Android Nougat: Here's where to get the upgrade for your Nexus

Google has released files that some Nexus owners can use to flash their devices with Android Nougat 7.0.

August 26, 2016

If you want to upgrade your Nexus handset to Android Nougat, you may be in luck.

Google has posted the files needed to upgrade various Nexus handsets to the latest release of the mobile OS.

While most Nexus owners should receive an over-the-air update to Nougat in the coming weeks, anyone keen to try out Nougat's new multitasking and other features sooner can shortcut the process by downloading the files from Google's developer site and manually installing them.

Nexus owners can choose between two types of files to install Nougat: the full factory images, which restore the Nexus to its original factory firmware and require a device wipe, or the OTA update binary image files, which don't require a wipe.

The first Nexus handset that the Nougat files are available for is the Nexus 5X (Image/OTA), while the equivalent files for the Nexus 6P and Nexus 6 are coming soon. Also available are the files for Pixel C (Image/OTA), the Nexus 9 Wi-Fi model (Image/OTA), and the Nexus Player (Image/OTA).

If you own a Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 2013 model, this Android version update will not be available.

For supported Nexus devices, the other way to shortcut the wait time is by enrolling the device in Google's beta program, which gives access to the developer preview version of the OS. ZDNet's instructions for how to safely do that are available here.

While Nexus owners can expect to get Google's latest improvements to Android in the coming weeks, it likely will take several months for Android handset makers to release the update to all other handsets.

Exclusive: specs for "Marlin" - the larger of two upcoming HTC-built Nexus phones

06/30/2016

You know about Google's smaller new Nexus phone, Sailfish, but what about Marlin? Everyone's keen to know what the bigger - and ostensibly better - Nexus phone this year holds, and we've got the goods. Well, some of them - enough to sate you until we learn more. Let's get the basic stuff out of the way, I know you're not interested in waiting.

Confidence level

We rate this rumor a 9 out of 10 confidence level. We have strong corroborating evidence for most of these specifications, and at this point, feel extremely confident in the below information. That said, we always reserve the possibility that things could change, may have been misrepresented or misinterpreted, or may be advertised differently when the device is released to market.

Given the number of corroborating sources we have, we are also now retroactively upgrading our Sailfish specs post to a 9 out of 10 confidence as well.

The evidence

Unfortunately, we are not able to share direct evidence from our sources, both due to the sensitive nature of that evidence and the way in which it was relayed to us. Suffice it to say, we would not publish this information if we did not feel confident in the quality of that source. Here is what we know about one of two Nexus phones, codenamed "Marlin."

• Manufactured by HTC
• Quad-core Qualcomm processor
• 5.5" QHD (2560x1440) AMOLED display
• USB-C port
• 12MP rear camera, 8MP front
• Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
• 4GB RAM
• 3450mAh battery
• Bottom-firing speakers
• 32/128GB of storage
• Bluetooth 4.2

At this time, we also believe we can confidently revise our Sailfish specifications to state that it also has an AMOLED display panel (though at 1080p resolution).

Getting back to Marlin, let's talk about what you're seeing above. We believe that there will only be two storage models - 32 and 128GB, with no 64GB in between them. We also believe, though are not certain, that the same will be true of Sailfish's storage configuration. We have good reason to think that Sailfish and Marlin will likely have the same cameras, RAM, and CPUs as one another. At this time, we just aren't certain what that CPU is - be it a revised Snapdragon 820, or the rumored 821 or 823. There's simply not enough for us to go on right now.

This paints a rather interesting picture: two Nexuses in two sizes, with the only real difference between the two being the size and resolution of display and battery capacity. This would align more with an iPhone / iPhone Plus sort of strategy, or if you like an Android analogy, a Sony Z and Z Compact strategy. Last year, the Nexus 5X was the clear second fiddle to the more powerful 6P.

The new one-phone-two-sizes approach would make a lot of sense, though it's not clear what kind of impact on pricing this would have for the smaller model. After all, if the only difference is the display and battery, that's not a lot to work with on the bill of materials end of things.

We also believe, at this time, that Sailfish and Marlin will share basically identical design language, with the only physical differences being those necessitated by proportion. Again: a lot like the iPhone / iPhone Plus. It remains unclear to us if these phones will feature any HTC branding.

Final thoughts

We're getting a much clearer picture of Google's 2016 Nexus strategy as the days and weeks go on. With Marlin's specifications on the table, as well as our strong belief that Marlin and Sailfish will be very, very similar in most regards, things are really starting to come into focus.

Marlin may not be the spec-page monster that some fans have been clamoring for, of course. With just 4GB of RAM and a battery that, while large, isn't enormous, the top-tier Nexus is unlikely to have appeal to those who must have the best and most of everything in their smartphone. But what we are seeing looks respectable - and a lot of this will come down to pricing, which we really have no beat on at this point.

Nexus season is in full force - we hope to share more cool things with you soon.

Google’s next-gen Nexus will come with new Nougat features that aren’t available yet

Aug 24, 2016

Google just released the Android 7.0 Nougat update but this year’s Nexus devices are yet to become official. Even if you don’t plan on buying an HTC Nexus model this year, you should still be excited about the phones because the two devices will run Android 7.1, a Nougat upgrade that will bring with it two exciting new features.

A post on Reddit revealed that Google is already testing Android 7.1, with Android Police’s David Ruddock tweeting that the new Nexus phones will launch with Android 7.1, “which is now confirmed to be Nougat’s MR1 release.”

If that’s not enough, one more person who offered details recently about the upcoming Nexus phones confirmed the news.

“The Marlin leak is based on N Maintenance Release 1. NMR1,” Nathan Benis said. “With Google’s announcements, today of doing quarterly maintenance releases leads me to believe the upcoming Nexus devices are going to be launched alongside MR1. Probably around the same time they were last year. Current version of Android N that is being pushed to Nexus devices is based on Developer Preview 5 and does not have any of the ‘proprietary features Android Police and myself have been leaking’ expect a developer preview of mr1 with these changes soon… “

Previous leaks indicated that the Marlin and Sailfish would feature a new launcher as well as a way to activate the brand new Google Assistant from a redesigned home button.

Google has yet to confirm any of these details, but Benis seems to indicate the new Nexus phones are due in late September. That means an announcement is probably is probably on the way.

LG V20 leak shows the Android phone is keeping its second screen

August 24, 2016

LG's V20 is set to debut on September 6th, but mobile leaker Evan Blass has already got his hands on a high-resolution image of the Android flagship and posted it to Twitter. The image shows off a rather bland-looking smartphone with an uncluttered home screen devoid of any duplicate apps and unnecessary bloatware. What we can see from this image is LG's commitment to the second screen concept it debuted with last year's V10.

The second screen is just what it sounds like: a separate, always-on display that sits on top of the main smartphone screen for showing notifications, widgets, and other information gleaned at a glance. In our review of the V10 last year, The Verge's Vlad Savov found the screen to be unnecessary. "On such a large device as the V10, it’s silly to have a tiny info ticker that doesn’t fit all that much information in the first place. Switch this thing off and you’ll immediately upgrade your V10 user experience," he wrote. LG appears to disagree.



We'll get more information about the device when its unveiled early next month. The company has already confirmed the V20 will be the first phone to ship with Android 7.0 Nougat,

Confirmed by Google as world's first smartphone to ship with Android Nougat onboard, the LG V20 is expected to be officially unveiled on September 6.

Here is a quick rundown of what's expected from the LG V20 specs-wise. First of all, it will boast a 5.5-inch Quad HD (1440 x 2560 pixels) display, but also an “always on” secondary screen above the main display.

On the inside, the V20 is said to pack a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, complemented by an Adreno 530 GPU and 4GB of RAM. The hardware is clearly that of a flagship device, so expect a retail price that will reflect just that.

Furthermore, the LG V20 features a 21-megapixel dual camera setup on the back, as well as an 8-megapixel selfie camera in the front. LG's flagship will be powered by a large 4,000 mAh battery, which, hopefully, will provide decent usage time.

LG also confirmed the V20 offers excellent audio features thanks to the partnership with B&O Play.

Samsung will reportedly issue worldwide recall of Galaxy Note 7

Reports of exploding batteries may lead to an unprecedented response

September 1, 2016

Samsung is preparing to announce a massive and global recall of its brand new Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The Korea Herald also reported earlier that Samsung is "considering" a recall. The drastic and unprecedented step would be a direct result of Samsung's ongoing investigation into reports that the Note 7's battery has exploded while charging, and Samsung could announce a recall as soon as this coming weekend.

Just yesterday, it was reported that Samsung had decided to delay Note 7 shipments while investigating the claims, and it would appear that the company might've found a serious cause for concern. A Samsung spokesperson confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that shipments have been halted, though couldn't comment on whether the release would be affected around the world.

Yonhap claims that Samsung is currently in discussions with carriers that have already launched the Note 7 — Verizon Wireless is mentioned by name — about how the recall process will be handled. The company has also reportedly ordered UK carriers to halt the Note 7's planned launch in that region next week. "Results of the investigation and relevant countermeasures will be made public this weekend or early next week at the latest," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. This unnamed Samsung official told Yonhap that the battery issue impacts less than 0.1 percent of Note 7 devices sold thus far, but clearly the company is unwilling to take chances.

A widespread recall of the well-received Note 7 would deal a major blow to Samsung's mobile business at a time when many view the company's latest smartphone lineup as its best yet. When questioned about the recall rumor, a Samsung spokesperson didn't provide a direct conformation or denial, instead giving The Verge the following statement:

September 2, 2016

Google will announce two new Pixel smartphones and an updated 4K-capable Chromecast at a hardware-focused event on October 4th, Android Police reports, a day previously flagged by Droid Life as a launch date for the phones. The company will also use the event to show off its Daydream VR device, the publication claims, as well as to provide more details on Google Home, a small speaker that seems to be Google’s answer to Amazon’s Echo.

It’s not clear where the event will be held, nor what time it will begin, but Android Police reports some specific information about the products that will be revealed. Apparently the the new Chromecast will be called either the Chromecast Plus or the Chromecast Ultra, and Google’s Daydream VR platform will earn a suffix, the finalized version being called Daydream View. Google has been recruiting and funding YouTube stars over the past few months, according to Bloomberg, ahead of an imminent launch of the platform.

News of the planned event comes soon after Android Police claimed to know the names of Google’s Nexus smartphone successors — the Pixel, and the Pixel XL. Both phones could be detailed on stage on October 4th, but early reports indicate the Pixel will have a 5-inch screen, compared to the 5.5-inch Pixel XL. Pricing or release dates are not yet known.