Nexus 6

146 'Nexus 6' stories April 2014 - September 2015

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Google announced its highly anticipated Nexus 6 smartphone in 2014. The phone ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop, packs a massive 5.96-inch 1,440 x 2,560 display, a 2.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, an Adreno 420 GPU, 3GB of RAM, a 3,220mAh battery, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.

In addition to its impressive hardware, the Nexus 6 supports wireless charging and also comes with Motorola’s Turbo charger, which is capable of charging the device up to six hours of battery life in around 15 minutes. However, if that’s not enough, Android 5.0 also includes a battery saving mode that can add an extra 90 minutes of juice to your device.

Roundup: 5 best ‘disruptive’ Android phones – flagship specs without the price tag

Cam Bunton Sep 9 2015 - 6:12 am PT

I won’t lie, in recent months I’ve found the traditional flagship smartphone market decidedly boring. Although phones from the likes of LG, Samsung, HTC and Sony are all steadily improving all they time and — by all accounts — are very good phones, they all cost a small fortune. The price of flagships from the “big” manufacturers can be anywhere between $500-$900, which is a heck of a lot to spend on a small pocket computer. With the prices steadily rising, it’s created the perfect opportunity for smaller companies to take advantage and release great devices that cost less. In my mind, if it’s below $400 full retail, has a full HD (or better) display and an octa-core processor, that makes it a flagship killing, disruptive smartphone…

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Motorola slashes Nexus 6 to $350 shipped at Amazon ahead of new Nexus announcement

Seth Weintraub Sep 4 2015 - 7:08 am PT

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 32GB in Midnight Blue

Amazon offers the Unlocked Motorola Nexus 6 32GB in Midnight Blue or Cloud White for $349.99 shipped. That’s $300 off the original list price, $150 less than Best Buy’s current listing, and the lowest we’ve ever seen. The move is likely a clearinghouse before new Nexus devices are revealed on or around September 29th. It is also in response to the newly on sale Moto X which has similar/better specs and a $399 price tag.

The Nexus 6 is still an incredibly solid phone and one of only a few options if you want to play with Andoid M Marshmallow right now.

Amazon shoppers gave it 4.2/5 stars. Last year’s 9to5Google review is here.
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Rumor claims LG Nexus 5 (2015) will be called Nexus 5X, pricing starts at $400

Stephen Hall Sep 3 2015 - 10:00 am PT

As we near the September 29 announcement of Google’s new Nexus handsets, the rumors, reports, and speculation just keep building. According to a new report out of Android Authority this morning, the upcoming LG Nexus 5 is going to sport the name “Nexus 5X,” although a “decision on the final name has not been taken yet at Google HQ.” Additionally, the phone is said to start at $400, which is $50 more than the previous Nexus 5 launched in 2013…
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Report: Google to unveil LG, Huawei Nexus phones at September 29 event

Stephen Hall Sep 2 2015 - 10:02 am PT

According to a report this morning from CNET, Google is planning two unveil two Nexus handset — one from LG, and one from Huawei — at an event scheduled from September 29th. Details of both the smaller “Nexus 5” made by LG and the new “Nexus 6” made by Huawei have been steadily leaking out over the last couple months, and — just as many have suggested — the two phones are slated to made official at the end of this month…
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Verizon launches program to activate non-Verizon iPhones and Nexus 6s to its network

Chance Miller Aug 25 2015 - 3:03 pm PT

Verizon has recently started allowing customers to bring non-Verizon devices its network and will activate them. The program officially began this week and Verizon confirmed to 9to5Mac that it applies to the Nexus 6, as well as Apple’s iPhone. Verizon notes, however, that the devices must be unlocked prior to being activated on its network.

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Huawei Nexus prototype leaked in photos, corroborates rumors of metal chassis and rear fingerprint sensor

Cam Bunton Aug 24 2015 - 2:25 am PT

Update: The same source has posted more images of the purported Huawei Nexus, this time showing the bottom half rocking a USB Type-C port. The new USB-C standard is reversible, meaning there isn’t a right-side up and the male side of the cable can be flipped on either side and it’ll still plug into the device. They’re also bidirectional, able to send data and power in either direction. Google announced during its I/O conference that it has been working closely with device manufacturers to introduce phones which take advantage of it.

