Google unveils new Nexus 5 with M7-like motion tracker, Android 4.4 KitKat
At a Friday event in San Francisco, Google took the covers off their newest Nexus-series handset and unwrapped the next version of Android, version 4.4, or "KitKat."
The Nexus 5's announced specifications line up with previous leaks, and it appears Google has packed nearly every available technology into the device. A 2.2-gigahertz Qualcomm processor with 2 gigabytes of RAM drives a 4.95-inch 1080p display, while support for 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC, and inductive charging can be found on board, reports Engadget. Like the Nexus 4, Google partnered with South Korean manufacturer LG for the handset.
Android's newest flagship also includes what appears to be a response to Apple's M7 motion coprocessor, adding "two new composite sensors -- step detector and step counter -- that...track steps when the user is walking, running, or climbing stairs." Google notes that the "new sensors are implemented in hardware for low power consumption," though KitKat is also required.
Google says the Nexus 5 will ship today in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Korea. An unlocked, off-contract 16-gigabyte model will retail for $349, while bumping the onboard memory to 32 gigabytes will raise the price to $399.
KitKat, meanwhile, is said to sport several user interface and app updates that Google promises will make using KitKat devices easier than those running older versions of the operating system. Google Now features prominently, with the Nexus 5 gaining the now-famous "OK, Google" wake-up feature.
Google also slimmed KitKat down, according to the release, allowing it to run on devices with as little as 512 megabytes of RAM. The Mountain View company says the efficiency effort was designed to broaden support for low-powered Android devices which are popular in the developing world.
Behind the scenes, in addition to the new step detection features, KitKat gives developers native APIs for printing, new NFC capabilities, a standardized method for interacting with SMS and MMS messages, and support for building full-screen applications.
The Nexus 5's announced specifications line up with previous leaks, and it appears Google has packed nearly every available technology into the device. A 2.2-gigahertz Qualcomm processor with 2 gigabytes of RAM drives a 4.95-inch 1080p display, while support for 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC, and inductive charging can be found on board, reports Engadget. Like the Nexus 4, Google partnered with South Korean manufacturer LG for the handset.
Android's newest flagship also includes what appears to be a response to Apple's M7 motion coprocessor, adding "two new composite sensors -- step detector and step counter -- that...track steps when the user is walking, running, or climbing stairs." Google notes that the "new sensors are implemented in hardware for low power consumption," though KitKat is also required.
Google says the Nexus 5 will ship today in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Korea. An unlocked, off-contract 16-gigabyte model will retail for $349, while bumping the onboard memory to 32 gigabytes will raise the price to $399.
KitKat, meanwhile, is said to sport several user interface and app updates that Google promises will make using KitKat devices easier than those running older versions of the operating system. Google Now features prominently, with the Nexus 5 gaining the now-famous "OK, Google" wake-up feature.
Google also slimmed KitKat down, according to the release, allowing it to run on devices with as little as 512 megabytes of RAM. The Mountain View company says the efficiency effort was designed to broaden support for low-powered Android devices which are popular in the developing world.
Behind the scenes, in addition to the new step detection features, KitKat gives developers native APIs for printing, new NFC capabilities, a standardized method for interacting with SMS and MMS messages, and support for building full-screen applications.
Comments
Screw their devices... they need to do more marketing of their amazingly fast copy machines!
Screw their devices... they need to do more marketing of their amazingly fast copy machines!
Copy machines? Please explain....
It's a stretch to refer to Google's motion tracker as a "response" to Apple's, since it was under development at the same time as Apple's, but I know what your sayin'.
Oh.... THAT'S what he's talking about. What about the Moto X that was introduced 3 months ago and all the extra sensors it has? Who did THEY copy from?
Oh.... THAT'S what he's talking about. What about the Moto X that was introduced 3 months ago and all the extra sensors it has? Who did THEY copy from?
extra sensors??
the topic is about a chip that tracks all sensor data right??
did I miss something?
is it our turn to say that Android is getting stale?
extra sensors??
the topic is about a chip that tracks all sensor data right??
did I miss something?
No I am talking about the X8 - their natural language and contextual computing processor. Since Google produces "copy" machines, I was wondering who they copied THAT from.
With that new step sensor, Fandroids will be assured of when they arrive safely at home, in their parent's basement.
After visiting their great-grandmother and helping her setup her new iPhone!
Monkey see, monkey do….
I love spending money on Apple products but I love Google as well as long as Youtube and Google Search is for free
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I am a Cheap Google lover but I am also Premium Apple Buyer (Getting iPad Air tomorrow- Still need iPad Mini w Retina)
How ironic that the company with the "dont be evil" motto launch their new product on Halloween.
Well, their user community certainly didn't read the Motto, they are usually some of the most vindictive, and mean spirited bunch.I had one of them tell me I was an ass for suggesting that Apple is readying a large screen iPhone for next year and he said they aren't, but he wouldn't take me up on a Gentleman's bet since the stakes were too high.
I love spending money on Apple products but I love Google as well as long as Youtube and Google Search is for free
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I am a Cheap Google lover but I am also Premium Apple Buyer (Getting iPad Air tomorrow)
I don't like being a product for Google to be sold to advertisers. Google free products are sheep farm.
Screw their devices... they need to do more marketing of their amazingly fast copy machines!
What copy machines? It is the same SoC that the LG G2 has and it was presented on August
It does not matter how hard google and their gangs to try and put all the latest and greatest hardware inside their devices.
It also does not matter how hard they try to make sure android runs with min amount of RAM.
This company has no class no culture and no shame stealing and selling their users' private info.
For that reason alone, there are millions, if not billions of people, who never EVER waste their money to purchase any device with google behind it.
NEVER EVER ....
I'm sure most here will hate this phone, but it looks pretty good to me. Solid phone at a great price. The only thing I can see that it's missing is an external SD slot as Google is against putting them in their phones.