The Verge - Google's next generation: Nexus 5, Android 4.4 KitKat, and morehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2014-06-13T10:30:04-04:00http://www.theverge.com/rss/stream/48157232014-06-13T10:30:04-04:002014-06-13T10:30:04-04:00Dear Google: don't screw up Android
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<p>The history of Android has always been about <em>more</em>. From its inception with the T-Mobile G1 in 2008, Google’s mobile operating system has sought to compete by having more features, higher specs, and bigger devices than everyone else. Improving relentlessly with each new release, Android’s rise has produced excellent new phones but also many disappointed users who were either left on an old version of the software or bought a device that was never good enough in the first place. Late last year, Google sought to correct that by putting the brakes on and introducing <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5063490/android-4-4-kit-kat-review">Android 4.4 KitKat</a>, an OS update that was about <em>less</em>.</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/6/13/5800300/android-kitkat-legacyVlad Savov2014-05-22T09:10:09-04:002014-05-22T09:10:09-04:00Moto E review: the people's smartphone
<p>This is the smartphone that makes all others look stupidly expensive</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/5/22/5737290/motorola-moto-e-review">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2014/5/22/5737290/motorola-moto-e-reviewVlad Savov2013-11-08T15:47:23-05:002013-11-08T15:47:23-05:00Nexus 5 coming to T-Mobile November 14th for $449
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<p>T-Mobile will launch sales of Google's Nexus 5 starting November 14th for $449.99. That's for web orders only, as in-store availability won't come until November 20th — almost a week later. For reference, Sprint began offering the Nexus 5 today both in store and online at the same price. Both carriers are selling the 16GB model, which lists for $349 on Google Play.</p>
<p>Clearly Google's carrier partners aren't willing to sell the Android 4.4 handset quite that low. More than likely that's because their profit margin would be too low, or even nonexistent. It's widely believed that Google sells the Nexus 5 at or below cost, a strategy retailers obviously aren't keen on. Thankfully the $349 Nexus 5 from Google Play works perfectly on T-Mobile's...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/8/5082000/nexus-5-tmobile-release-date-november-14-449Chris Welch2013-11-05T14:09:44-05:002013-11-05T14:09:44-05:00The Nexus 5 isn't pure Android, it's pure Google
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<figcaption>Nexus 5 1024px</figcaption>
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<p>In this, the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/23/4762632/today-is-the-googlephones-fifth-anniversary">fifth year of Android's existence</a>, we also have seen the release of the fifth Nexus phone — appropriately enough called the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5062724/google-nexus-5-review">Nexus 5</a>. Meanwhile, it's been two years since we saw the release of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich — and since then we've only seen "point" updates, up to and including the latest, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/4/5063490/android-4-4-kit-kat-review">Android 4.4 KitKat</a>.</p>
<p>So for a long time now, we've found ourselves asking the two questions again and again: what <em>exactly</em> is Google trying to accomplish with the Nexus program and what's the strategy with these Android updates? We sat down with three of the four <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/30/4675746/new-faces-of-android-the-inside-story-of-googles-management-shuffle">main leaders of the Android team</a> to ask those questions yet again. "Nexus stands for high specs at a really fair price," says Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/5/5069310/the-nexus-5-isnt-pure-android-its-pure-googleDieter Bohn2013-11-01T12:59:47-04:002013-11-01T12:59:47-04:00Google highlights the Nexus 5's camera in first commercial
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<figcaption>nexus 5 commercial</figcaption>
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<p>Google has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ0XTJqFLIE">released its first ad</a> for the Nexus 5, and like many of <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/23/3177102/google-nexus-7-first-commercial-video">its recent commercials</a>, the spot is heavy on emotion and light on product. The ad begins with a woman activating Google Now by saying "Ok, Google," and then requesting it display her wedding photos. The minute-long spot spends the majority of its remaining time flipping through boisterous parties across the globe, every so often cutting in to show a Nexus 5 being used take photos or look through albums. The story may not be the strongest, but it's clear that Google is confident in the Nexus 5's camera — a sore spot for previous Nexus devices. Google has been trying to show a strong focus on photography as it adds <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/29/5040582/google-get-improved-photo-backup-search-and-editing-features">more and more features to Google+</a>, and this latest ad...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/1/5055030/google-first-nexus-5-ad-wedding-i-doJacob Kastrenakes2013-11-01T12:39:17-04:002013-11-01T12:39:17-04:00Nexus 5 vs. LG G2: see the difference
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<figcaption>Gallery Photo: </figcaption>
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<p>As if weeks of extravagantly detailed leaks hadn't told you already, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5049068/googles-nexus-5-with-android-kit-kat-available-today-starting-349">Google's new Nexus 5 handset</a> is based on LG's excellent <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/19/4749116/lg-g2-review">G2</a>. A few of the specs have been trimmed down in the transition to a lower price point — most notably the smaller 2300mAh battery and lower-resolution 8-megapixel camera — but much of what makes the G2 such a compelling device has been retained. The display remains crisp, sharp, and wonderfully accurate, with awesomely deep blacks that are shown off by the Nexus bootup animation. The processor is still the top-notch Snapdragon 800, and you still get LTE connectivity as with LG's original.</p>
<p>The biggest change, other than the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/1/5053878/android-4-4-kitkat-and-google-quest-for-the-next-billion">Android KitKat</a> heart beating within the new device, is in the aesthetics. Google's Nexus 5...</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/1/5054944/nexus-5-vs-lg-g2-in-picturesVlad Savov2013-11-01T09:22:29-04:002013-11-01T09:22:29-04:00Android 4.4 KitKat and Google's quest to take over the world
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<figcaption>Nexus 5 Google Now KitKat PRESS</figcaption>
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<p><i>"As we get on our journey to reach the next billion people, we want to do it on the latest version of Android." — Sundar Pichai</i></p>
<p>At its root, Google’s Android platform has always been about growing the audience for the company’s services and thus expanding its core business of <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/23/4948080/google-experiments-with-giant-banner-ads-on-top-of-search-results">selling advertising space</a>. Even if the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5049068/googles-nexus-5-with-android-kit-kat-available-today-starting-349">Nexus 5</a> is a flagship, what matters more to Google in the long run is the size of the fleet behind it. You can see that motivation driving the development of Chrome OS and the Chrome browser itself, though nothing exemplifies it quite so well as the newly released <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5049672/android-kit-kat-4-4-google-software-operating-system">Android 4.4 KitKat</a>.</p>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/11/1/5053878/android-4-4-kitkat-and-google-quest-for-the-next-billionVlad Savov2013-10-31T17:28:07-04:002013-10-31T17:28:07-04:00Every HTC One in North America will have Android KitKat within 90 days
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<figcaption>HTC One with Android 4.3</figcaption>
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<p>Google says that Android 4.4 will come to the <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/26/4466600/samsung-galaxy-s4-htc-one-google-play-edition-stock-android-review">Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play Edition devices</a> "in the coming weeks," but what if you bought your device from a cellular carrier instead? If you own an HTC One in North America, you should see an update within the next 90 days. <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/31/htc-one-android-kitkat/?ncid=rss_truncated" target="_blank">In an interview with <i>Engadget</i></a>, HTC America president Jason Mackenzie committed to deliver the update to every HTC One device within that time period.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5052342/every-htc-one-in-north-america-will-have-android-kitkat-within-90-days">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2013/10/31/5052342/every-htc-one-in-north-america-will-have-android-kitkat-within-90-daysSean Hollister