The purported upcoming Huawei Nexus is one of this year’s biggest rumors so far. It would mark the first time we’ve seen Google partner with a Chinese manufacturer for its ‘Pure Google’ smartphone, and could help the search giant finally get its Play Services running in China. Despite seeing multiple rumors, schematics and leaks, we’ve not seen any real physical evidence of the device’s existence. Until now. Steve Hemmerstoffer has published a couple of photos to his blog showing off what looks to be a pre-release or prototype model of Huawei’s stock Android phone.

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High quality Huawei Nexus renders published based on “detailed blueprints”

Cam Bunton Aug 15 2015 - 3:38 am PT

Yesterday the well-known leaker, Steve Hemmerstoffer teamed up with uSwitch to leak digital renders of the purported upcoming LG-made Nexus. Today, the two are back with their first look at what could be this year’s flagship Nexus device. As rumored multiple times, this device is expected to be manufactured by Huawei, one of China’s biggest Android OEMs.

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Project Fi customers can get their Nexus 6 replaced for $100

Cam Bunton Aug 12 2015 - 8:04 am PT

If you bought a Nexus 6 from Google during your Project Fi setup process, you may be surprised to know that the company will replace that device once for a fee of just $100. That means, if you dropped your phone and damaged it somehow, all you need to do is make a quick call to Project Fi customer support and they’ll arrange the replacement (via Android Central).

It’s pretty straight-forward, and given the no-questions-asked policy, you can literally swap your Nexus 6 for any reason within the first 12 months of ownership. If you manage to avoid any serious damage to your Nexus and it’s getting a little worn and old, you can ring up and swap for a fresh, shiny new one, as long as you’ve owned it for less than a year.

Of course, if a handset goes faulty during regular warranty period, your usual warranty terms apply. This hidden perk is more of an insurance policy against accidental damage, or things not normally covered by the product warranty. If your screen cracks on your Project Fi-powered Nexus, you know now that you don’t have to spend a fortune on getting your display replaced, or having to make do with a terrible backup phone.

Google will now provide monthly security updates, 2-3 year update guarantee for Nexus devices

Jordan Kahn Aug 5 2015 - 10:22 am PT

Google announced today that it’s aiming to improve its security efforts for its Nexus line of Android devices by introducing new monthly security updates and offering a 2 to 3 year guarantee for updates to the devices.
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Nexus 6, Nexus 5, many Samsung devices getting Stagefright fixes from Sprint

Stephen Hall Aug 5 2015 - 8:51 am PT

The Stagefright exploit is definitely not a minor problem, and it potentially affects basically any device going back to the early years of Android. But thankfully, Sprint has been pretty on top of pushing out fixes for as many devices as possible. Today, the carrier is pushing out Stagefright fixes, labeled simply as “Google Security Patch (Stagefright),” to a couple Nexus handsets and several of Samsung’s Galaxy-branded phones.

Here’s the full list of devices receiving the patch today, with links to Sprint’s support pages:

As usual, you should expect to see these updates roll out over-the-air over the course of the next few days. “Software updates may be released in stages and can take several days for delivery,” Sprint says. If you want to manually check to see if the update is available for your device, head into the system Settings app. But while Stagefright is not “no big deal” by any means, you’ll probably be fine until your device is updated.

Android 5.1.1 to begin rolling out to Project Fi devices over the next few days

Chance Miller Jul 8 2015 - 7:09 pm PT

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Google announced today that all Project Fi phones will receive Android 5.1.1 within the coming days. The update will rollout over-the-air to users of Google’s wireless service gradually. Android 5.1.1. includes a handful of under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes for users. It’s slowly been rolling out to various devices following the release of the more significant Android 5.1 that brought a variety of new features.

Project Fi was officially announced earlier this year and is Google’s MVNO. For $20/month users get unlimited talk and text. Data runs $10/gigabyte and is sold at a pay for what you use method. The service is still invite-only at this point and wait times for invites are around the three-month mark.

