Google's New Smartphone Adds Upgraded Processor, Camera (AAPL, GOOG)

Even as chatter about Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) smartphone has barely subsided, speculation has already begun about Alphabet Inc. company Google's (GOOG) next generation of smartphones.

According to reports, Google will rename its new smartphones from Nexus to Pixel. There will be models—Pixel and Pixel XL—announced on October 4 and they will be available to the general public on October 20. The smaller model, called Pixel, is rumored to be made of aluminum and glass and will feature a 5-inch display while the larger one—called Pixel XL—will feature a 5.5-inch display. The models will be available in three colors: Black, White or Silver, and "Electric Blue." Both will feature Android's latest operating system, Android 7.0 Nougat, and a simplified user interface.

A More Powerful Processor and Camera

During their iPhone 7 presentation, Apple executives had spent a considerable amount of time explaining the nuances of changes in the phone's new processor and camera. Google seems to have taken a leaf out of the Apple playbook for the new smartphones.

Google's new smartphones will feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 821 processor, which delivers a 10% increase in performance over its predecessor. According to the Qualcomm website, the processor reaches speeds of 2.4 Ghz. For comparison, Apple's A 10 Fusion, the processor in its iPhone 7, can reach speeds of 2.33 Ghz. The new smartphones will have rear and front cameras with resolutions of 12 megapixels and 8 megapixels and feature top range lenses from Sony. They will also have rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. (For more, see also: World's Top 10 Hardware Companies.)

Will the Changes Make a Difference to Google's Bottom Line?

Google generally does not disclose sales of its hardware devices. Suffice to say, the Mountain View company's policy of giving away its mobile operating system for free does not do to drive much revenues. Instead, the main beneficiaries of Google's largesse are companies like Samsung Corporation Ltd., which are able to undercut Apple's expensive smartphones with their free and customized operating systems. (For more, see also: Cheap Smartphones That Compare To Apple And Samsung's Flagship Models.)

Google has taken to manufacturing its own smartphones for a different purpose. In an interview with Fortune magazine last year, the company's communication manager Chelsea Maughan explained that the goal of the Nexus program was to "showcase the best possible Android experience." The article further states that the phones are popular among mobile developers as well because they carry the Android operating system without "any carrier tweaks."

Source: Google's New Smartphone Adds Upgraded Processor, Camera (AAPL, GOOG)