The Samsung Galaxy Nexus and all Google Android phones are the cheaper mass-market alternative to the premium Apple iPhone, but that hasn’t stopped Google from trying to make a handset experience to match Apple’s admired smartphone. Visit Group test: what's the best Android phone?
It does so with Nexus, a name awarded to its flagship Android smartphones. These aim to cram in as many bleeding-edge features from the platform as possible. The Galaxy Nexus is the third such model. See also Samsung Galaxy S2 review
Google pinched the Nexus name from the generation of rogue replicant/android characters in the cult sci-fi film Blade Runner. It no longer numbers its Nexus products as was suggested by the original Nexus One; if it had, a sixth iteration could be incurring even more ire from the estate of late author Philip K Dick. Go toSamsung Galaxy S3 release date, specs and rumour round-up.
The Nexus product sets out to be a shining beacon for the best that Android has to offer. Google is said to work closely with the handset manufacturer to give a virgin Android installation, without the added bloat that many Android phones routinely pack from network operators and hardware manufacturers. See also Samsung Galaxy Note review.
Nexus phones should also offer a better level of hardware-software integration than is sometimes found from the Android platform.
This is the second time that Google has worked with Samsung, the favoured and best-selling Android partner. This time the name is a clear nod to the Samsung Galaxy phones, and in particular the Galaxy SII, a close cousin of the Galaxy Nexus.
In the same way that Google elected to use the previous Nexus S as a launchpad for the then-latest Android 2.3 (‘Gingerbread’) operating system, so this time the Galaxy Nexus is the first outing for Google’s new Android 4.0 (‘Ice Cream Sandwich’).
As the premium model to showcase Android, it is pitched in the market against the Apple iPhone 4S, and cannot escape comparisons with the leading smartphone.
Galaxy Nexus Handset
There’s no mistaking that the Galaxy Nexus is a large handset. It dwarfs the iPhone 4S and its 3.5in screen, and is even larger than the Galaxy SII’s 4.3in display.
The 4.65in Super AMOLED screen has similarly richly saturated colours. But note that this hi-res 720 x 1280 capacitive screen is using older Super OLED rather than the newer Super AMOLED Plus technology employed by the Galaxy SII.
These OLED technology screens are quite impressive to look at, with incredible contrast ratios that make punchy images. As with other OLED screens we’ve seen, colours are rich to the point of cloying, with reds in particular looking quite surreal. When viewing photographs on the Glaxy Nexus, for instance, skintones tend toward the sunburnt.
With a just-HD resolution of 1280 x 720 on the table on the large 4.65in screen, we have a pixel density of 316ppi. That’s lower than the iPhone 4 and 4S’ 326ppi, but still enough to give a ‘retina’-like resolution that does not betray individual pixels to the naked eye.
A large screen is always welcome as a way to navigate the interface and watch video on a modern smartphone. But it also makes day-to-day use more tiresome, when it reaches the point that you can no longer control the phone with one hand.
With any smartphone – up to around 3.5-4in screen in our experience – we can reach any touchable element with our thumb while holding the phone in one hand. Go beyond that size, and phone operation becomes a two-handed operation, just like in the bad old days of stylus input.
For a lady’s smaller hand, the problem is even more apparent. The Galaxy Nexus essentially mandates two hands for most routine operations, more like a mini tablet than a phone.
Unlike smartphones that feature at least one hardware button on the front screen, the Galaxy Nexus only has soft keys.
The Home key is still in the middle position, with Back to the left. To the right of Home is an overlapping square icon, which brings up an overview of all open app pages on the screen. It’s a handy way to quickly jump between different application spaces.
Galaxy Nexus Build
Construction of the Galaxy Nexus follows Samsung’s penchant for creaky plastics, although that clip-on backplate does mean you can open the phone and easily access the battery and SIM card. There’s no MicroSD card slot, so you are entirely constrained by the onboard 16GB flash storage. The 32GB version is not officially sold in the UK.
And a spare battery will be a useful asset on a phone that struggles to last a full day of moderate use. In our tests, its 6.48Wh battery let it survive 25 hours between charges, inclusive of an 8 hour overnight stretch of standby/sleeping. When the iPhone 4S lasts over 48 hours in the same use patterns, this is clearly a performance setback, if not untypical for many Android phones.
Most of that power was unsurprisingly being sapped by the screen. The option in Android to set screen brightness automatically was not terribly useful on the Galaxy Nexus, as it set the display just too dark to read easily in normal daylight.
