In fond memory of the Google Nexus
To see what’s next for Nexus, we take a look back on its devices to date
Like a child on Christmas Eve, we’re currently giddy with excitement about the launch of two new Nexus devices.
Google is expected to unveil the Nexus 5’s replacement – unsurprisingly called the Nexus 6 – sometime in the next week or so, while the Nexus 9 tablet may even launch as early as today.
And the reason why we’re so excited about them is that Google’s own devices – from the original Nexus One back in 2010 right up to the super-fast and super-cheap Nexus 5 – have a habit of being rather special. Which makes it all the more upsetting that they may well be the final Nexuses (or should that be Nexii?) ever, with Google’s Android Silver likely to see them off into obsolescence.
So, in memory of Google’s Android army, we take a walk down memory lane to look back at some key milestones in the Nexus range.
READ MORE: Google Nexus 6 preview
Nexus One (2010)
Made by HTC and released with Android 2.1 Eclair, the original Google phone lived long enough to see Android 2.3 Gingerbread before it was killed off when it couldn’t handle the 2D acceleration engine that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich delivered.
The 3.7in phone packed a 1GHz Qualcomm Scorpion CPU, screen resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and a 1400mAh battery. Low specs by today’s standards, but advanced for its time.
Fondly remembered for: It was the first and last Nexus device to come with an SD card slot thanks to its paltry internal storage offering of only 512MB. And who can forget that trackball?
Nexus S (2010)
The letter should give you a clue to its collaborator – Samsung. The display on the Nexus S was a smidge bigger than that on the One at four inches but featured the same resolution. It also came to its senses and packed 16GB worth of internal storage at the expense of an expansion slot.
Fondly remembered for: Its curved glass screen that replaced the old trackball. Also the first Android phone to feature near field communication (NFC) capabilities.
Galaxy Nexus (2011)
Google continued the relationship with Samsung, hence keeping the curved screen around. Its 4.65in display was a significant growth spurt. On the downside, its display resolution jump to a higher 720 x 1280 pixels was apparently more than its 1750 mAh battery could handle.
Fondly remembered for: The bad reviews that plagued it due to the bad battery life.
READ MORE: The 30 best free apps for Android
Nexus 7 (2012)
The first ever Nexus tablet was made by ASUS and also made waves for its affordability. Despite the low price, it wasn’t any less premium than costlier rivals: it packed a 7in 1280×800 IPS LCD display, 1.2 GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and 8 or 16GB worth of internal storage. However, the 8GB storage option has now been binned in favour of 32GB, in accordance with heavier media consumption.
Fondly remembered for: Its attractively competitive pricing for a tablet. Remains one of the Nexus bestsellers, spanning two generations.
READ MORE: Google Nexus 7 review
Nexus 4 (2012)
The fruit of a collaboration with LG, the Nexus 4 did away with the dimpled backs of the old Nexus devices in favour of a pretty, glimmery glass rear. It was only a touch bigger than the Nexus S, at 4.75in, and received a similarly modest spec bump on the resolution front: 768 x 1280. But a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor gave it plenty of grunt and wireless charging was a nice extra.
Fondly remembered for: The first time Nexus went wireless – with battery charging that is, thanks to the Qi wireless charging standard.
READ MORE: Google Nexus 4 review
Nexus 10 (2012)
Google returned to Samsung for its first big tablet. It packed a 1.7GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos 5250 ARM Cortex-A15 processor under its hood and was generally very highly praised for all but one thing – a lack of expandable storage, which is an absolute necessity for an Android tablet.
Fondly remembered for: Its better resolution (300 ppi) than the iPad’s Retina display. After all, a tablet is all screen.
Nexus 5 (2013)
Google stuck with LG for the next Nexus phone – and what a phone it is. With its 4.95in display, sharper resolution of 1920 × 1080 on an IPS LCD display, and an 8MP camera with OIS, it sat high in our Top 10 Smartphones in the World list for many a month.
Fondly remembered for: Its beautiful Nexus-emblazoned soft touch back that made for a much better grip.
READ MORE: Google Nexus 5 review
StuffTV