a 5.5" AMOLED panel with QHD resolution and a 3450 mAh battery. Both smartphones will receive the same software capabilities, including new system voice Google Assistant Assistant, video calling service Google Duo and the Knock-Knock function, which allows you to see the caller before answering the call.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL will offer three different color options - Quite Black, Very Silver and Really Blue. The latter received limited edition status. Prices start at $649 for the Pixel and $769 for the Pixel XL (both for the base 32GB model) internal memory. For the 128GB version you will have to pay an additional $100. For another $35 you can buy a colored case.
Technical characteristics of Google Pixel and Pixel XL:
- Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA, LTE
- Platform (at time of announcement): Android 7.1 Nougat
- Display: Pixel: 5", 1920 x 1080 pixels, 441 ppi, AMOLED, glass Gorilla Glass 4 | Pixel XL: 5.5", 2560 x 1440 pixels, 534 ppi, AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 4
- Camera: 12.3 MP, Sony IMX378 sensor, 1/2.3", 1.55 µm, f/2.0, dual CRI-90 LED flash, phase detection autofocus, laser autofocus, video recording in 4K@30fps, 1080p@120fps, 720p@240fps
- Front camera: 8 MP
- Processor: 4 cores, 2.15 GHz, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821
- Graphics chip: Adreno 530 624 MHz
- RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
- Internal memory: 32/128 GB UFS2.0
- Memory card: no
- GPS and GLONASS
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) 2x2 MIMO
- USB Type-C
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Three microphones, adaptive sound amplifier
- Fingerprint scanner Pixel Imprint
- Battery: built-in, 2770/3450 mAh, fast charging Quick Charge 3.0
- Dimensions: 143.84 x 69.54 x 7.31-8.58 mm | 154.72 x 75.74 x 7.31-8.58 mm
- Weight: 143g /168g
Loading...
