Search engine giant, Google today (15 October) officially unveiled the Android Lollipop powered Motorola Nexus 6 and HTC Nexus 9 devices.
"Advances in computing are driven at the intersection of hardware and software. That's why we've always introduced Nexus devices alongside our platform releases. Rather than creating software in the abstract, we work with hardware partners to build Nexus devices to help push the boundaries of what's possible," said Sundar Pichai, SVP, Android, Chrome & Apps.
"Nexus devices also serve as a reference for the ecosystem as they develop on our newest release. And for Lollipop, we have a few new Nexus treats to share with you," he added.
First up, Motorola Nexus 6, as rumored before, the new Google smartphone resembles stretched version of Moto X (Gen 2.), but with far more superior internal hardware. It sports a mammoth 5.96-inch QHD (2560x1440p) screen and comes packed with new Android L OS (with material design), 805 series Snapdragon CPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB/64GB inbuilt memory , 13.0-megapixel main camera, a 2.0-megapixel snapper on the front and 3220 mAh battery.
On the other hand, HTC Nexus 9 flaunts 8.9-inch QXGA (2048x1536p) IPS LCD screen and comes packed with 64-bit Nvidia Tegra K1 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB inbuilt memory, 8.0-megapixel main camera, a 1.6-megapixel front-camera, and 6700 mAh battery.
Besides Nexus smartphone and slate, Google also unveiled the long rumored Android TV set-top box- Asus Nexus Player, a streaming media player for movies, music and videos.
It's also a first-of-its-kind Android gaming device. With Nexus Player you can play Android games on your HDTV with a gamepad, then keep playing on your phone while you're on the road. Nexus Player is Google Cast Ready so you can cast your favorite entertainment from almost any Chromebook or Android or iOS phone or tablet to your TV, said the company. Nexus Player will be available pre-order on 17 October and hit stores on 3 November for $99 (around €80/ 6,100) apiece and with optional remote control for additional $40 (around €30/ 2,460).
Google Motorola Nexus 6 release date and price details:
The Nexus 6is said to be made available for preorder on October 29 and get released in November in 27 countries (India likely figure in this list). It will sold unlocked and also via carriers- Sprint, US Cellular, AT&T and T-Mobile in US. The unlocked 32GB and 64 GB are said to cost $649 (around € 510/ ₹40,000) and $699 (around € 550/ ₹43,000) respectively.
Google HTC Nexus 9 release date and price details:
Nexus 9 - 16GB model is said to cost $399 (around €310/₹24,550), while the 32GB – Wi-Fi and LTE models come with price-tag of $479 (around €375/₹29,500) and $599 (around €470/ ₹36,900) respectively, reported CNET. The new HTC slate will go up for pre-order on 17 October and get released on 3 November.
Key specifications of Motorola Nexus 6 and HTC Nexus 9:
| Models | Motorola Nexus 6 | HTC Nexus 9 |
| Display | 5.96-inch QHD (2560x1440p) screen with Gorilla Glass 3 shieldPixel density: 493 ppi (pixels per inch) | 8.9" IPS LCD 4:3 aspect ratio QXGA (2048x1536p) Gorilla Glass 3 with 'Double tap to wake' feature |
| OS | Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| Processor | 2.7GHz Quad core Krait 450 CPU (Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SOC) | 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor |
| GPU | Adreno 420 | Kepler GPU |
| RAM | 3GB | 2GB |
| Storage capacity | 32GB & 64GB | 16GB & 32GB |
| Camera | Main: 13.0-megapixel camera with Dual-LED flash, f2.0 aperture, 4K video recordingFront: 2.0-megapixel camera with HD video conferencing feature | Main: 8.0-megapixel camera with f/2.4 aperture, Auto-focus, LED flashFront:1.6-megapixel camera with f/2.4 aperture |
| Battery | 3220 mAh;Talk time: up to 24 hoursStandby time: close to 250 hours (with ambient display on) and 330 hours (with ambient display off) | 6700 mAh; Wi-Fi Browsing: Up to 9.5 hours LTE Browsing: Up to 8.5 hours Video Playback: Up to 9.5 hours Wi-Fi Standby: Up to 30 days LTE Standby: Up to 30 days |
| Network | 3G & 4G LTE | 3G & 4G-LTE (optional) |
| Add-ons | Nano SIM, Bluetooth v4.1. Wi-Fi (802.11 ac 2x2 dual band; MIMO), NFC,micro-SUB v2.0, dual-front speakers. Turbo Charger technology, lets user get up to six hours of use with only 15 minutes of charge. | 802.11ac 2x2 (MIMO) NFC, Bluetooth 4.1, micro-USB 2.0, Dual front-facing speakers with HTC BoomSound technology and Dual microphones |
| Dimensions | 159.26 x 82.98 x 10.06 mm | 228.25mm x 153.68mm x 7.95mm |
| Weight | 184 g | 425g (Wi-Fi), 436g (LTE) |
| Colours | Midnight Blue and cloud white | Indigo Black, Lunar White, Sand |
| Price | 32GB: $649 (around € 510/ ₹40,000)64GB: $699 (around € 550/ ₹43,000) | 16GB: Wi-Fi only - $399 (around €310/₹24,550);32GB: Wi-Fi only - $479 (around €375/₹29,500);
32GB: LTE - $599(around €470/ ₹36,900); |
