Google introduced two new Nexus phones today at a special press event. Both phones have larger batteries, bigger camera sensors and a new fingerprint sensor that can unlock your phone in just over half-a-second.
The new Android devices are the latest salvo from Google in the smartphone wars, following the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6s last week.
The Nexus phones are updates of existing lines. The Nexus 6P is the flagship device, with a metal body, front-facing speakers and a killer camera. The updated 4K shooter has larger pixels than many competitors, meaning it can capture more light in low-light situations.
The 6P is also a little smaller than the Nexus 6, but boasts the same screen size. Google says it now take up nearly three-fourths of the phone’s surface. It’s now about the same size as an iPhone 6s Plus, but has a larger screen.
The Nexus 5X also has an improved camera, larger battery, and a pretty standard specs sheet for modern Android phones. Both phones also come with Google’s Nexus Imprint fingerprint scanner right underneath the rear-facing camera. Google claims the scanner can recognize a finger in under 600ms, and gets better at recognition over time.
Both phones are also running Android Marshmallow, which has Google Now on Tap, simpler permissions and the battery saving Doze feature, which puts apps to sleep when the phone hasn’t been used in while.
The phones are available for preorder today on the Google Store and ship in late October. The 5X starts at $379 and the 6P starts at $499. Both are unlocked and come with a 90-day subscription to Google Music and $50 in Google Play credits. Google also introduced the Nexus Protect service, which covers mechanical breakdowns and accidental damage for 2 years. Nexus Protect is $69 for the 5X, $89 for the 6P.
