Google unveils new Nexus 6 and Nexus 9

A day ahead of the reveal of Apple’s latest iPad, Google has lifted the lid on its new smartphone the Nexus 6 and new tablet the Nexus 9.

Both will be the first devices to run the latest iteration of Android – called Android 5.0 Lollipop.

As the name suggests, the Nexus 6 offers a (actually just under) six-inch screen and is in many ways an inflated version of the Moto X, which is perhaps little surprise as it’s made by Motorola.

Owing to its iPhone 6 Plus-like size, Google will be keeping the Nexus 5 on the market, although it hasn’t indicated any plans to give it a spec boost.

The Nexus 6’s 5.9-inch screen is quad HD and inside is a 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, along with a 3,220mAh battery. It will come in 32GB and 64GB varieties and in either white or blue.

The biggest surprise is perhaps the price. While the Nexus 5 and Nexus 10 are amongst the most competitively priced devices on the market, the Nexus 6 will cost a massive $649 without a contract making it one of the most expensive Android phones ever released.

As for the Nexus 9? That offers an 8.9-inch screen (offering 281ppi and 2,048×1,536 pixels) and a dual-core 2.3GHz Nvidia K1 processor, offering 64-but compatibility. Aesthetically it looks very much like a larger Nexus 5

Prices start at $399 for the 16GB wi-fi model and run all the way up to $599 for the 32GB 4G version.

Google has also unveiled its new Nexus Player platform.