Google (GOOG, GOOGL) just wrapped up its annual Nexus event in San Francisco, and as expected, new Google Nexus smartphones were announced, including the new flagship Nexus 6P.
But there were also some surprise reveals, including the new Pixel C convertible tablet and the Chromecast Audio.
Here’s what you need to know about the 2015 edition of the Google Nexus Event.
New Google Nexus Smartphones: Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P
China’s Huawei has been pegged to build the big Google Nexus.
Clad in an all-metal body, the Nexus 6P has a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with a Qualcomm (QCOM) 810 CPU, a new Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor, a big 3,450 mAh battery and recharges using the new USB Type-C that Apple (AAPL) included on its New MacBook. Google says it will charge twice as fast as the iPhone 6 Plus.
Minimal bezels mean the Nexus 6P is roughly the same size as Apple’s phablet, despite the bigger display. It also has a 12.3MP Sony (SNE) image sensor — the biggest in a Nexus camera and one that uses larger pixels for better indoor photos.
The Nexus 5X — an update to last year’s Nexus 5 made by LG — also uses USB Type-C, the Nexus Imprint fingerprint sensor and a 64-bit processor. It has a 5.2-inch full HD display and the same 12.3MP image sensor found in the Nexus 6P.
The Nexus 6P phablet is the flagship device out of the two and will mark the first time Huawei’s hardware has broken into the North American market in a big way.
Given that Huawei is now the world’s third largest smartphone vendor — shipping 30.6 million units in the second quarter — the fact that the company is being given the opportunity by Google to impress U.S. consumers should give Apple and Samsung (SSNLF) pause. Huawei may be able to leverage this exposure to get its own smartphones into carrier showrooms.
Both new Google Nexus smartphones will run Android Marshmallow and will be available for preorder starting today through Google, with prices starting at $379 (Nexus 5X) and $499 (Nexus 6P). Included in the price are 90 days of free Google Play Music and a $50 Google Play credit.
A new two-year Nexus Protect warranty ($69 and $89 respectively) gives protection from accidental and mechanical damage, with overnight phone replacement.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Apple is in the midst of rolling out iOS 9 for its mobile devices, and Google’s answer now has a release date.
We already knew that Android 6.0 — better known as Android Marshmallow — has many new features, including fingerprint security in the core feature set, better battery life and a more granular approach to managing app permissions.
Now we know when Google will start releasing it — look for Android Marshmallow to start rolling out next week.
Mind you, that doesn’t mean just anyone will be able to download and install Android Marshmallow. Because carriers and manufacturers are directly involved, Google’s operating system takes a lot longer to trickle down to existing smartphones — last year’s Android Lollipop just passed the 20% adoption rate at the beginning of September.
Pixel C
Google gave a sneak peek at a new device it’s working on that offers the convertible tablet approach of Microsoft’s (MSFT) Surface and the new iPad Pro.
The Pixel C is a powerful 10.2-inch Android tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard stand. Stealing a note from Windows 10, the Pixel C is smart enough to know when to use the physical keyboard and switches to its virtual keyboard when in tablet mode.
The Pixel C will be available in time for the holidays for $499 (32GB) or $599 (64GB), while the keyboard will sell for $149
Chromecast
Google announced that the library of Chromecast content providers continues to grow, and now includes the NHL and NBA. With 20 million Chromecasts sold globally, it’s time for a hardware upgrade.
The new Chromecast (with integrated HDMI cable) gains a new, round form factor, funky color options, improved dual-band Wi-Fi and three adaptive antennas. Voice search across all services has been added, matching Apple TV and Fire TV capabilities.
Chromecast also gains enhanced photo casting support from Google Photos. However, despite rumors of 4K support, it seems as though the Google Chromecast — like Apple’s new Apple TV — is content to remain at 1080p resolution.
Google is making it easier for game developers to cast their Android and iOS games onto a TV as well, including the option of displaying the game on the TV screen while using a smartphone as the controller. Multiplayer support is also being baked in.
Chromecast Audio is a new device designed to tackle music in the home. A round, vinyl-record-inspired device, it plugs into the headphone jack of a speaker system to cast music via Wi-Fi. It also has RCA and optical audio ports.
The new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio will be both be available today, both priced at $35.
There were plenty of other updates, including a forthcoming Google Play Music family plan ($14.99 monthly for 6 people), new Google Photos features and a shout out to the latest crop of Android Wear smartwatches.
With Samsung, Amazon (AMZN), Apple and now Google through their big fall product announcements, the stage is set for the latest crop of smartphones, tablets, streamers and smart watches to duke it out for consumers’ holiday shopping dollars.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
