Google Nexus

Flagship smartphones seem to be stuck at 4 GB of RAM, save for a few exceptions, but not all smartphones, even Google's once prized Nexus line, can boast of that much. Specifically, the Nexus 5X seemed stuck at a time when nobody needed more than 2 GB of RAM. Apparently, the device's hardware could have actually gone with more, like 2 GB more. And someone actually did, with a little help from a rather helpful Chinese repair shop.

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No smartphone is perfect, but some fail so spectacularly that they get not only some media coverage but even a class action lawsuit. And, no, for the first time, we're not talking about the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. In the federal district Southern California, LG was slapped with a class action lawsuit by disgruntled owners of LG G4 and LG V10 smartphone who were fed up with the company's shoddy craftsmanship and even shoddier customer support. Now that list of devices has grown to include the Nexus 5X, the LG G5, and the LG V20.

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It has been a pretty big news day for Android. In addition to Google's announcement of its new "PAX" cross-licensing accord and the unsurprising victory of Android over Windows on the mobile web, owners of Nexus and Pixel devices are also getting a treat. That's right, Android 7.1.2 is finally rolling out, for real, on Google's device. But, aside from that, Google has also released the Android security bulletin for April 2017.

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New Android releases are almost always welcomed by Android users, but power users, especially those who routinely root their devices, have mixed feelings. While it brings new features to play with, a new Android version usually also patches up exploits that are used to gain root access. Defying expectation, however, Chainfire, developer extraordinaire known for his SuperSU utility, has announced a preliminary root for Android O on the Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P, just days after the first Android O developer preview was announced.

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Although rumors about the next major Android version, the still unnamed Android “O”, are starting to trickle in, there’s still a lot of work to be done for Android Nougat. Feature parity among supported devices, specifically Google’s own devices, is one such area of improvement. Fortunately, it seems that Google has heard the cries of its Nexus users and has started rolling out the Android 7.1.2 that brings, among other things, fingerprint gestures to the Nexus 6P and some UI improvements to the Pixel C tablet.

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It’s bad enough that both the Android 7.0 Nougat update and its later 7.1.1 release were significantly delayed for the Nexus 6. Now owners of the supposedly still supported device are left in a state of limbo. That is if they aren’t already stuck with a partially broken installation. Google has apparently made available an update to Android 7.0, which is rolling out even to those already on Android 7.1.1, which, in turn, is causing apps to crash left and right.

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We live in a very Internet-centric world, but access to the Internet isn't as ubiquitous or as stable as we might like. And that's not even counting the devices that can't connect to the 'net anytime, anywhere, a.k.a. WiFi-only devices. Especially for the latter class of devices, tethering is one of the workarounds to this problem but it's, more often than not, a multi-step process. Not if you're using a Pixel or recent Nexus device, though, with the rollout of Android Nougat's new Instant Tethering feature.

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The Android platform is already notorious for its fragmentation and Google may have contributed to that even further. When it launched its own Google Pixel, it introduced some features that may never reach its other Nexus devices, even if the hardware were capable of supporting it. Google’s tune has changed a bit after much criticism, at least for one particular feature. Fingerprint swipe down, first seen on the Pixel, are coming and, at least according to some reports, has already landed on some Nexus 5X devices.

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Android users who own recent Pixel or Nexus devices running Android Nougat 7.1.1 may notice a new feature rolling out in the near future, or in some cases, already available. Called Instant Tethering and introduced as part of Google Play Services 10.2, it aims to make connecting to the phone's hotspot an easier, almost automatic process.

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Just when you thought Google was done with its different Android brands and settling on a single, premium Pixel, this rumor comes along. According the quintessential people familiar with the matter, the Android maker is actually planning to increase its US smartphone presence from two to three. In addition to the existing but seemingly endangered Nexus and the fledgling Pixel, Google is now said to be planning on bringing its budget class Android One line to the US as well, increasing the likelihood of confusion but also of potential profits.

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"Shamu lives!" Those two words, the fist comment on Reddit about this news, poignantly expresses the sentiment of Nexus 6 owners today. Almost buried under the weight of CES 2017, Google has silently released Android 7.1.1 for the Nexus 6, model name "shamu", after a delay of about a month thanks to a very device-specific bug. That no longer matter though, because Nexus 6 owners can now enjoy the latest Android release. And enjoy it they must, because it might be the last major Android version it receives.

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The Android 7.1.1 Nougat update brought Android's fragmentation problem to light once more. Not everyone will be able to get it, not even all of Google's Nexus devices. Many of those have fallen outside of the arbitrary two-year support promise. The Motorola-made Nexus 6 neatly still falls within that time range but the update has been missing to date. Google has heard the cries of its users and has made a semi-official statement on the matter. The good news: it's still coming. The bad news: you'll have to wait a few more weeks.

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