Google debuts new dynamic Android duo: Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P phones

Written by Kevin Tofel, Contributing Writer

Kevin Tofel Contributing Writer

Kevin C. Tofel has written and podcasted about the mobile industry and wearable devices since 2003 when he left his 15 year I.

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Posted in Mobile Platforms on September 29, 2015 | Topic: Google

They might be the worst kept secrets in tech of late: Google's next Nexus phones are here after months of leaked information and pictures. The company introduced the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P handsets at a launch event on Tuesday.

All of those leaks panned out as well, because there were few surprises. Both handsets will debut with a pure version of Android 6.0 software and will work with Google's Project Fi triple-network.

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The smaller of the two phones is the Nexus 5X, built by LG. It has a 5.2-inch display with 1080p resolution and a 2700 mAh battery. Nexus 5X runs on a six-core 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 and 2GB of RAM. Storage capacity choices are 16 or 32 GB.

The larger, aluminum-cased Nexus 6P is indeed built by Huawei as previously expected and has a 5.7-inch 1440p screen with a 74 percent screen to body ratio. Google says it's the size of most 5.5-inch handsets.

Inside is an eight-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 paired with 3GB of RAM and with storage of 32, 64 and 128 GB.

It also has a 12.3-megapixel camera sensor on a back with laser-auto focus and slow-motion video support. The Nexus 6P uses an 8 MP front-facing sensor and HDR+ capabilities for selfies. Google includes a "smart burst" function to capture photos quickly. The rear camera sensor uses larger pixels to help capture low-light photos.

Both phones have a USB Type-C port and a circular fingerprint scanner on the backside called Nexus Imprint, to be used for phone unlocking and Android Pay purchases. Google says it can recognize a finger in under 600 milliseconds.

Aside from the enhancements in Android 6.0, Google confirmed that it has reduced the number of pre-installed apps on both handsets.

Google will begin selling both phones directly at its Google Store with pre-orders beginning today and shipments starting in October.

The starting price for a Nexus 5X is $379, while the base Nexus 6P will cost $499. All purchases get a 90 day Google Music trial and $50 Play Store credit. Google is also introducing "Nexus Protect": A paid plan that doubles the phone warranty to two years and includes two years of accidental damage protection.