Good news! Android 5.1.1 – an even sweeter version of Android Lollipop – is coming to all Project Fi phones over the next few days.

— Google Fi Wireless (@googlefi) July 9, 2015

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PSA: Skrillex Live Cases no longer available, giveaway and next collaboration incoming

Stephen Hall Jul 1 2015 - 11:02 am PT

Google announced back in May that it was introducing some new limited edition cases for a variety of popular Android devices, starting with a partnership with electronic music artist Skrillex. The cases sported unique modern designs, custom wallpapers to match, and even had a special button on the reverse side that could be programmed to launch basically any app or action on your Android phone.

If all of this sounds interesting to you, well, that’s too bad. They’ve been removed from sale on the Google Store as of today.

Notably, Google mentioned in its original post that it would be giving away the satellite—named Nanou—it used to create the Earth images used for the cases.

To capture the Earth images, Google and Skrillex launched a custom-designed balloon satellite named after Skrillex’s dog, Nanou. Once Nanou’s photographic mission is complete, a lucky fan will win the autographed satellite in an upcoming giveaway.

We’ll keep you updated and let you know when that giveaway is announced. Also coming up, we can assume that Google is introducing another round of custom cases to be sold exclusively on the Google Store. When these Skrillex cases were announced, Google said that it was just starting the Editions series of cases with Skrillex. Who knows what’s up next. “Stay tuned for the next collaboration. We can’t wait to tell you all about it,” the company said.

Google announces rewards program for finding Android bugs in Nexus devices, pays up to $8k

Ben Lovejoy Jun 16 2015 - 5:18 am PT

android-bugs

Google has announced Android Security Rewards, a program to reward security researchers and others who find (and optionally fix) vulnerabilities in the latest available Android versions for current Nexus devices. At present, this means the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.

We’re launching Android Security Rewards to help reward the contributions of security researchers who invest their time and effort in helping us make Android more secure. Through this program we provide monetary rewards and public recognition for vulnerabilities disclosed to the Android Security Team. The reward level is based on the bug severity and increases for higher quality reports that include reproduction code, test cases, and patches.

Rewards range from $333 for a test case of a low-severity bug up to $8,000 for a “well-written CTS test and patch” for a critical bug …
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Some Project Fi customers seemingly receiving a Nexus 6 case, headphones, and external battery

Stephen Hall Jun 2 2015 - 7:43 am PT

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Update: A tipster has sent an email confirming the existence of the “Welcome Kit”…

If you’re one of the lucky few who have received their invite to Project Fi, you’re probably also the kind of person that already owns a Nexus 6. If you don’t already have a Nexus 6 and you sign up for Fi though, Google makes you buy one—as it’s the only phone currently compatible with the service. According to a couple reports on Reddit, Google is giving these buyers some goodies…
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Android 5.1.1 factory image for the Nexus 6 now available, here’s how to install it (T-Mobile-only for now)

Stephen Hall May 26 2015 - 9:53 am PT

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Google has just posted the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop factory image for the T-Mobile variant of the Nexus 6 (shamu), and you can download it now from the factory image download page. Over-the-air 5.1.1 updates for some variants of the Nexus 6 have been beginning to roll out over the last several days, and now it looks like Google has started sharing these images publicly…
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Rumor: Two new Nexus phones on the way, 5.2-inch and 5.7-inch – but no new tablet

Ben Lovejoy May 26 2015 - 4:01 am PT

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Google’s existing Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 handsets

With Google reporting falling revenues from its Nexus devices, and having seemingly abandoned the original concept of an affordable vanilla device in favor of more expensive devices, the future of the product line was looking a little uncertain. But a new rumor says that Google will indeed be continuing the Nexus program – and not just with one new smartphone, but two.

Android Police cites a “reliable source” in suggesting that Google is partnering with two different manufacturers: with LG for a 5.2-inch smartphone code-named Angler, and with Huawei for a 5.7-inch phablet code-named Bullhead …
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Android 5.1.1 w/ support for WiFi calling to begin rolling out to T-Mobile Nexus 6 this weekend

Chance Miller May 22 2015 - 4:42 pm PT

nexus-6-design

Following the leak of a Sprint document claiming that its Nexus 6 model would receive Android 5.1.1 on May 26th, T-Mobile announced today that it will begin to rollout the update to its variant this weekend. T-Mobile employee Des Smith made the announcement via Twitter and confirmed that Android 5.1.1 on the Nexus 6 will include support for WiFi calling.

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Internal Sprint document suggests Android 5.1.1 for Nexus 6 coming May 26

Stephen Hall May 22 2015 - 2:36 pm PT

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A newly-leaked internal Sprint document (via Android Police) suggests that Android 5.1.1 for the Nexus 6 is right around the corner. Specifically, build LMY47Z for Google’s 5.92-inch flagship will be released on May 26th, 2015, according to the leak. Features of the update—as has been the case with the other 5.1.1 releases—include “general updates” and “security enhancements.”

The Nexus 6 is the final Nexus device yet to receive the latest version of Android, while even the cellular Nexus 7 models have gotten the latest version (notable because the cellular tablets typically take the longest to be updated). This date would put the release of 5.1.1 for the Nexus 6 right before Google I/O kicks off on the 28th (which will likely bring the introduction of Android “M”).

We’re keeping an eye on our phones and the factory image download page as always.

Google says that larger-screened devices are helping the mobile ad business

Stephen Hall May 22 2015 - 7:48 am PT

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While Google’s ad business is definitely in a transition phase, largely due to the shift away from personal computers towards mobile handsets, Google’s Senior Vice President of Ads & Commerce Sridhar Ramaswamy says that the company is handling this move well. Selling ads to advertisers may be harder with more of those ads ending up on mobile devices with smaller screens than notebooks and desktops, meaning more difficulty for customers to complete purchases, but Google is definitely taking steps toward slowing the rapid decline in ad prices.

According to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, while Google is making several moves to make advertising more valuable, the market’s more recent move to larger-screened devices has helped significantly…
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Google sends Project Fi update emails, promises complete invite rollout by mid-summer

Chance Miller May 21 2015 - 8:34 pm PT

Screen Shot 2015-05-21 at 11.30.35 PM

Earlier this month, Google began sending the first invites to users for its Project Fi wireless carrier initiative. Users receiving invites have been rare so far and this evening Google sent an update email to those who requested an invite at launch. Unfortunately, the email being sent to users today doesn’t include an invite, but rather only an update on the process of the rollout.

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Google launches limited edition Android cases starting w/ Skrillex collab for Nexus & Samsung phones

Jordan Kahn May 20 2015 - 2:11 pm PT

Google today announced a new series of limited edition cases for Android devices and first up is a collaboration with electronic music artist Skrillex and cases for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

The new limited edition Skrillex Live Case isn’t your average smartphone case: Google is bundling a companion experience that will offer a live wallpaper that updates throughout the day with satellite imagery from a custom-designed balloon satellite it launched for the project:
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Google Store now selling Nexus 6 in Taiwan, LG Watch Urbane in Japan

Jordan Kahn May 15 2015 - 9:05 am PT

Google has added Taiwan to the list of countries where its Nexus 6 smartphone is available to purchase through the Google Store. It’s also now selling the new LG Watch Urbane Android Wear smartwatch in Japan.
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T-Mobile is currently offering the Nexus 6 (32GB/64GB) for $100 off

Jordan Kahn May 13 2015 - 10:04 am PT

T-Mobile is currently offering the best price around for a new Nexus 6 by dropping $100 off the device’s regular retail price. That means you can pick up the 32GB model for $549 (usually $649), or the 64GB model for $599 (usually $699).
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Google says it has seen a ‘decline in Nexus’ during recent months

Chance Miller Apr 23 2015 - 2:49 pm PT

nexus-6-fail

During the company’s earnings call for the first quarter of 2015, Google CFO Patrick Pichette made a comment concerning its “other revenues” stream. The “other revenues” category consists of revenues from the Play Store and now Google Store, and it’s one of the company’s smallest sources of money. But Pichette noted that while revenue from “other revenues” was up 23 percent year-over-year to $1.8 billion, revenue was down 3 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.

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