At 139g, the Galaxy Nexus weighs about the same as an iPhone 4S (140g). It is considerably larger, standing 135mm tall and 68mm wide. There’s a slight curvature toward the bottom, with even the screen curling in around the mouthpiece end. The thickness varies across its length, from 7.2mm at its thinnest at top, to 11.7mm maximum. In the middle, it’s exactly 9.4mm, coincidentally the same as the uniform thickness of an iPhone 4S.
Galaxy Nexus Processors
As is common with other modern smartphones the Galaxy Nexus uses an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core processor – in this case a 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4460. This is backed up with a PowerVR SGX540 graphics engine, the same as used in the two-year old original Galaxy S, for instance.
By way of comparison, Apple’s iPad 2 and iPhone 4S use dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics. Independent benchmark tests, such as those by AnandTech, have shown that the latter graphics processor is around three times faster than that fitted to the Galaxy Nexus.
In real use, we found the interface to be slightly jerkier than even a Galaxy SII. Whether that’s due to problems with Android 4.0 or the weaker graphics sub-system is hard to call.
Galaxy Nexus Connectivity
The latest iteration of Google Android 4 did not arrive without problems on the Galaxy Nexus handset. Initial reported problems centred on defective audio (with volume spontaneously muting) and cellular reception (poor signal and dropped calls).
Our sample came with Android 4.0.2, and we were offered and applied an OTA update to 4.0.3 during the test period. We didn’t experience any of these early problems, but did note that cellular reception of the phone is far from great. In one test, we found that the Galaxy Nexus was unable to keep a 3G data connection at our benchmark City Thameslink train station stop. There is no local relay here, although an iPhone 4S can maintain its 3G connectivity at the same position.
Some overseas versions of the Galaxy Nexus include an LTE modem, although this is patently wasted in territories that are nowhere close to rolling out ‘4G’ mobile broadband, such as the UK and most of Europe.
As it stands for Britons, the HSDPA modem gives reasonable mobile data speed, if well short of the leading models.
In a controlled test over the Three network, we recorded average download and upload speeds by repeating and recording many tests through speedtest.net. An iPhone 4S was used for reference, which gave us results of 2.5 Mbps upload and 8.9 Mbps download.
The Galaxy Nexus in the same location and timeframe averaged 2.4 Mbps upload and 5.9 Mbps download. This is inline with performance we’ve seen on the Galaxy SII. In other words, in the key download test, the iPhone 4S is 50% faster in 3G data performance.
In real-world tests, we averaged 16 secs load time for the www.pcadvisor.co.uk website, and 5 secs for the mobile version of the site. On the iPhone 4S, these pages loaded in 7 secs and 2 secs respectively.
Galaxy Nexus Camera
Two cameras are fitted to the Galaxy Nexus, a 5Mp rear-facer with LED flash and a 1.2Mp for video calling. The main camera is also specified for 1920 x 1080p video. Don’t be put off by the sub-standard specification of 5Mp when other phones have 8Mp cameras – more important is the quality of the optics and the sensor.
We put the Galaxy Nexus against the iPhone 4S, where we saw quite decent low-light performance from the Galaxy. There was still plenty of noise visible in indoor images though, and detail was obscured by some obvious noise-reduction processing. Shot-to-shot time was quite brisk.
More troubling was the colour balance. Even viewed on a PC monitor rather than the Galaxy Nexus’ over-saturated screen, pictures had unnatural colouring and poorer handling of gradients. We couldn’t deny that the iPhone 4S takes visibly superior photographs; more detail in backgrounds, better depth perspective, conspicuously sharper and more natural overall.
Galaxy Nexus Interface
Development of Flash for mobile devices has now been officially dropped by Adobe, although Flash capability is often marketed as a unique feature not available to iOS devices.
Long-standing lipsync issues with Flash were not apparent in the short time that Flash content could be seen to work on the Galaxy Nexus; but we consistently found that Adobe Flash was crashing the Google browser. In short, the Galaxy Nexus could not play many YouTube videos without quitting or freezing. If you’re relying on Flash on your mobile, the Galaxy Nexus stands as an example of why it was a lost cause that forced even Adobe to give up.
An extra feature that Samsung has built into the Nexus is NFC, for near-field communication uses. This is still very much a proof-of-concept addition as there is little practical use for this feature today.
Galaxy Nexus Support
The Galaxy Nexus, like other Samsung phones, needs Windows in order make a connection to a PC; Samsung does not support Mac or Linux.
More development in NFC features may be found in future OS revisions and third-party apps. Since this phone is running a Google-blessed build of Android, future updates may appear more promptly than Samsung’s own; by way of example, Android 4.0 was released in October 2011, and as of Feb 2012, Samsung owners are still waiting for an update for their Galaxy phones and tablets.
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Comments
Adam Turvey said: because it sounds like opinion rather than expertise which it more than likely is.
Adam Turvey said: Could you be a little more condescending please ?
Adam Turvey said: hah
Leelynch79 said: Where can i get drivers to attach my nexus to the laptop. Do i need MTP drvers or others?
Matt Egan said: I can’t, as I haven’t used it, but Andrew, the reviewer can. He’s not working today, but I’ll drop him a note and ask him for his thoughts.
Toyan said: Matt can you please comment on the sound quality?"
Toyan said: I got my Nexus a week ago and i swear the guy who made the speaker ruin the phone..like am so pissed such a hug phone and the ring tone and every sound that the device put out is so low its embarrasing. Like the phone have other problems but why the volume so low? why?!
Sam Boycott said: Nexus has WIFI problems, my phone does not get connected to any WIFI network. I have talked to the network providers also but they have refused any issues from their end, Ultimately i had to deposit my handset at the service center. they repaired it but now again the same problem has existed. i cannot use the wifi its very embarrassing.
Sam Boycott said: Samsung is always been very worst with its phone designs, cheap plastic body and the confusing UI. Iphone is nothing different than a samsung galaxy phone, the difference is about the price, even samsung can sell its products at higher margin. It's a great rumor made for iphone that it is thebest best phone and has no issues in it also it supports many apps. But the matter of fact is that iphone are subject to generic hardware issues and software bugs. the sound quality is also not good in the iphones.Iphone and samsung phone are one and the same. After revealing lot many problems by millions of users worldwide in iphones, teh era for iphone has ended up. a big example of it is the failure of iphoen 4s in many european nations and Asian nations. well India is a very big example with hit iphone 4s sales very hard.Not biased but every new phone released comes with something new into a smartphone catagory and for now the same condition applies for Lumia.Nokia Lumia 800 is the latest and the most superior phone with experience.It has got many tings to do and also million of free apps, even the paid apps cost just 50-00 INR or 1-2 $.Iphone and samsung phones do have free apps but are limited and the prices of the paid apps are also very higher.so there is no reason to hate a Lumia for today.
Phil Levy said: Not hatred - I just feel the bias in favour of anything Apple has gone on for too long and was in fact becoming a thing of the past. Although Samsung use plastics, it doesn't mean that build quality is inferior, just different (and I accept not to everyone's taste). Their phones are certainly lighter but arguably more robust, especially when dropped. I know for a fact that unless you have the iPhone heavily shielded then one drop onto a hard surface will shatter the glass back and/or front instantly (as experienced by several people I know). Modern plastics may be lighter but they have practical advantages in phone construction. I always think it a bit pointless that Apple use such impractical (but admitedly pleasing) build materials when most users feel they have to completely mask and cover them with extra protection.
Dr. S. Cooper said: Whilst I agree that the rather sweeping opening statement reads as if it came from the pen of Jeremy Clarkson, a good proportion of my friends do fall into the categories of: have an iPhone; don't want / have an iPhone because of the overly expensive iPhone tariffs; or don't have an iPhone or any other smart phone, because '"they want a phone for making phone calls" so in my circle of friends at least, it would seem to be close to the truth, although certainly not gospel. However, apart from that generalisation, everything else in this review appears very thorough, unbiased and conclusive and that is exactly what I want from a review. All-in-all a rarelyI really don't like reviews that gloss over the facts, and side-step around the weak points. If the battery life isn't as good, the signal reception isn't as good, web surfing isn't as quick and so on, then how can the Nexus not be inferior, at least in these respects? The camera isn't as good, although the reviewer stressed that more mega-pixels does not automatically equal better photos, it appears he had an open mind (something my experience of cameras in phones or otherwise leads me to agree with). Perhaps some of these readers would rather the reviewer didn't get stuck into the nitty-gritty of the review, avoided side-by-side comparison and instead rambled on in vague terms about what it does quite well, because it does appear to do quite a lot quite well.However for me, I only want one phone so I'd like to know which is best, therefore when any new phone comes out, I'd like to read a detailed and direct comparison against the reference standard, not some blousy re-writing of a PR company's output. I noticed the reviewer didn't mention the Nexus getting very hot, applications crashing etc., which other readers have added, but these extra facts don't sway me towards it either. Finally, to quote another reader: "It is now completely accepted in the techonology world that Android is an equal if not superior contender to the iPhone and certainly not 2nd fiddle", sounds exactly like the kind of sweeping statement that that particular reader was complaining about.
