Taking a look back at seven days of news across the Android world, this week’s Android Circuit includes news from Google's event on Tuesday, initial reviews on the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, a look at the Pixel C tablet, the highlights of the Nexus Engineers' AMA on Reddit, details on the two new Chromecast models, a review of the Samsung Galaxy Edge+, Tag Heur's Android Wear watch, Google's psychological trick to promote security updates, and OnePlus' founder asking for a job at Samsung.
Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many things that have happened around Android in the last week (and you can find the weekly Apple news digest here).
Google Launches Latest Nexus Devices
The big Android news this week was Google's product reveal on Tuesday (The Verge has a great video summing up the whole event), and the biggest focus was on the two new Nexus smartphones. Forbes' Jay McGregor picks up on the 6P and the 5X:
The Huawei designed Nexus 6P brings the high-end specs you’d expect from a 2015 device: a 12.3MP rear-facing camera, 3GB of RAM, 2k screen, USB C, 3450mAh battery (which charges in half the time of the iPhone 6S Plus according to Google) and a fingerprint scanner. And, of course, Android Marshmallow.
The Nexus 5X is the budget option of the two, but still sports an impressive list of high-end specs including; Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 processor, 2GB of RAM, 12.3MP camera, 2700mAh battery, fingerprint scanner, USB C and a 5.2-inch full HD display.
Pre-orders in the US are now open if you're looking to go with Google's focused vision of an Android device.
First Thoughts On The Nexus Handsets
We've got a look at both of the Nexus smartphones here on Forbes. Staying with McGregor, he looks over the Nexus 5X:
There’s a lot to like about the Nexus 5X. 2013′s Nexus 5 was immensely popular with Android users and I suspect the 5X will be too. It has all of the key ingredients that made its predecessor a success – low price point, simple design and impressive specs.
Meanwhile Ian Morris looks at the second handset, the Nexus 6P:
Today I’m eating humble pie. Why? Because I called the Google Nexus 6 ugly, and it isn’t. When I got some long-awaited hands-on time with the phone last night at the Google launch event I was genuinely pleased to see that the phone is actually rather lovely.
All The Announcements Followed By An Ask Me Anything
Of course the event was more than just the Nexus handsets, with Google revealing an Android-powered Pixel tablet (the Pixel C), a new version of ChromeCast, updates to Google Photos, and an extended warranty product called Nexus Protect. Seth Weintraub summarises the day's announcements.
As is now typical, Google’s Nexus event is after Apple’s blockbuster iPhone event and allowed Mountain View to take some jabs Apple and its new competing products. I noted a few areas where Google thought they could outdo Apple’s iPhone including the obvious pricing, new cameras (which I believe use very similar hardware as the new iPhones), charge time (half as long with USB-C), and display/footprint (above). The new Chromecasts features also were peppered with Apple barbs.
Following the event, a number of the team who worked on the Nexus devices took part in a Reddit Ask Me Anything event, talking about LTE Band 12 support (for T-Mobile USA), the lack of Qi charging for USB-C, fingerprints, and camera housings were all discussed.
Google is working to officially support Band 12 for T-Mobile by launch time, something that would require it to support VoLTE, and it also clarified some details about the lack of Qi charging this time around and security for the new fingerprint sensor features.
In addition, Google confirmed its thought process behind the names for the new devices, noting that X in 5X is “for the core of the Nexus brand (plus it sounds cool!),” and that the P in 6P is for “premium”.
9to5 Google sums up the AMA, while you can read the original AMA here.
First Look At The Pixel C Tablet
Forbes' Larry Magid has spent some time with the Pixel C tablet from the launch event. Sporting a 10.2 in ch diagonal screen, optional keyboard, USB-C, and ships with either 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage:
Pixel is the brand used for high-end Google Chromebooks and this is the first time Google has announced an Android convertible that can dub as a laptop. It will run the new Marshmallow version of Android when it ships later this year — in time for the holidays.
Because it runs Android, its closer to a real computer than a Chromebook. There are hundreds of thousands of Android apps, many of which can be run offline. There is even an Android version of Microsoft Office, which should make this an interesting option for business road warriors.
New Chromecasts For Sound And Vision
Google announced was an update to Google's Chromecast TV dongle to stream audio and video from the internet (controlled by your smartphone), and a new Chromecast Audio that plus directly into Hi-Fi speakers to provide for a better connected audio experience than a bluetooth audio connection. Forbes' Miguel Helft:
Google also introduced two new Chromecast devices. One is a faster model of the original Chromecast that is round and plugs in to a television through a flexible cable. The other, called Chromecast Audio, plugs directly into speakers and delivers audio through WiFi and at higher fidelity than current Bluetooth-based systems. The new Chromecast is available today, at the same $35 price of its predecessor. The Chromecast Audio is also $35 and is available today.
Google said Spotify is supporting Chromecast and Chromecast Audio. The Chromecast Audio allows a phone to pair with a speaker more easily than Bluetooth and because the audio is streamed directly from the cloud to the speaker, it doesn’t drain a phone’s battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Edge+ Reviewed
Samsung's Galaxy Edge+ phable has been picking up a lot of attention, mixing in the love of the phablet form fact with Samsung's vision of a curved screen. Forbes' Ian Morris has reviewed the outsized handset and found a competent handset, albeit with poor battery life and an impressive camera:
For me the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+ are the pinnacle of hardware design. Apple does things beautifully, but in a different way. Samsung is showy, and uses the edge display as a gimmick. Apple, on the other hand, uses that more tasteful all-metal design and beautiful rounding to make its handset look stunning.
Aesthetically, the S6 Edge+ is a crowd pleaser. Ergonomically it can annoy in very minor ways, as I mentioned in my section on the edge display above. No worries though, the S6 Edge+ is, without doubt, one of the best phones of the year.
That said, the Galaxy Note 5 will not be available in Europe, just the Edge+. That leaves myself, and Morris, a touch uneasy:
A recent conversation with a Samsung senior exec has somewhat cleared up the company’s attitude to phones. The firm says that consumers really want the option of big screens, but it admits that people don’t want a lot of extra features with it.
This is why the Edge+ exists, it’s for people who want a larger S6 Edge, but without the extra features of the Note 5. As a strategy, it does make sense, but I do miss the Note as it was. More power, bigger screen and some neat features made that handset one of the best out there.
You can read the full review here on Forbes.
Tag Heur's Android Wear powered Smartwatch
Android Wear will be getting a new partner in the next few weeks, as traditional watch-maker Tag Heur launches its Android Wear powered smartwatch. The Carrerra will be available in early November, and comes with a rather large price tag.
We’ve been waiting with anticipation to hear when Tag Heuer would officially reveal its first foray in to the world of smartwatches. In an interview with CNBC the company’s CEO, Jean-Claude Biver announced that the Android Wear-based digital Carrera will be unveiled on November 9 at the LVMH building in New York. The luxury wearable will cost $1,800, a price which Biver claims is no longer a concern after watching Apple Watch’s successful launch…
In the world where status is determined by your watch, Tag Heur is a respected name and could bring that class to the smartwatch market. The addition of Android Wear for digital support will (for the moment) be seen as a key differentiator.
Google Looks To Security Shaming To Protect Android
As Android suffers from more visible security issues, Google is pushing its monthly security updates to carriers and manufacturers and hoping they will support the fast roll-out of the bug fixes. In a bid to put more pester power pressure on them, the latest version of Android has a new feature that will give end users the ability to know if their smartphone is up to date with Google's patches.
That might be about to change, as Android Marshmallow deploys a delightfully simple psychological hack. Your Android device will now show you details of the last security update that has been applied to your handset. Tucked away in Settings menu will be a new header labelled ‘Android security patch level’ and it will show the date where the handset was fully updated with the latest Android patches.
Can security shaming work for Google?
And Finally...
The rock and roll attitude of OnePlus' Founder Carl Pei continues to gather attention. With OnePlus facing questions about the logistics of distributing the OnePlus 2, Pei has decided to ask for help from Samsung. Or at least ask for a job:
So, Samsung, today I have a proposal for you: let me be your intern. Seriously.
I would be honored to learn from your team about how you’ve been able to scale, run, and manage your business so successfully. In turn, I would be happy to share what we’ve learned about how to engage with our community and implement their feedback to deliver a better user experience.
Better yet, let’s do an intern swap. I would be honored to visit your headquarters, and, in turn, we would be happy to host one of your own executives here to show you how we work at OnePlus.
Android Circuit’ will round-up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future, and of course read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week’s Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you’d like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
