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Google Unveils New Nexus Devices, Android 'Lollipop'(dpa-AFX International Compact Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Internet search giant Google Inc. (GOOG, GOOGL) on Wednesday introduced three Android-powered, Nexus-branded devices, giving the company a broader portfolio to compete against Apple Inc. (AAPL). Google unveiled the Nexus 6 smartphone, Nexus 9 tablet and Nexus Player set-top box, the first device running Android TV. The company also introduced a new version of its Android operating system, dubbed the "Lollipop" or Android 5.0. Google said it has developed the Nexus 6 smartphone with Motorola Mobility. This new phone has a contoured aluminum frame, a 6-inch Quad HD display and a 13-megapixel camera. The large screen is complemented by dual front-facing stereo speakers. The devices comes with a Turbo Charger, which enables the device to get six hours of use with only 15 minutes of charge. The new Nexus 9 tablet has been built by Google in partnership with Taiwanese hardware maker HTC. The device features brushed metal sides and an 8.9-inch screen. It also comes with a keyboard folio that magnetically attaches to the Nexus 9, folds into two different angles and rests secure like a laptop. The Nexus Player, the first device running Android TV, is built by Google in collaboration with HTC's Taiwanese rival Asus. It is a streaming media player for movies, music and videos, and is also a first-of-its-kind Android gaming device. Android TV is a software that will be installed into television and other devices which will enable users to view movies, listen to music, play games and other applications on their television. Smartphones, tablets and smartwatch will double up as remote controllers. With Nexus Player, a user can play Android games on their HDTV with a gamepad. Google noted that Nexus Player is Google Cast Ready, so a user can cast his favorite entertainment from almost any Chromebook, Android or iOS phone or tablet to the television. Google said that the Nexus 9 and Nexus Player will be available for pre-order on October 17. The Nexus 9 will be in stores starting November 3. The Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order in late October and in stores in November - with options for an unlocked version through Play store, or a monthly contract or installment plan through carriers, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. The Android 5.0 Lollipop, which comes on the Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player, will also be available on Nexus 4, 5, 7, 10 and Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks. Google noted that Lollipop, which replaces KitKat or Android 4.4 that was released in October 2013, is the company's most ambitious software release on Android with more than 5,000 new APIs for developers. Sundar Pichai, Google's SVP for Android, Chrome & Apps, said in a blog post that Lollipop has a consistent design across devices through an approach that Google calls 'Material Design'. It also gives a user more control over his device and has a new battery saver feature that extends the life of a device by up to 90 minutes. In addition, a device can be secured with a PIN, password, pattern or by pairing the phone to a secure device like watch or car with Smart Lock. Google's rival Cupertino, California-based Apple unveiled the two new larger screen smartphones, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, at a media event hosted by CEO Tim Cook in San Francisco on September 9. Cook said at the launch that it is the "biggest advancements in iPhone history." The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sport a 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch Retina HD display, respectively, bigger than the 4 inch screens on the iPhone 5S model. They also come with the Apple-designed A8 chip with second-generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture. Apple is now gearing up to launch an update to the iPad Air and iPad mini with larger screens. It has announced plans to hold a "special event" on October 16 at the Apple campus in Cupertino, California, and has sent out invites to the media. GOOG closed Wednesday's trading at $530.03, down $7.91 or 1.47 percent on a volume of 3.71 million shares. In after-hours, the stock further declined $5.14 or 0.97 percent to $524.89. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX |