Google Nexus 6 Its the end of the Nexus brand

[bulletmark]

Re: The carriers forced the price

It's a little known fact that earlier Nexus devices were sold at a LOSS or breaking about even.

Garbage, that's an internet meme that has been randomly promoted by some. People are silly if they think Google or anybody would sell a device at a loss. The N4 and N5 just had a much lower margin than the other high-end phones in order to promote Android etc (and they do/did not have to support retail stores, sales people etc), but clearly with the N6, Google are not doing that anymore, probably under pressure from the carriers and other players in the phone industry.

 

[ryanr509]

Re: Google Nexus 6 So its just anothe phone now, not special?

Google has like 50 billion cash on hand. They don't have any pressure from anybody to do anything at all. The nexus is their device that they invented and sell. Like it was said before the nexus is not a mainstream device and not supposed to be a flagship top selling phone. Its pretty annoying seeing people complain about battery life, build quality, and screen on nexus 4 and 5. U paid $300 for a phone and received a phone that was on par for the most part spec wise with other flagships for half the price. Now google builds I would say almost top of the line in every way phone except for maybe the camera and now u have to pay for it? If you guys were telling google what to build and how to price their stuff they would be broke. O and please call Google with your complaint that you won't buy the phone because its to big and let me know how that goes.

 

[b_slow1]

Re: The carriers forced the price

Garbage, that's an internet meme that has been randomly promoted by some. People are silly if they think Google or anybody would sell a device at a loss.

Companies sell items at a loss all the time. The goal is to make up the difference on the back end. I don't claim to know exactly what Google's long-term goals are, but it seems that they are trying to rule the world (in a sense). Overseas, the market is dominated by Android devices due to so many low-cost offerings, including Google's own AndroidOne program.

But in the U.S., Apple is King. It would make sense for them to sell a powerful device at a loss, in the hopes of stealing away some customers from Apple, who simply couldn't turn away such a good deal. Then, the goal would be to keep them with Android, and tie them to the Google "ecosystem" so that it makes it very difficult to go back.

Now, why did Google decide to change their approach for the Nexus 6? Maybe they see enough high-quality / low-budget options (like the Moto G) on the market that they feel having a subsidized Nexus is no longer necessary. Just a guess though...

 

[VAVA Mk2]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

?

It's no different than any other Nexus device. There are carrier versions, and there is an unlocked version. The price is premium, but there are no indications that anything else has changed with regards to your other concerns.

There has been no indication yet that the carrier versions will be "carrier versions" or if carriers will sell what Google sells from Google Play, but subsidized if you sign a two year agreement. There is a chance that this will be treated like an iPhone and carriers need to keep their hands off.

 

[ultravisitor]

Re: The carriers forced the price

Now, why did Google decide to change their approach for the Nexus 6? Maybe they see enough high-quality / low-budget options (like the Moto G) on the market that they feel having a subsidized Nexus is no longer necessary. Just a guess though...

That's certainly an interesting point that I haven't seen brought up yet.

My thinking for why they went so gigantic with the Nexus 6 is that they see the way the market is evolving, so they want to make sure developers are creating apps that really take advantage of screen size. They can help spur that on with a big Nexus 6.

 

[Crispy]

Re: The carriers forced the price

There is zero evidence that N4/N5 were sold at a loss, I wish people would stop repeating that. There is no reason to even suspect that they did.

Prices in the West are inflated for profit. Phones don't actually cost $600-800. Look at what lots of Chinese oem's can do for 1/2 the price, look at the One+, and stop being naive.

It's Google's choice to stop offering a budget offering, to appease carriers, make a profit, whatever. A budget premium Android phone with pure Android no longer exists, that much is clear. For a lot of people that was the appeal of Nexus phones, even though it was a niche product, it had a huge fan following. Go read other online forums and you'll see majority of people turned off by the price, size, or both.

This doesn't make the N6 any worse or less desirable for those who want it, its just a completely different value proposition now. But I'm going to reserve judgment till we really know its a premium device as the $650 price demands, lets see how the camera, battery life etc are.

 

[OTTO002]

Re: Will Verizon Nexus 6 have an unlocked bootloader?

well, its almost the time to buy a Nexus 5

 

[infinity12402]

Re: Google Nexus 6 So its just anothe phone now, not special?

You know what would be more useful than complaining to a bunch of people on a forum? Maybe going on social media sites and complaining to people who can actually do something about the price.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[delrey1900]

Re: Google Nexus 6 So its just anothe phone now, not special?

You know what would be more useful than complaining to a bunch of people on a forum? Maybe going on social media sites and complaining to people who can actually do something about the price.

Posted via Android Central App

An option, yes. But you know of another one? Don't buy it if you(users that don't like the price and/or size) really feel that way. If the phone flops, you can bet that Google may change it's strategy. Speaking with your wallet is the best way to get a company's attention.

 

[infinity12402]

Re: Google Nexus 6 So its just anothe phone now, not special?

An option, yes. But you know of another one? Don't buy it if you(users that don't like the price and/or size) really feel that way. If the phone flops, you can bet that Google may change it's strategy. Speaking with your wallet is the best way to get a company's attention.

That's true too. But either way, complaining here isn't going to make it better.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Robbie317]

Re: The carriers forced the price

There is zero evidence that N4/N5 were sold at a loss, I wish people would stop repeating that. There is no reason to even suspect that they did.

Not exactly zero evidence.... People have done tear downs of the devices and running estimates on what those parts cost wholesale and estimating production cost you can come up with a rough idea on what the devices cost.... I would say they sold the N4, N5 and N7 at very slim margins.... and that isn't even going to include what it cost them in R&D plus storage, packaging, returns and customer service.....

Google pricing the Nexus 6 at $650 makes sense | Android | Geek.com

I liked this article on the whole subject....

The same goes for phones like the inexplicably cheap OnePlus One or the Huawei Ascend Mate2. These aren’t phones that are being built intentionally to cut corners, in fact for the most part these are all fantastic handsets worthy of being called flagships. The fact that they all come in at under $400 is based on a decision to sell the phone at as close to the cost as possible, largely so the phone can compete with the likes of Google and Motorola in spaces where the Nexus 5 and Moto G are so popular. As nice as it may be to assume these companies are doing this out of kindness, at the end of the day it’s an unsustainable race to the bottom, and Google has pulled out of the race before things got ugly.

 

[vtpmt81]

Re: The carriers forced the price

Companies sell items at a loss all the time. The goal is to make up the difference on the back end. I don't claim to know exactly what Google's long-term goals are, but it seems that they are trying to rule the world (in a sense). Overseas, the market is dominated by Android devices due to so many low-cost offerings, including Google's own AndroidOne program.

But in the U.S., Apple is King. It would make sense for them to sell a powerful device at a loss, in the hopes of stealing away some customers from Apple, who simply couldn't turn away such a good deal. Then, the goal would be to keep them with Android, and tie them to the Google "ecosystem" so that it makes it very difficult to go back.

Now, why did Google decide to change their approach for the Nexus 6? Maybe they see enough high-quality / low-budget options (like the Moto G) on the market that they feel having a subsidized Nexus is no longer necessary. Just a guess though...

Samsung and LG are number 2 and 3 in the US and both sell their flagship phones unlocked/off contract for $549-$799. If Google wants the Nexus to be more than just the Android geeks' phone - getting carrier support and offering high end no compromise hardware had to happen. Most US customers are on contract on Verizon and AT&T. These are the people Google is going after.

The Moto G is really meant for prepaid customers/customers that buy phones at full price that want a good phone without breaking the bank.

 

[terrycanfly]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

But at that price I would rather pay a little more to get a superior camera, features and s-pen. Don't get me wrong I really wanted this phone, but after the reveal I am unimpressed.

Posted via the Android Central App

The nexus line is about pure google on a decently spec'd device. It is a rreference device to show the capabilities the newest software. Price is not a deciding factor on what a nexus device is. And a note 4 is not worth the extra money out right if you are looking for a pure google device. Samsung ruins devices with their cumbersome gui that make top tier specs lag like a low end alcatel

 

[Dirty Omlet]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

"better hardware"?........nah

 

[swebb]

Re: Its the end of the Nexus brand

There is no winning with the Nexus fans. They complained for the last two years that they had to put up with "compromises" in their Nexus device. Now, with the Nexus 6, we have a device with no compromises, but they complain about having to pay for it.

It seems that you want a phone that has the best specs across the board, and also costs half the price of similar, competing products. Is that a fair demand, in your view? Because to me, it seems rather selfish. You don't see other companies selling flagship devices for under $400. (Don't give me any nonsense about the One Plus One. That phone is vaporware as far as I'm concerned).

If you can't afford a top-of-the-line device, you have to change your expectations and buy a phone that fits your budget. It's that simple.

So true, though you hear more from those that are dissatisfied versus those that aren't. I bought the last three Nexus phones and liked them all. But there was always a good reason to upgrade to the next one. The N6 really doesn't have a compelling feature, other than the size (actually a negative for me), that would make me want it. I could rationalize purchasing the N6 if the overall size was in line with the LG G3 and the price was in the $350-$450 range. But that would be more wanting something new, versus wanting something because there was a new desirable feature. Think LTE on the N5.

All in all, the N5 is a nice phone to hold on to for another year or so. Couldn't say that for most of the phones I had.

 

[Robbie317]

Re: Will Verizon Nexus 6 have an unlocked bootloader?

well, its almost the time to buy a Nexus 5

I'll have a gently used 32 gig black for sale here shortly...

 

[nickacs]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

I was stuck on Sprint another CDMA carrier for years.. No way I'd switch back to a CDMA carrier... and as others have pointed out Verizon plans can be pricey so what you save on the device you are probably going to more than make up for it on plans....

Some people love Verizon... I know of a couple of people who swear by them.... I use to swear by Sprint... Once I finally pulled the plug (with my Nexus 5) and went prepaid on a GSM carrier there is no way I'd switch back.... I've enjoyed T-Mobile but in a matter of a few minutes I can run and get a SIM for any other carrier if needed.... MUCH BETTER (In my humble opinion)

I used to agree for the last 1.5yrs when I left Verizon to go to TMobile with my N4. While I've loved paying $50 less a month, the lack of signal across the US when travelling or even around town sometimes has left me getting a N6 and going back to VZW. It sucks, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

 

[Premium1]

Re: Its the end of the Nexus brand

There is no winning with the Nexus fans. They complained for the last two years that they had to put up with "compromises" in their Nexus device. Now, with the Nexus 6, we have a device with no compromises, but they complain about having to pay for it.

It seems that you want a phone that has the best specs across the board, and also costs half the price of similar, competing products. Is that a fair demand, in your view? Because to me, it seems rather selfish. You don't see other companies selling flagship devices for under $400. (Don't give me any nonsense about the One Plus One. That phone is vaporware as far as I'm concerned).

If you can't afford a top-of-the-line device, you have to change your expectations and buy a phone that fits your budget. It's that simple.

Agree, the entitlement that they show is baffling. You can never satisfy those users...

 

[Robbie317]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

I used to agree for the last 1.5yrs when I left Verizon to go to TMobile with my N4. While I've loved paying $50 less a month, the lack of signal across the US when travelling or even around town sometimes has left me getting a N6 and going back to VZW. It sucks, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

T-Mobile was HORRIBLE when I lived in Nashville, TN... or well awesome in Nashville but get about a mile in any direction outside of the city and you were screwed... I moved to Dallas 3 years ago and FINALLY made the switch to test them out again here.. You can forget about downloading or surfing on the ride to San Antonio or up to Oklahoma... but so far from Dallas to Fort Worth and everywhere in between I've had amazing coverage and speeds... Our company phones are Verizon and they are a million times better in between... but 99% of my life is spent in and around town.... (Now.. In TN I traveled all week from Kentucky through Alabama.. It's why T-Mobile was not worth the savings at all)

But for the most part you get what you pay for.... AT&T is actually the best in Dallas overall.... but T-Mobile is a close second (Speed and coverage wise IN THE CITY and surrounding areas) Verizon is awesome when going in all the gaps in between....

 

[Wildo6882]

Re: So its just anothe phone now, not special?

T-Mobile was HORRIBLE when I lived in Nashville, TN... or well awesome in Nashville but get about a mile in any direction outside of the city and you were screwed... I moved to Dallas 3 years ago and FINALLY made the switch to test them out again here.. You can forget about downloading or surfing on the ride to San Antonio or up to Oklahoma... but so far from Dallas to Fort Worth and everywhere in between I've had amazing coverage and speeds... Our company phones are Verizon and they are a million times better in between... but 99% of my life is spent in and around town.... (Now.. In TN I traveled all week from Kentucky through Alabama.. It's why T-Mobile was not worth the savings at all)

But for the most part you get what you pay for.... AT&T is actually the best in Dallas overall.... but T-Mobile is a close second (Speed and coverage wise IN THE CITY and surrounding areas) Verizon is awesome when going in all the gaps in between....

Ah Nashville, I love that city. Southern Illinois here about 2.5 hours north west of Nashville. AT&T is solid here as long as you don't hit the backwoods too much. I switched to it to save a ton of money over Verizon. Verizon still has the best coverage in the Deliverance areas, but in the main towns, AT&T is on par at worst.