Google Nexus 5 Storms Smartphone market with Android 4.4 Kitkat, coming soon to India at Rs 28,999

By Anuj

| Published: Friday, November 1, 2013, 13:25 [IST]

Google has come up with the most interesting Nexus hardware- the Nexus 5. It's the smartphone you have been waiting for quite some time. That's right. After months of speculation, Google finally unleashed Nexus 5, a sequel to acclaimed Nexus 4, alongside the Android 4.4 KitKat. The newest Nexus 5 is manufactured by South Korea's LG electronics.

The LG manufactured Nexus 5 is completely different from its predecessor i.e. Nexus 4. Internationally, the new Nexus hardware packs 4G LTE chipset, which was missing from last year's hit - the Nexus 4. The LG Nexus 5 is slim, fast and appears to be different from other high-end phones from A-grade vendors.

It has a 4.95-inch Full HD 1080p resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, 2GB RAM, 16GB/32GB ROM, 8MP camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a 2300mAh battery. Google says the Nexus 5 will hit Asian markets sometime middle of November, whereas users residing in United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K., Australia, Korea and Japan, will be able to purchase the device unlocked from Google Play store immediately.

Google Nexus 5 To Launch in India, coming soon at Rs 28,999

The good news is that the newest member - i.e. Nexus 5 is already spotted on Google Play store India with official prices. The 16GB version of Nexus 5 will cost consumers Rs. 28,999, while the 32GB variant will go on sale for Rs.32,999.

It seems that LG India will play no role to sell the device, as far as retail market is concerned. The above mentioned prices are correct, and as of now the device availability is limited to Google Play store only. The Nexus 5 will be made available in Black and White (black bezel and white rear-back) colors.

Android 4.4 KitKat

Aside from Nexus 5, Google also detailed what's special about the latest version of Android mobile OS. The Android 4.4 KitKat will run across all Android devices. The Kitkat uses less memory, compared to Jelly Bean. Google says the Android 4.4 KitKat gives a "beautiful and immersive experience".

KitKat will give a chance to Android device makers to use one single immersive experience starting next year. KitKat uses 16% less memory than previous generation Android OS, and it is even more efficient at 12.9 % than previous generations.

The notable changes include: re-vamped dialer, voice search is faster, Google Now to play a key role in day-to-day operations, Hangouts, an important ingredient of Android 4.4, secure NFC-based transactions through Host Card Emulation (HCE) for payments, two new composite sensors added - step detector and step counter, and a full-screen immersive mode. Click here to read detailed features of Android 4.4 KitKat.

Here are the top features of Google Nexus 5. Take a look!

Nexus 5

After the glorious success of Nexus 4, LG is once again ready to show its hardware capability with the new Nexus 5. The last time we heard about LG is during the unveiling of LG G2, company's unusual flagship handset. One can say that the new Nexus 5 has similar internal hardware found inside the G2. The only sea change between the two devices is the design language.

LG manufactured Nexus 5 seems closer to Google in every sense. Even though it is manufactured by LG, but a closer look at the phone gives us a fair idea about Google's involvement, as far as design of Nexus 5 is concerned. The design of Nexus 5 is similar to this year's Nexus 7 tablet. The black version has soft-black matte finish; it appears more rugged than ever. Yes, LG has abandoned glass back panel that was synonymous to Nexus 4.

Nexus 5

Google says "the Nexus 5 has intelligent design and that what matters to you". The phone is slim, not ultra thin, as other usually claim. The handset measures 8.59mm thick and weighs 130 grams. The biggest change, here you notice is the coming of a 4.95-inch Full HD IPS display having capable of showing 1920 x 1080 resolution. On the top Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the screen from wear and tear. In comparison to key competitors (Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z1 and HTC One), the Nexus 5 is equally alluring and compelling.

Nexus 5

Under the hood, the Nexus 5 boast of a 2.3GHz quad-core processor powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. It's the latest chipset found inside some of the top ranked hardware these days. Both Google and LG took the right decision not to put Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, as HTC has done with One Max.
Earlier Nexus devices were great at getting instant software updates, however, most of them failed to get immense popularity due to underwhelming hardware. RAM stands at 2GB, enough to run latest games or multi-tasking in general. The device will be available in 16GB and 32GB versions without expandable internal memory.

Nexus 5

The LG Nexus 5 features an 8-mega-pixel shooter with built-in Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) feature. We have recently seen how LG integrated OIS feature into its G2, which has a 13MP camera. The Nexus 5 also houses a small gyroscope lens in its lens for more optimized pictures. The camera now features HDR+. There's a 1.3-megapixel camera given on the front side.

Nexus 5

The biggest issue with Nexus 4 was its inability to support 4G LTE connectivity. Hence, this time around Google has added 4G LTE support. Well, LG Nexus 4 comes in two versions: one for North America and Asia and other for EU market. The device comes with NFC and Wi-Fi, among others.

The makers have added a 2300mAh battery, with support up to 17 hours (talk time) and 300 hours (standby-mode). The Google Nexus 5 also features wireless-charging.

Google has promised to launch premium bumper cases for the newly launched Nexus 5. To be made available in four sizzling colors: Black, Grey, Red and Yellow; each case will cost consumers Rs. 2499, as per Google Play Store (India). In the coming days LG made QuickCover, costing each Rs.3299 will be soon available.