Google finally launches the Nexus 5 (Update: It’s almost sold out)

By Andy Boxall October 31, 2013

Nexus 5 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our review of the Google Nexus 5 smart phone.

The many weeks of leaks and speculation are over, as Google has announced the Nexus 5 smartphone, although it has done so without a flashy event. Instead Sundar Pichai, Google’s SVP of Android, broke the news through a blog post. Of course, the Nexus 5 also brings with it the latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat.

Thanks to the leaks, there are few surprises regarding the phone. As expected it has a 5-inch touchscreen, which is covered with Gorilla Glass 3, and boasts a 1080p resolution. The processor is a 2.3GHz, quad-core Snapdragon 800 and 2GB of RAM. The camera mounted on the rear has 8-megapixels, and comes with an LED flash. The good news is it’s equipped with optical image stabilization and HDR+ too.

The phone also has NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and dual-band Wi-Fi, and unlike the Nexus 4, there’s 4G LTE connectivity too. Two models are being offered, one with 16GB of memory, and the other with 32GB, although there’s no evidence of the latter having a larger battery, as per some rumors.

As for Android 4.4, there’s confirmation of the new Hangouts application, which adds your SMS text messages into the mix, plus Google has added voice control using the “OK Google” command seen on the Motorola Moto X. Rumors of the software being better suited to hardware with 512MB of RAM have proven correct, and it’s all part of Google’s plan to reach what it calls, “The next billion users.”

The Nexus 5 is on sale now through Google Play, with orders expected to ship in the next few days. The 16GB model has been priced at $350.

Another update by Jeff: Most units are shipping by Nov. 8 now.

Update by Jeffrey Van Camp: As quickly as it arrived, it disappeared. The Nexus 5 16GB version is sold out. The 32GB version does appear to still be in stock but it doesn’t ship until Nov. 8.

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