Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Dave Burke, vice president of engineering at Google, speaking about the new Google Nexus 6P. Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Google just unveiled its own tempting answer to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus

And it took inspiration from rivals in a few different ways.

GOOGLE HAD A VERY busy afternoon as it announced a number of new products and updates to its services.

In a packed one hour presentation, the company announced a number of new hardware updates like Chromecast as well as upgrades to existing software services like Google Photos.

“Nexus is Android as we designed it”, said VP engineer at Android Dave Burke before he revealed two new phones, the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P.

The Nexus 6P, designed by Huawei, is a 5.7-inch phone but is roughly the same size of 5.5-inch devices.

The screen covers 74% of the overall device and is roughly the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus. It comes with a 64-bit processor as well as with a 12.3-megapixel camera.

Google Nexus / YouTube

The Nexus 5X, designed by LG, is a 5.2-inch display which “offers top of the range performance at an affordable price.” It also comes with a 12.3-megapixel camera and Type-C USB port.

Google Nexus / YouTube

The camera for both devices has a 1.55 um pixel image sensor and is optimised for indoor and low-light photography.

It uses laser detect autofocus technology to help capture shots and also supports slow-motion videos – the 5X can capture 120fps while the 6P captures 240fps – while smart burst creates GIFs by taking burst photos at 30fps.

Both devices run Android Marshmallow, the latest version of Google’s OS, and include fingerprint sensors for unlocking your device. They have fewer preloaded apps, apps will now ask users permission to use a specific feature when needed, much like iOS, and a feature called Now on Tap, which allows you to search Google automatically from any app.

Marshmallow will begin rolling out to Nexus devices next week while the Nexus 5X and 6P will begin shipping later this month. Ireland will be one of the first countries to get both Nexus devices alongside the US, UK and Japan and will be unlocked.

The 5X starting at €479 for 16GB, with a 32GB version also available, while the 6P starts at €649 for 32GB, with 64GB and 128GB versions also available.

Other inspirations

The inspiration from Apple didn’t end there as it announced other features like a family plan for Google Play Music, which costs €14.99 for up to six people, similar to Apple Music’s own Family Plan. It also announced a warranty programme called Nexus Support, which is similar to Apple Care and provides two years of coverage for breakdown as well as two years of coverage for accidental damage.

The company also announced a new Android tablet called the Pixel C, an Android tablet that bears a number of similarities to Microsoft’s Surface series and the recently announced iPad Pro.

It comes with a keyboard that connects magnetically without a docking mechanism, and allows users to switch between typing and using the touch screen. It’s adjustable from 100 to 135 degrees and doesn’t require a kickstand to stand up.

Only the US prices for the Pixel C were revealed. Over there, it will cost $499 for 32GB ($599 for 64GB) while the keyboard comes separately and costs $149.

hero-image_2x The Pixel C tablet from Google. Google Google

Chromecasts and Photos

Chromecast received a more colourful upgrade as well as going for a more inconspicuous size so it fits in TVs with crowded ports. It also receives an upgrade in hardware allowing it to adapt to changing WiFi conditions in your home, as well as higher quality streaming.

It also announced Chromecast Audio, a similar device that plugs into your existing speakers and allows you to stream audio from any Cast-enabled apps, which will now include Spotify.

Chromecast Audio will cost €35 while the upgraded Chromecast costs €39.

Google Cast / YouTube

Google Photos gets three new features including Chromecast support, shared albums and labelling people on photos, a private feature to help you find specific people in your photo collections.

At the beginning of the presentation, the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, revealed some other new stats before the presentation started. More than 1.4 billion active Android devices are now activated while Google Play has one billion active users.

“The reason we build hardware is so we can work together as we build the next version of the operating system… [and] guide the ecosystem,” said Pichai.

Read: Microsoft insists it’s not scanning users’ emails so it can serve up better ads >

Read: This is your regular reminder that those Facebook copyright posts you’re seeing are rubbish >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
31 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Heffernan
    Favourite Conor Heffernan
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:17 PM

    top of the range performance at an affordable price…ya right-479 is totally affordable.

