Step into the Nexus - a history of the Google phone (updated 12/23/11)

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Contents:

1. Contents
2. T-Mobile G1
3. Nexus One
4. Nexus S
5. Nexus Prime

Background: These are the notes that you will see under each phone.

• Released - The day the phone came out.
• Purpose - The intent of the phone, as Google phones are not direct upgrades of each other, like the iPhone. These phones are each meant to push something into the Android ecosystem.
• Specs - What the phone is made of.
• Family - Each Google phone is typically made from another released phone, or other phones are released based off it. These are the direct ports of the Google phone being discussed.
• Successors - These are the direct successors to the Google phone being discussed. If you're looking to upgrade to a similar phone, look at these phones before you look at another Nexus.

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T-MOBILE G1

Released: October 22, 2008

ABI Thread: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=44052

Purpose: While not named Nexus, this was the first phone that Google really pushed. As the first phone launched using Google's operating system, the purpose for the G1 was quite clear; to establish Android as a real player in the upcoming mobile OS war.

Specs:

• Form Factor: Portrait Slider
• Display: 3.2", 320x480
• SOC: Qualcomm MSM7201A
• CPU: ARM11 @ 528mhz
• GPU: Adreno 130
• RAM: 192MB
• Camera: 3.2MP
• Storage: 256MB internal, up to 16GB MicroSDHC

Family:

• HTC Dream (various carriers)

Successors:

• HTC Desire Z

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NEXUS ONE

Released:January 5, 2010

ABI Thread: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=50559

Purpose: After more than a year of availability, the Android operating system was getting pummeled by Apple and others. Market share was still under 2%. The recent arrival of the Motorola Droid on Verizon was spurring interest, but Google needed a phone that could be branded as the first "super phone" in a world of smart phones. Enter the Nexus One, which was also the first Android-based handset to officially support multi-touch input, in direct violation of Apple's threats to sue anyone who used it.

Specs:

• Form Factor: Slate
• Display: 3.7", 480x800
• SOC: Qualcomm qsd8250
• CPU: Scorpion @ 1ghz
• GPU: Adreno 200
• RAM: 512MB
• Camera: 5.0MP
• Storage: 512MB internal, up to 32GB MicroSDHC

Family:

• HTC Desire (various carriers)
• HTC Incredible (Verizon, US)
• HTC Evo 4G (Sprint, US)

Successors:

• HTC Desire S (various carriers)
• HTC Incredible S (various carriers)
• HTC Incredible 2 (Verizon, US)

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NEXUS S

Released: December 16, 2010

ABI Thread: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=59681

Purpose: With their new version of Android, Gingerbread 2.3, Google wanted to debut with a device that would debut near-field communications and spark the idea of mobile payments. The Nexus S also featured a contoured glass display.

Specs:

• Form Factor: Slate
• Display: 4.0", 480x800, contoured
• SOC: Samsung Hummingbird
• CPU: Cortex A8 @ 1ghz
• GPU: PowerVR SGX540
• RAM: 512MB
• Camera: 5.0MP
• Storage: 16GB iNAND, partitioned as 1GB internal and 15GB USB storage, no MicroSD slot

Family:

• Samsung Galaxy S (various carriers)
• Samsung Galaxy Beam (various carriers)
• Samsung Captivate (AT&T, US)
• Samsung Infuse (AT&T, US)
• Samsung Fascinate (Verizon, US)
• Samsung Droid Charge (Verizon, US)
• Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint, US)
• Samsung Vibrant (T-Mobile, US)
• Samsung Galaxy S 4G (T-Mobile, US)

Successors:

• Samsung Galaxy SII (various carriers)

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GALAXY NEXUS

Released: October 17th, 2011 (GSM), December 15th, 2011 (LTE)

ABI Thread: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=65905

Purpose: The purpose of this phone is to usher in Android 4.0, to merge the smartphone and tablet versions of Android, and to provide for the use of 720p displays in phones.

Specs:

• Form Factor: Slate
• Display: 4.65", 1280x720, contoured
• SOC: Texas Instruments OMAP 4460
• CPU: Dual-Core Cortex A8 @ 1.2ghz
• GPU: PowerVR SGX540
• RAM: 1GB
• Camera: 5.0MP rear, 1.3MB front
• Storage: 16GB in GSM version, 32GB in LTE version

Family:

• None yet, although internals are very similar to the Motorola Spyder/RAZR. No Galaxy S phone uses the same internals.

Successors:

• None yet.