Google Announces Two New Phones and Android 6.0 Marshmallow Availability
Google announced two new phones Tuesday, the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X, along with availability details about the newest version of Android, codenamed Marshmallow.
By Emily Price •
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Google announced two new phones Tuesday, the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X, during an event in San Francisco. The phones will be some of the first to run the newest version of Android, codenamed Marshmallow, and both offer significant upgrades from last year's models.
Nexus 6P
Google partnered with Huawei to make the Nexus 6P. Google called the phone its "most premium phone yet." The device has an all-metal body and 5.7-inch display. Despite the larger screen, the device is about the same size of an iPhone 6 Plus. The phone has a 12.3-megapixel rear-facing digital camera and an 8-megapixel forward-facing camera. A fingerprint sensor on the rear of the device, called Nexus Imprint, offers fingerprint authentication for unlocking the device and using payment services. The phone uses USB-C to charge, which Google says will allow the phone to charge fully in roughly half the time of the iPhone 6 Plus. The Nexus 6P starts at $499.
Related: 6 Steps to Improve Your Personal Brand on Google
Nexus 5X
The Nexus 5X was made in conjunction with LG, which also made last year's Nexus 5. The 5.2-inch phone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and has a 1080-pixel display protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The phone has a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and is now capable of capturing 4K video. The phone now charges with USB-C rather than microUSB and also has Nexus Imprint. The Nexus 5X starts at $379.
Both phones are available in the Google Play Store and can be preordered starting today. The phones will begin shipping later in October, will come unlocked and will work on major networks in the U.S. and internationally. Both also come with a 90-day free subscription to Google Play Music. All preorders include a $50 Play credit for buying apps, movies, music and games. A new service called Nexus protect is also available for the phones, offering two years of protection from accidental damage and mechanical breakdowns. If something does happen to your phone, you can file a claim 24/7 and often get a new phone the next business day. Pricing for the program starts at $69.
Related: Samsung, Google to Release Monthly Android Security Patches
Marshmallow is coming
Google announced some availability details for the next version of Android: Android 6.0, codenamed Marshmallow. The operating system will roll out to existing Nexus devices starting next week. Originally announced at Google I/O earlier this year, new features include a power-saving mode called Doze, a revised app permissions system and Now on Tap, a feature that offers additional information about things you're looking at on your screen. For instance, you can be listening to a song and then ask Google what the artist's real name is while still listening.
Android updates are dictated by device manufactures and carriers. Expect the update to come to newer Android smartphones over the next few months.
