Google’s new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P smartphone should begin shipping in October. Want to know what the P and X in the names stand for? Premium and neXus.

Have some other questions? A team of Google developers that worked on the phones are answering questions in a Reddit “ask me anything” session. Here are some of the highlights.

nexus 2015

First up, some folks have been upset that the new phones lack support for wireless charging, but Google says the key reason the company started offering that feature with the Nexus 4 was that charging with traditional micro USB cables was a hassle. The new phones have USB Type-C ports and quick charging, which means the charging cable is reversible (you don’t have to worry about which side is up), and you can fully charge Nexus 6P in 97 minutes, with the bulk of the charging coming in the first 45 minutes or so. Wireless charging is slower and requires extra hardware that would have resulted in a thicker phone.

Some have also been upset that the entry-level Nexus 5X has just 2GB of RAM and that the entry-level model has just 16GB of storage, but the team says the idea was to “strike a balance between premium features… and affordability.” In other words, if you want more storage, pay a little extra for the 32GB model.

Here are some other things I learned from the AMA:

  • The Nexus 6P uses a Samsung AMOLED display panel.
  • While both phones have reversible USB Type-C charges, they only support USB 2.0 transfer speeds, not USB 3.0.
  • Both the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P have the exact same 12.3MP IMX377 camera with laser auto-focus, but only the Nexus 6P supports 240 frames-per-second slow-motion video, Smartburst, and electronic image stabilization because it has more CPU and GPU horsepower.
  • The phones use eMMC 5.0 storage.
  • Both phones use software-based encryption, but it should be faster than on the Nexus 6, due to support for the feature in the new Snapdragon 808 and 810 processors
  • Support for VoLTE and T-Mobile band 12 support is in the works, and could possibly be available by the time the phones ship.
  • There are currently no “official” plans to offer a Google-branded Pixel phone.
  • The phones cost more in Europe than the US due to differences in taxes, exchange rates, distribution channels, and other factors.

You can find more (and get in your own questions if you act quickly) at reddit.

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8 replies on “Google explains why Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P lack wireless charging and other design decisions”

  1. Another cheap looking Nexus with no micro SD card slot and no other enticement to bother getting it…

    I guess the great feature is that your screen now will have burn-in and you won’t be able to read it in direct sunlight. Stupid Amoled.

  2. Great article! I didn’t even realise there was an AMA, and I’m glad to hear it’s a Samsung AMOLED panel. Also, it’s horsepower, not horsewpoer 😛

  3. Nexus really needs to move to Quick Charge 2.0. They used Moto’s proprietary turbocharger for Nexus 6 and are probably using Huawei’s proprietary charger for 6P. It’s not about an improvement in charge time, it’s about standardizing the chargers. I guess part of the nexus deal that the phone builder gets is being able to sell custom chargers.

    1. Nexus devices are a collaboration between Google and the manufacturer. It should be no surprise when the manufacturers would prefer to use their own systems in such devices. Google has a lot of clout, no doubt, but collaborations will always have some give and take.

  4. Hey Brad, great write up as always. Just wanted to let you know that there’s something off about the title: “Google explains swers why Nexus 5X…”

Comments are closed.