Google unveils new Nexus smartphone and tablet to run with Android ‘Lollipop’ software

GOOGLE has ramped up its fight with Apple, announcing a new tablet, smartphone, TV and Android ‘Lollipop’.

Supplied Editorial 16102014 PHONE

GOOGLE has ramped up its mobile arsenal, upgrading its Nexus line with a new tablet and smartphone, and unveiling its revamped Android software, to be dubbed “Lollipop”.

The US tech giant also announced the launch of a streaming media player for music, movies and videos, which can also allow users to play games via the Android TV device.

“Lollipop” or Android 5.0, the upgraded operating system for mobile, “is designed to be flexible, to work on all your devices and to be customised for you the way you see fit”, Google vice president Sundar Pichai said.

Google says the new operating system means “songs, photos, apps, and even recent searches from one of your Android devices can be immediately enjoyed across all of your Android devices”.

The most obvious change to the new version of Android is the change in design with a new colour palette, giving Android a more modern look and more fluid animations. Google is dubbing this “Material Design” and like Microsoft, has implemented it to have a consistent user experience across phone, tablet and TV.

The new devices give Google and its Android partners a broader portfolio to compete against Apple, which launched two upgraded large-screen iPhones last month and is expected to unveil new iPads tomorrow morning.

New software ... Google has unveiled its new ‘Lollipop’ Android operating system. Picture: Google

The Nexus 6 smartphone becomes the newest and largest of the Google-branded handsets, and is produced by Motorola, which Google bought in 2012 and is in the process of selling to China’s Lenovo.

This aluminium frame device has a six-inch quad-HD resolution screen, powerful processor, a huge battery, dual front speakers and a 13-megapixel camera. Priced at $649 USD, it is significantly more than previous Nexus smartphones, indicative of Google’s new direction with the Nexus line.

“It also comes with a Turbo Charger, so you can get up to six hours of use with only 15 minutes of charge,” Google said.

The Nexus 6 is even bigger than the already huge Galaxy note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus.

On the tablet front, Google partnered with Taiwan-based HTC for the 8.9-inch Nexus 9. It’s one of the first Android devices to use a 64-bit processor, following Apple’s steps with the iPad Air. This means much faster performance and will allow developers to create better apps.

The brushed-metal tablet “is small enough to easily carry around in one hand, yet big enough to work on”, Google said.

With the Nexus Player, Google is also continuing its assault on the living room. The device works like a mix between Google’s Chromecast and the Apple TV, where it will let you mirror content from your phone and computer or stream directly from apps on the device. The Nexus Player takes things further by adding the ability to play Android games on your TV with a dedicated controller, and also gives you the ability to continue playing straight from your phone when you leave the living room.

The devices will be available for presale in Australia sometime in November, however no local pricing has been announced.