    91
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute neuromancer
    Favourite neuromancer
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:40 PM

    It’s cheaper than any other flagship phone from other companies, of similar specs.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Heffernan
    Favourite Conor Heffernan
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:50 PM

    wrong….one plus two is 322 euro and it is equally as good.

    16
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Your Defence
    Favourite Your Defence
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 11:05 PM

    The 1+2 is a fine phone, however the running round in circles you have to do currently i.e invite system and woeful after sales support (check their own website forum) means it’s a no go for the general population.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerard Casserly
    Favourite Gerard Casserly
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 6:48 PM

    mmmmmm marshmallow….

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris O Neill Cabra
    Favourite Chris O Neill Cabra
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 8:38 PM

    When will these companies realise that people want batteries in there smartphones that last longer than 12 hrs!

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Smith
    Favourite John Smith
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:05 PM

    These companies do realise that people would like a longer lasting battery and that could easily be achieved but what really sells phones is a brighter, higher resolution screen, fast, slim and light phone – things people can actually see. To have better batteries you would need some combination of lower res and less bright screen, fatter phones, less connectivity (Bluetooth, wifi, 3G, 4g, nfc) less memory and lower power processors. But I don’t think that phone would sell. Once the phone lasts for a full day most people don’t care that you then have to plug it in.

    38
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciarán
    Favourite Ciarán
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 11:33 PM

    You could keep all of those features if you were willing to make the phones slightly thicker, but that doesn’t fly after apple somehow managed to make thinness a feature

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ben Redline
    Favourite Ben Redline
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:12 PM

    My IPhone spends so much time plugged in, it’s basically a land line.

    72
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Roche
    Favourite Paul Roche
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 6:49 PM

    Just get your parents to register you with Google at birth.
    Job done.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TheDoctor
    Favourite TheDoctor
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:01 PM

    Will that get to a free phone? I’d be up for that.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mad Mike
    Favourite Mad Mike
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:13 PM

    So the same price as an iPhone but with less prestige and less secure?

    Hold on while I think about that …

    (Nips off to preorder an iPhone 6s…)

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:15 PM

    Yeah, prestige. That’s what you want in your phone calls.

    138
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mad Mike
    Favourite Mad Mike
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 8:22 PM

    Who makes phone calls anymore?

    18
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul FitzGerald
    Favourite Paul FitzGerald
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 8:44 PM

    Plenty of Droid phones blow an iPhone 6 outvif the water. One Plus 2 for example. And its about 1/3 of the cost of an IPhone. You might mull over that for the four hours it takes you to load a movie through iTunes onto your IPhone.

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute neuromancer
    Favourite neuromancer
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:41 PM

    Simple people stick to iPhones, that should suit you just perfect.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas McGuire
    Favourite Thomas McGuire
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 9:30 PM

    Same price? Nexus 5X €479, Nexus 6P €649, (cheapest) iPhone 6S €759.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonny Lennon
    Favourite Jonny Lennon
    Report
    Sep 30th 2015, 12:04 AM

    We’ve been well and truly shafted and in Ireland yet again, cheaper in the UK and much cheaper in USA for both these phones good luck Google trying to sell many at that price. Pity as the Nexus 6P has potential

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bob
    Favourite Bob
    Report
    Sep 30th 2015, 12:25 AM

    The cheapest one in England is £339/€460. The US its $379/€339.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Arthur Pewty
    Favourite Arthur Pewty
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:06 PM

    So no Spotify on the chromecast I currently have?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Your Defence
    Favourite Your Defence
    Report
    Sep 29th 2015, 7:44 PM

    Spotify will be rolling out an app update in the coming weeks to support Chromecast.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Wilson
    Favourite Daniel Wilson
    Report
    Sep 30th 2015, 8:31 AM

    That’ll be nice, the ps3 app is just woeful

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm O Gormain
    Favourite Colm O Gormain
    Report
    Sep 30th 2015, 8:15 AM

    I have a 1+2 which is valid until about lunchtime today ( 24 hours). if anybody wants it let me know! pity to let it go to waste. already changed to Moto Play last week.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colm O Gormain
    Favourite Colm O Gormain
    Report
    Sep 30th 2015, 8:17 AM

    sorry meant to say an invite! ( its early in the morning….)

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds