Nexus 5 release date, price, photos, video and specs rumours

All the latest news and rumours on the Nexus 5 release date, specs plus photos

By +MUHAMMAD ZAN ZAHEER  | 15 October 13

All the latest news and rumours on the Nexus 5 release date, specs price

Nexus 5 leaks have reached a new high with the phone shown off in a lengthy video (see below). We've rounded up all the possible release date, price and specs for the Google Nexus 5. Updated on 14/10/13.

The Nexus 5 will be Google's next flagship Android smartphone. It will probably be joined by a new version of the Nexus 10, too. So naturally, we're keen to know what it will offer and when it will be available.

Although the Nexus 4 has had issues with stock shortages, it's been well received and popular with punters. A high-end smartphone for £239 is a bargain even if it's a bit limited on storage.

Thoughts are turning to the Nexus 5 and what it has to offer to rival the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z and HTC One. LG is the most hotly tipped manufacturer to make the Nexus 5 but Google is also considering other vendors.

Nexus 5: Release date

Google has announced that the next version of Android will be 4.4 KitKat, not 5.0 Key Lime Pie. We still expected the Nexus 5 to come with the latest version but there has been no hint as to when KitKat will arrive.

Google hasn't announced when the new Nexus 5 will be revealed, or even if it is making one but here are the rumours on when it will arrive.

The first possibility was that Google would announce the Nexus 5 at its Google I/O (input/output) developer conference which takes place in May in San Francisco. However, the event came and went with no Nexus 5 or even Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

At last year's Google I/O which took place in June, the firm unveiled the Nexus 7, its first tablet running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It seemed likely new hardware would be revealed at this year's conference but this wasn't the case - unless you include theSamsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition.

Google announced an updated Nexus 7 tablet with Android 4.3 but there was no mention of a new smartphone at that launch event.

So, it's highly likely that we'll see the new Nexus 5 arrive around a year after the Nexus 4, in October or maybe November. The Galaxy Nexus was announced in November and the Nexus S in December.

The Nexus 4 price has been reduced from £239 for the 8GB model to just £159 signalling that Google wants to shift remaining stock before the Nexus 5 arrives. In fact, the smartphone is 'out of inventory' on the US Play Store.

The Nexus 4 is now out of stock in the 8 GB and 16 GB models and Google is reportedly not planning to restock the device. Another hint that the Nexus 5 is near arrival.

Meanwhile, Droidlife is hinting at a release date of 31 October citing anonymous sources.

Nexus 5: Is this the Nexus 5 in the flesh?

In Google's unveiling video of the Android KitKat statue, an unknown device with a Nexus logo was spotted (below left). Google has taken down the clip only fuelling the suggestion that the smartphone was the unannounced Nexus 5.

Following the KitKat statue unveiling, the Nexus 5 has been spotted in the wild. The owner happily left it charging in a bar unattended but a keen eyed employee snapped it up.

See also: Nexus 4 selling out and Nexus 5 spotted in bar.

The Nexus 5 has been spotted once again, looking exactly like the photos from the bar . The lucky handler said the rear cover feeling similar to that of the Nexus 7 and the device is smaller than the recently launched LG G2.

"The screen was ok, didn't wow me like the Note 3. The bezel is very small." he added.

Update: The Nexus 5 has been shown in great detail . Although the device has no Nexus logo on the back and therefor a prototype, it's the clearest look at the phone we've seen so far.

Nexus 5: Price

Sources suggest Google will keep the price of the Nexus 5 the same as the Nexus 4. That's £239 for 8GB and £289 for 16GB.

However, the price of the Nexus 7 went up from £159 to £199 for the cheapest model so there's no guarantee.

Nexus 5: specs

Rumoured specifications for the Nexus 5 include a Full HD screen either 5in or 5.2in in size, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz and a whopping 3GB of RAM.

A line-up similar to LG's recently announced LG G2 smartphone, so we could see the Nexus 5 based on this stunner.

There's also been suggestion it will feature a 16Mp camera made by Nikon. Other sources suggest a smaller 4.5in screen with a 720p resolution.

There are fresh rumours about the camera on the Nexus 5, suggesting it could use a MEMS (microelectromechanical system) module. That might mean it can shoot first and focus later like the Lytro camera.

Ilm Al Iqtisad….Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal By Orya Maqbool Jan

Ilm Al Iqtisad….Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal By Orya Maqbool Jan – 14 October 2013

 Sony Xperia Z1 review - the best smartphone just got better

By ZAIN ZAHEER

Sony has taken its popular Xperia Z smartphone and tuned it into the Xperia Z1. In our video review of the Xperia Z1 we witness a power house upgrade to an already great Android phone. To find out more read our full review: Sony Xperia Z1 review: Xperia Z gets tuned but puts on weigh.The smartphone is still dust- and waterproof but the headphone jack no longer requires a flappy cover. Build quality is exemplary and although dirt still collected at the edge of the glass, the problem is significantly better and you can always wash the phone under the tap.The Xperia Z1 looks like its predecessor Xperia Z smartphone but has a more stylish and rounded aluminium design. It feels nicer in the hand but unfortunately the device is bigger, thicker and heavier than before.

The Xperia Z1's weight gain is offset by some impressive hardware upgrades. RAM remains the same but the processor has been bumped to an impressive 2.2 GHz. The smartphone set records in all our benchmark tests and shows faultless performance.

Sony has keep the 5 in Full HD screen and although there's new Triluminos and X-Reality technology, the display only looks marginally better than the Xperia Z's.

Xperia Z1 review: camera

The addition of a dedicated camera button is a welcome one and the camera is one of the main selling points of the Z1. At 20.7 Mp it's the highest resolution on Android smartphone to date.

The quality of photos and video is great but it's not quite the supreme shooter which Sony makes out. By default, the Z1 strangely shoots at 8Mp with only manual mode allowing access to the full plethora of pixels.

Camera apps for burst mode, panoramas, effects are included - plus some more gimmicky ones like Info Eye which attempts to give you details on what the camera sees and an Augmented Reality mode.

Sony has done some spring cleaning with its Android user interface which looks cleaner and more stylish in parts. There are handy widgets and small apps but things get a bit messy with a few too many pre-loaded apps.

Navigation buttons take up a portion of the screen, which is a shame when there is plenty of space on the device below the screen for dedicated buttons. However, they do disappear for full screen video and the like.

Flagship smartphone typically provide a day of battery life but the Xperia Z1 lasted us double this. You'll be able to charge the phone every other night or even less if you make use of the metal contacts designed for a charging station.

The Xperia Z1 is a powerhouse upgrade to the already fantastic Z1 with an all-round impressive spec. It's unfortunate then that it's bigger and heavier than its predecessor. The Z1 is easily one of the best Android handsets around but the high price tag taints this slightly. We award four and a half stars and our recommended award.

Article Author: ZAIN

Galaxy Note 3  review - why Samsung's latest 6in Android phablet is great

By ZAIN | NEWS OF THE DAY 

 

  8 

 

The latest smartphone tablet hybrid from Samsung is the Galaxy Note 3. We took the Galaxy Note 3 for a spin. (For a more detailed Galaxy Note 3 review, read Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review: fastest-ever phone a slim, well-built phablet The Note 3 is big, but feels slim. The thin plastic back offers access to the battery and has a new textured finish.Galaxy Note 3 build quality and design

There's a grooved metal rim around the edges of the Note 3 that makes it feel well put together and sturdy. And the thin- and light feeling of the Note 3 is an impressive achievement when this phone's performance and display is taken into consideration.

At the bottom we find the S Pen, docked into the grooved metal rim. The stylus is topped in metal so it fits in neatly. Also down here at the bottom is a Micro USB 3.0 connector offering faster data transfers.

Overall the Galaxy Note 3 feels big, yes, but compact and well put together. Design wise we like it. See also: 18 best Android phones in UK: What's the best Android phone you can buy in 2013?

Galaxy Note 3 performance

The Note 3 has simply staggering specifications, and performance to match.

It pairs a new quad-core chip with a whopping three gigabytes of memory - and it shows. Synthetic benchmarks shouldn't be relied upon when making a purchasing decision, but if they were the Note 3 would be a must buy. In use the Note 3 feels slick and zippy. It's a truly fast phone.

In terms of battery life, this is not the handset that will make the great leap forward. But it is up there with the best current handsets.

Samsung claims up to 13 hours of internet usage and up to 21 hours of talk time. In my experience of using the Galaxy Note 3 for a few days, however, I'd say battery life is a strong point. Using it for email and web browsing, listening to music on the commute, a little social media and some video watching, I could easily get through 24 hours on a single charge. More importantly there was enough juice left over the next day to get in to the office.

In all respects the Note 3 is a top performer, then. Storage wise the options are thirty-two gigabytes and sixty four gigabytes, and there's an SD card expansion slot for up to another sixty four gigs of storage.

Galaxy Note 3 display

The Note 3 has a 5.7in AMOLED display with 16M colours and a 24-bit colour depth. That's a lot of colour and it shows. If a vibrant and deep hue is something you like in your display you need look no further.

And the colour is just the start. This is a huge screen with an HD resolution. We're used to smaller smartphones boasting retina-busting displays, but such sharpness on a screen of this size is truly a thing to behold. Movie content looks amazing, games stunning.

The touchscreen is snappy and sensitive, although prone to picking up finger smears.

Galaxy Note 3 cameras

The Galaxy Note 3 has two cameras, a front-facing camera for selfies and video calling, and a rear-facing snapper for more serious photography and video capture. The latter is a serious piece of compact camera kit, offering such features as auto focus, image stabilisation, LED flash and zero shutter lag.

Shooting modes include Drama Shot, Sound & Shot, Animated Photo, Eraser, Best Photo, Best Face, Beauty Face, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama, Sports, Golf, Surround shot and Live effect.

Galaxy Note 3 software & S Pen

The Galaxy Note 3 comes with Android 4.3 'Jelly Bean' installed, as well as Samsung's own TouchWiz interface. Jelly Bean is the best Android yet, offering a slick consumer experience and access to all the media and apps that Google Play can offer.

You can also install and purchase apps and media from Samsung's own store, which is in some ways confusing but does at least offer you the opportunity to compare and choose based on price.

More than just a stylus is the S Pen. Pulling out the S Pen wakes up the phone. Hover it over the screen and it brings up contextual menus. The S Pen allows you to write freehand and move around windows on the display. You can capture a screenshot and launch command menus.

Galaxy Note 3 verdict

The Galaxy Note 3 is a high-quality portable device, offering the best performance we've ever seen, a stunning screen and nice build quality. We award four and a half stars.