Tag Archives: Nexus 4

Evolution Of Google Nexus : Huawei’s Transcendence

Google opened up the smartphone market with their introduction of the Android operating system. From a small handful of smartphone manufacturers, there is now a plethora of small to large manufacturers. That has led to the creation of thousands of smartphone models, with their own blend of design, features and price point.

For the purist though, there is nothing better than a true Google smartphone with a clean, pure Android operating system. No bloatware to waste memory and clog up the system. Google finally catered to the demand when they created the Google Nexus series of pure Android smartphones.

Wary of entering the market as a competitor, Google threaded carefully by creating the Nexus smartphones with various smartphone partners. They even made sure they switched partners over the years to “give everyone a chance”.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of Google’s Nexus project and how it led to the new Huawei Nexus 6P smartphone.

 

Google Nexus One

Google chose to work HTC on the first Nexus smartphone, dubbed Nexus One. Launched in January 2010, the Google Nexus One ran Android 2.1 Eclair on a single-core Qualcomm processor with 512 MB of RAM and 512 MB of internal storage. It also came with 5 MP camera.

The Nexus One was notable for its performance and its 3.7″ AMOLED display, although that was eventually replaced with a Super LCD display. HTC eventually released their HTC Desire, which is very similar in specifications to the Nexus One.

 

Google Nexus S

Google then worked with Samsung to create and manufacture the second-generation Nexus smartphone – the Google Nexus S.

The Nexus S shipped with a 4″ Super AMOLED display, a Samsung Exynos processor, 512 MB of RAM and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It was notable for being the first Android smartphone to feature NFC.

 

Google Galaxy Nexus

Google continued with Samsung for their third Android smartphone – the Galaxy Nexus. Launched in October 2011, it was the first smartphone to feature the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The Galaxy Nexus continued to use a Super AMOLED display but upgrades the other aspects – a dual-core ARM Cortex processor, 1 GB of memory and support for MHL output as well as Google Wallet.

 

Google Nexus 4

For their fourth Nexus smartphone, Google decided to work with LG Electronics. Launched in November 2012, the Google Nexus 4 featured a quad-core ARM Krait processor, 2 GB of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

The Nexus 4 was notable for its Qi wireless charging capability, as well as its front and rear glass construction with a holographic design on the back. It also came with a higher resolution 8 MP rear camera, and a 1.3 MP front camera.

 

Google Nexus 5

Google continued to work with LG Electronics on the Google Nexus 5 smartphone. Revealed on October 31st, 2013, it featured a more subdued (and tougher) polycarbonate design.

The Nexus 5 was notable for offering a great deal of hardware for the price. Launched with Android 4.4 KitKat, it featured a quad-core ARM Krait 400 processor, a 4.95″ full HD (1080p) IPS display, and support for LTE.

 

Google Nexus 6

Google then switched to Motorola for the Nexus 6 smartphone. It was the first Google Nexus device to feature a 6″ Quad HD (2560 x 1440) AMOLED display and Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Google Nexus 6 was also notable for its sleek design, which belies its large form factor. It also features a large 3220 mAh battery with fast charging capability, as well as a high-resolution 13 MP main camera with optical image stabilization.

 

Google Nexus 5X

The Google Nexus 5X is an evolution of the Nexus 5, both manufactured by LG. It is the first Android device to feature the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor, and the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.

The Nexus 5X is notable for the introduction of the Android Sensor Hub, a low-power processor designed to take over the handling of the Nexus 5X’s sensors. This reduces the amount of power consumed by its 6-core ARM processor.

 

Google Nexus 6P

Alongside the Nexus 5X, Google also launched the Google Nexus 6P, which was co-designed with and manufactured by Huawei. As the flagship model of the two Nexus devices designed for the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system, the Huawei-made Nexus 6P is equipped with hardware to kill for.

 

Like the LG-made Nexus 5X, the Huawei-made Nexus 6P also features the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor and the Android Sensor Hub. But that’s where the similarities end.

[adrotate banner=”4″]The Nexus 6P is powered by an octa-core ARM processor, and comes with 3 GB of LPDDR4 memory and up to 128 GB of internal storage. The Nexus 6P eschewed wireless charging capability for a high-capacity 3,450 mAh battery that fast-charges through a USB Type-C connector.

It also features a 5.7″ WQHD AMOLED display (2560 x 1440) with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection and dual-ported speakers. Instead of a glass or polycarbonate case, the Nexus 6P is the first Nexus smartphone to feature an all-metal chassis.

In the photography department, it sports a 12.3 MP main camera that is capable of recording 4K videos, and comes with laser autofocus. Its front camera has a 8 MP sensor that records HD videos.

This is definitely the Android smartphone to beat this year!