Thursday, March 28, 2024

What could have improved the Nexus 6P?

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This year’s Nexus 6P is a whole new ballgame for the Nexus line. Last year’s Nexus 6, which was made by Motorola, had a large bulky body that felt massive in the hand for many. The Nexus 6P changes that by featuring a slightly smaller display and a better screen-to-body ratio. It actually feels compact in the hand. And perhaps more importantly, the device comes with specifications that best or match other flagships while being packed within an all-metal design.

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The Nexus 6P runs Google’s newest version of Android — Android 6.0 Marshmallow — right out of the box. It has an improved 12.3MP camera, a 5.7-inch Quad HD (2560×1440) AMOLED display, a snappy Snapdragon 810 v2.1 processor, and a slew of new software tricks. The Nexus 6P is a worthy update over its predecessor, and brings a whole new sense of hardware to the market. But, as always, a phone can never be perfect and really depends on one’s personal preferences. So here are six features that Google and Huawei left out of the Nexus 6P.

A non-protruding camera

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The Nexus 6P features an all-metal unibody design that’s nice excluding one part. On the rear of the device lies a black strip covered in Gorilla Glass containing various sensors as well as a protruding camera. Although great that Google included all these various types of sensors, the company apparently had no other place to put them but along the top rear side of the device. Along the black strip, you’ll see the camera lens, dual-LED tone flash and laser auto-focus sensor. The strip is also reported to include a number of other sensors. Other than the top bar which can’t be covered with a case, the design is pretty elegant and attractive. Let’s hope next time Google finds how to integrate these various sensors without having to create a large hump at the back.

Additional color options

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Moto Maker allows buyers to customize their Motorola device with different designs by changing colors, materials, and textures. So why can’t Google do this? Currently for the Nexus 6P, there only three color options — Graphite, Frost and Aluminum. In Japan, buyers will get an additional gold color option. Hopefully further down the road we’ll see Google do something along the lines of Motorola and create a bevy of design choices.

Dual-SIM card compatibility

The ability to use two SIM cards in a single device is becoming more common among recent handsets. Unfortunately, for the Nexus 6P, Google decided one was enough. This has been a welcoming feature among some new devices and would have been a real treat if Google decided to provide us with it. But for now, if you have a work phone and a personal cell and want to the Nexus 6P, you’ll have to deal with carrying two phones around.

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More RAM

The Nexus 6P includes 3GB of RAM; however, extra RAM is always convenient. Soon 4GB of RAM will become the norm for Android flagships. I have a feeling that many upgrading early next year may discredit the Nexus 6P for having only 3GB. Luckily, with Marshmallow, Google has implemented improvements regarding RAM management and we hope this makes a noticeable difference.

Water and dust resistance

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Google has been silent when it comes to IP ratings. I’m sure more users would jump on the Nexus train if they found out the devices had included water and dust resistance. While this is yet to become mainstream with Android flagships, many are trying it out with separate rugged variants so why not give it a try?

Built-in IR blaster

Built-in IR blasters aren’t getting as much attention as they used to, but it would still be a nice addition to the Nexus lineup. With a built-in IR blaster, users can control their televisions or other equipment with their smartphone. We haven’t seen this features appear on a Nexus device yet, but heck, you never know when Google may include it.

Closing

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Overall, the Nexus 6P is a great flagship for anyone looking to get a clean and simplified experience. The Nexus 6P doesn’t go overboard and focuses more on perfecting what matters. Although the features mentioned above may have been great additions, it’s the lack of them that makes the Nexus series what it is. Any of them being added to the Nexus 6P would have likely raised its starting price of $499.

[Google Store]

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