9to5 Google claims this is the Nexus 6/X.

[sze5003]

The Google unlocked editions will get proper updates in a timely manner. I am worried that the carrier editions themselves may lag behind like Verizon.

 

[lopri]

There is more than just the amount of dollars. I thought part of the Nexus franchise's goal was to give people incentive to think about purchasing/using smartphones without carriers' leashes. For some people, the Nexus series' affordable entry prices help made the decisions to go outside the AT&T/Verizon fortresses to explore their options. For others, they started to pay more attention to their monthly bills from the big carriers who often got away with petty charges here and there. I was such a case - until I learned of the Nexus 4 I was using AT&T and iPhone 4 with ridiculous amount of monthly fees by today's standard.

With the Nexus franchise, I believe, there was more to it than simply providing cheaper Android smartphones to the developers or to the masses in order to showcase the OS. There was a hidden agenda that aimed to disrupt the traditional mobile market which had been anything but consumer friendly. I think it worked to an extent, seeing how the market has changed for the past few years and the plentiful options that consumers are given these days.

The introduction of this Nexus 6, which looks like a Motorola's phablet as a Nexus afterthought, at $650 as well as its planned launch by all the major carriers make me think Google has changed its mind on the foregoing matters.

 

[Crono]

There is more than just the amount of dollars. I thought part of the Nexus franchise's goal was to give people incentive to think about purchasing/using smartphones without carriers' leashes. For some people, the Nexus series' affordable entry prices help made the decisions to go outside the AT&T/Verizon fortresses to explore their options. For others, they started to pay more attention to their monthly bills from the big carriers who often got away with petty charges here and there. I was such a case - until I learned of the Nexus 4 I was using AT&T and iPhone 4 with ridiculous amount of monthly fees by today's standard.

With the Nexus franchise, I believe, there was more to it than simply providing cheaper Android smartphones to the developers or to the masses in order to showcase the OS. There was a hidden agenda that aimed to disrupt the traditional mobile market which had been anything but consumer friendly. I think it worked to an extent, seeing how the market has changed for the past few years and the plentiful options that consumers are given these days.

The introduction of this Nexus 6, which looks like a Motorola's phablet as a Nexus afterthought, at $650 as well as its planned launch by all the major carriers make me think Google has changed its mind on the foregoing matters.

I don't think it was Google's intention to free consumers from the "leashes" of carriers, the freedom was more an effect of wanting to provide unimpeded updates to what is supposed to be a reference device for developers. Google doesn't subvert the carriers if they can help it.

Verizon especially isn't very kind to the OS developers. They effectively killed updates for Nokia Icon, as far as I can tell, for Windows Phone. Thankfully, there is still Preview for Developers (and on the Android side, can always flash ROMs and firmware yourself with unlocked bootloader). I'm still annoyed with Verizon for not giving me the free replacement device I was promised when Kin Studio was killed. 🙁

 

[poofyhairguy]

I don't think it was Google's intention to free consumers from the "leashes" of carriers, the freedom was more an effect of wanting to provide unimpeded updates to what is supposed to be a reference device for developers. Google doesn't subvert the carriers if they can help it.

Exactly! The Nexus 7 got away with this and being successful because let's be honest, most models sold are WiFi only.

But to be successful with a phone in America you have to play nice with carriers. The silver lining is however the hell Google got that Moto X update through Verizon.

 

[sze5003]

Exactly! The Nexus 7 got away with this and being successful because let's be honest, most models sold are WiFi only.

But to be successful with a phone in America you have to play nice with carriers. The silver lining is however the hell Google got that Moto X update through Verizon.

Yea its odd I'm sure Verizon and Motorola are taking a cut. Verizon rarely carried nexus devices except the galaxy nexus. This time around it costs money to have it on all four carriers. Many will subsidize under contract anyway so it's a win for carriers. The few of us who don't want contracts have to cough up the cash if we want to be contract free.

 

[Red Storm]

Yea its odd I'm sure Verizon and Motorola are taking a cut. Verizon rarely carried nexus devices except the galaxy nexus. This time around it costs money to have it on all four carriers. Many will subsidize under contract anyway so it's a win for carriers. The few of us who don't want contracts have to cough up the cash if we want to be contract free.

Those on contract are coughing up the cash as well, it's just not as apparent.

 

[sze5003]

Those on contract are coughing up the cash as well, it's just not as apparent.

Yea over time they are paying $650 or more if they want the edge plan or whatever is equivalent. I'm still trying to understand Google's price justification and it would be nice to see a breakdown of how much it actually costs to produce the phone.

 

[lopri]

Those on contract are coughing up the cash as well, it's just not as apparent.

It wasn't that way a few years ago. e.g. iPhone texting service $15.00, Blackberry messaging service $15.00, mobile hotspot service $20, etc. Plus all other charges that I frankly could not comprehend. $10 here, $8 there, $15 there, 2 different taxes, all added up to huge sum of total.

Things have gotten better lately, and I believe growing consumer awareness and following competitive landscape (Nexus franchise, for example) played a role. Carriers did not just decide to become charitable.

P.S. If it wasn't for their benefits carriers would have abandoned the subsidy model long ago.

 

[GTRagnarok]

Google should have just called it something other than a Nexus to avoid all this backlash. $650 is a fine price IMO. Cheaper than my 32GB Galaxy S4 I got off contract.

 

[dlock13]

Google should have just called it something other than a Nexus to avoid all this backlash. $650 is a fine price IMO. Cheaper than my 32GB Galaxy S4 I got off contract.

They should have stuck to their original idea with Android Silver. The problem is that it was probably scrapped because Google probably had some restrictions on how the device is created. If I'm not mistaken, an Android Silver device is one that would have essentially been a Google Play Edition.

I'm wondering if Google had certain restrictions such as one device for every carrier and Google handles the updates with the provided firmware from the OEM. HTC probably couldn't do it due to their lack of resources currently. Samsung probably wouldn't do it because they're too big for their breeches. Moto who is still somewhat owned by Google probably had the device in the pipeline as the a Silver device, and Google probably didn't have a Nexus device in the pipeline because they thought Silver would be a good idea. They probably slapped Nexus on the back of the device, and bam! There's our Nexus 6.

 

[lopri]

Moto X debuted at $579 and after a few "special" sales the price went down to $399 off-contract in no time. I do not believe there is something special about $650+ price tag that is necessary to produce a premium phone. If anything it's an arbitrary number that help carriers push the subsidy model while maximizing their profit. Similar tactic works for OEMs when they charge absurd money for larger internal storage.

One thing I am sure about is that I am not going to buy this phone on day 1 like I did (or tried) with Nexus 4/5. Now that Motorola Google is getting on it with the carriers, I should be able to check it out in person before I make any further judgment. That is a plus, I suppose.

Will there be carrier bloats preinstalled? How does Moto X (2014) look like?

 

[cliftonite]

So you think people who bought a $300 or $350 Nexus 4/5 are there because they want expensive phones? Please show me the logic in where the low price didn't attract a lot of buyers.

The second point could've been worded better. There might be phablet users/lovers who bought the N4/N5 because they liked stock Android enough or the price enough, but my point is that by changing the Nexus device this year from a phone to a phablet, Google essentially kicked away users who were looking for a phone not a phablet. So given the N4/N5 was a phone and not a phablet, I would bet some of that market from before will erode. Of course maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way, but do you have an alternative theory?

My analogy to this is if instead of launching the GS5, Samsung launched only the Note, would they have done as well? I doubt it. People who are looking for a ~5" phone will look elsewhere likely. Its probably why Apple has two sizes too. Had they done 5.5" only it would've been a disaster.

They are still selling the Nexus 5, so what is the big deal?

 

[sze5003]

Nexus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – phablet compar…: http://youtu.be/5Fn8OnzDO5Y

The note 4 also has a big screen and costs more off contract depending on which carrier you want it for. Why is it not also considered a phablet?

Like I said before, had Motorola just named it anything other than nexus people would not complain..or had Google just called it something else.

 

[theeedude]

Note 4 was cheaper than Nexus with the $200 coupon. And it has a stylus and value add software to take advantage of the bigger screen. It has a fingerprint sensor, MicroSD and a removable battery too, all great features. Basically Google gave us a Nexus that's both overclassed and overpriced. It's the phone equivalent of Chromebook Pixel.
What is Nexus 6 letting me do with it's bigger screen and $600 price tag that can't be done on a 5" $350 phone? Same software designed for a smaller phone, just bigger screen. It's not really solving any problem, and instead creating price and unwieldy device problems.

 

[sze5003]

I would get a note but the reason I never liked Samsung devices was because of touchwiz. I would never use the pen although the micro sd is nice and so is removable battery. I'm pretty sure with the n6 being in all carriers now, there will be some sort of discounts available. My cousin has an s5 and compared to my m7, it really isn't any quicker for daily use. In fact it seemed so bloated.

 

[cliftonite]

Note 4 was cheaper than Nexus with the $200 coupon. And it has a stylus and value add software to take advantage of the bigger screen. It has a fingerprint sensor, MicroSD and a removable battery too, all great features. Basically Google gave us a Nexus that's both overclassed and overpriced. It's the phone equivalent of Chromebook Pixel.
What is Nexus 6 letting me do with it's bigger screen and $600 price tag that can't be done on a 5" $350 phone? Same software designed for a smaller phone, just bigger screen. It's not really solving any problem, and instead creating price and unwieldy device problems.

But you can still buy the 5" Nexus 5. I have always wanted a Nexus phablet and will be getting the Nexus 6.

 

[lopri]

So you think people who bought a $300 or $350 Nexus 4/5 are there because they want expensive phones? Please show me the logic in where the low price didn't attract a lot of buyers.

The second point could've been worded better. There might be phablet users/lovers who bought the N4/N5 because they liked stock Android enough or the price enough, but my point is that by changing the Nexus device this year from a phone to a phablet, Google essentially kicked away users who were looking for a phone not a phablet. So given the N4/N5 was a phone and not a phablet, I would bet some of that market from before will erode. Of course maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way, but do you have an alternative theory?

