Google has revealed three new Nexus-branded Android devices and an update to the Android mobile operating system. Its announcement was made online after a planned press conference in New York was cancelled due to the threat from Hurricane Sandy.
The new devices are expected on 13th November and will run Android v4.2, still known by the same codename as version 4.1: ‘Jelly Bean’. Android 4.2 will offer an updated version of the ‘Google Now’ information service, it’ll support multiple users, there’ll be a new ‘swipe’ keyboard and an online photo panorama feature called Photo Sphere.
The Nexus 4 smartphone, which has been developed in partnership with LG, has a quad-core processor and a 4.7-inch screen. Two versions will be produced, enabling customers to choose between 8GB (£239) and 16GB (£279) of memory. Alongside these is the Samsung-produced Nexus 10, a 10-inch WiFi-only tablet promising 16GB (£319) or 32GB (£389) of storage and more than 500 hours of standby time.
Google is also adding two new versions of its Asus Nexus 7 tablet. Both have 32GB of storage; one includes HSPA+ mobile connectivity. (£199 WiFi-only/£239 WiFi + 3G).
Purchasing films is now available for Google Play customers in the UK, with music purchasing and streaming coming from 13th November. Customers will be able to save up to 20,000 tunes from their current music collection to Google’s cloud-based service.
[Google blog]