My analogy to this is if instead of launching the GS5, Samsung launched only the Note, would they have done as well? I doubt it. People who are looking for a ~5" phone will look elsewhere likely. Its probably why Apple has two sizes too. Had they done 5.5" only it would've been a disaster.

They are still selling the Nexus 5, so what is the big deal?

S/he is vigorously defending the "new" iPad mini 3 in the other thread to the point of abandoning civility. Perhaps Google should have refreshed the Nexus 5 with a dimple on its back cover and gave it a new name? Though I doubt that would have "STF" her/him "U." Goes to show how powerful double standards rising from self-interest can be.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=36816429&postcount=67

I like how you found that fact out and you came into this thread foaming at the mouth. Had it been an A8x processor in side, you would've STFUed.

Honestly the better way to look at it is the iPad Mini 2 was $399 yesterday. Today you get the same device at $399 with TouchID. Don't like it? Don't buy it. There are some years where technology just isn't going to leap forward that much.

 

[lopri]

Nexus 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – phablet compar…: http://youtu.be/5Fn8OnzDO5Y

I have to admit that I am liking what I see there. (except for the convex back.. Ugh. How did he get it already?) The dude says the Nexus 6 sport LCD - I thought it's got AMOLED screen?

 

[thescreensavers]

LG G2: Speaker, size, whatever LG calls it's crappy skin, complicated root/boot loader process

I have a G2 whats wrong with the speaker?

Root Process is one click root, then Autorec to install a recovery literally takes all of 5 min.

Stock LG rom is meh I dont use it lol

 

[sze5003]

I have to admit that I am liking what I see there. (except for the convex back.. Ugh. How did he get it already?) The dude says the Nexus 6 sport LCD - I thought it's got AMOLED screen?

It isn't lcd it's amoled as per Motorola's page or the nexus 6 website. There was also a Twitter pic of someone holding one. I'll see if I can find it.

Edit: Here it is

 

[lopri]

Ugh the back is ugly! I love the all-screen front, though. Thank you for the earlier link, sze5003.

In that video you linked to, both the Nexus 6 and the Note 4 are at max brightness and the Nexus 6 looks a little darker than the Note 4. Is it me or do you see the same?

 

[ImDonly1]

I have to admit that I am liking what I see there. (except for the convex back.. Ugh. How did he get it already?) The dude says the Nexus 6 sport LCD - I thought it's got AMOLED screen?

That youtube video is posted by carphone warehouse... a UK phone retailer.
It is also a pre-production model. The bottom of the phone says Motorola property, not for retail sale.

 

[sze5003]

Ugh the back is ugly! I love the all-screen front, though. Thank you for the earlier link, sze5003.

In that video you linked to, both the Nexus 6 and the Note 4 are at max brightness and the Nexus 6 looks a little darker than the Note 4. Is it me or do you see the same?

Actually I'm not sure. If you look at the right side of the split video his hand also looks brighter as if there is more light on the right side. Kind of like it was in direct light.

There are some people that got pre production models for testing.

The back is ok, it's uniform with the design, it would look blocky with a square back, and probably would not have the curves around the corners to make it look uniform. I think the design factor is close to the 2nd gen moto x.

Edit: Just read on xda someone's posted that they found out on Twitter that the nexus doesn't have an led notification light but uses active display for notifications.

 

[sze5003]

Another quick look video
http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/21/7025853/google-nexus-6-hands-on-photos-video-android-phablet

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Actually I'm not sure. If you look at the right side of the split video his hand also looks brighter as if there is more light on the right side. Kind of like it was in direct light.

There are some people that got pre production models for testing.

The back is ok, it's uniform with the design, it would look blocky with a square back, and probably would not have the curves around the corners to make it look uniform. I think the design factor is close to the 2nd gen moto x.

Edit: Just read on xda someone's posted that they found out on Twitter that the nexus doesn't have an led notification light but uses active display for notifications.

The more I think about that the more irritated I get. Google had a notification LED in the GNex, N4, N5, N7 2013, and N10. And all of a sudden its ditching that? Over the years Samsung added LED notifications on its phone and so have many other OEMs. Now the reference Nexus is losing that?

It's also somewhat annoying that Google never really embraced the LED notifications and was always reliant on 3rd party apps. Like what's the point of just flashing white for EVERY Google notification? It would've been nice in the past if in the notifications screen on Gmail, Hangouts, we not only got to select ringtone, and check a vibrate button, but also select a LED notification color. It seems like only 3rd party apps did that.

But now we're losing all that. Are we going to get any customization on the N6? I hope so. Like a blacklist/whitelist option like Motorola has.

I just feel like the LED notification was always a long ignored feature of phones that came with Android phones, but never got its proper setup screen in the OS. Its sad to see it go away now when it had a good potential and still does even in the face of Active Notifications.

Just my 2 cents, but I prefer a small dot lighting up in the corner of my phone rather than my whole screen which is more distracting. My friends with Moto Xs end up just putting their phones face down at meetings or coffee shops and ignore any notifications, but then what's the point? Having both features would've been nice.