Dragon Queen said: I agree with the reviewer, that if one is to buy a phone based on its build quality, then it would never be Nexus. I wouldn't buy it even for my 18-months old as a toy.It is also true that people buy Samsung smartphones because they are cheaper than iPhone. Friend of mine bought one for that reason. After about two months she phoned asking if I still have my old iPhone 3G handset and if I would like to sell it to her. Now she knows why she paid less. She hates her Samsung and wants a smartphone she can use and actually enjoy it. @0158339e0cadaf421425238bb86fea42 - where is all that hatred coming from? @vicky - camera quality? Pictures taken with this phone are terrible! I've seen them - yes, girls do play with tech-toys too
Phil Levy said: This Apple fanboy speak is simply so dated now and show such a lack of awareness of the current situation - there are many users of iPhone that have now switched to Android for its increased functionality, choice of hardware and basic freedom to customise and do what you want with it. It happens to often be cheaper, but this is absolutely not what drives many users to adopt it. It is now completely accepted in the techonology world that Android is an equal if not superior contender to the iPhone and certainly not 2nd fiddle. Look how with every IOS update an Android features get incorporated (like drop down notifications) - ironic, especially in the light of all Apple's lawsuits at the moment. I have an Android device at present although my wife and daughter have iPhones - we are all happy with our choices. Personally I have spent enough time playing with both systems side by side to know what I think is superior!
Hansy said: good features but often it get switched off.
Phil Levy said: This review and reviewer have totally removed any credibilty that this site had for me. Android is a credible alternative to iPhone and although each has it's strengths and weaknesses, it is simply incorrect to say either trails the other by anything other than a small margin, all down to personal preference. The rhetoric of generalisation in supposedly credible reviews.
Andrew Harrison said: Hi KieranThanks for your comments! Choice is good, a point I certainly appreciate. And for powerful reasons of personal principle I can truly understand how someone can choose to pass over the products or services of a given company. Perhaps they hold that company in contempt for its particular morals and business practices. Perhaps they don't want to be seen to follow a crowd. Maybe they're rooting for the underdog, the David rather than the Goliath. All valid reasons to avoid the beaten path.In my experience through talking with colleagues and friends who have or are thinking of getting a smartphone, many – but not all – would like an Apple iPhone. They tell me they start looking at the iPhone, understanding it's the market leader in quality and ease of use; but some then decide they would rather not pay the premium over a 'comparable' Android phone which lists exactly the same features.This is especially true, from what I've heard, for people locked into long contracts with UK telcos. When time comes up for renewal, many subscribers have been offered an upgrade from featurephone to smartphone: and that'll be an Android handset, almost every time.When they ask about maybe making that an iPhone instead…? …the price per month suddenly becomes less attractive so they go with what they see as the better-value option. It's a great deal, all those features but for several crucial quid less each month.Android as a platform is some years behind iOS in quality and sophistication, but is catching up fast. By comparing the best that Apple can make today (iPhone 4S), with the very best taken from the choice of every other Google OEM company (Nexus), my review should illustrate what I discovered.Namely, that you would not choose the Google phone if your criteria were based on any of: build quality, software stability, performance in real-world speed, smoothness of operation, usability through decent battery life. Other critera are available for a buying judgement, but I believe those are some of the key points. Google phones serve very well for people who don't mind their phone to be 'almost' as good as the original multi-touch smartphone. They're good enough for these less discriminating customers. Human nature always makes us appreciate free things, or things that perceived to be as good as the market leader, but cost us a less to buy. Google phones are also very compelling, I can understand, for people that like to tinker and install apps outside of a single point of delivery. The semi-open source nature of Android appeals to many developers and hackers.But set against that enthusiast audience, Android's huge market share is made up *mostly* from people who just want what they see as a bargain, a phone that can surf the net and play games and give them Facebook updates. A phone they think or have been told is every bit as good as an iPhone. But is cheaper to buy on a monthly subscription plan than an iPhone.So while I would never say that all Android phone owners are driven by value, I would suggest that the non-technical populace cannot turn down the chance to save some valuable cash when it comes to getting a new phone. They cannot turn down what they see as a bargain. And that's why Google Android phones have become the de facto cheaper mass-market alternative to the premium iPhone.
Kieran Sampson said: With your opening comment "The Samsung Galaxy Nexus and all Google Android phones are the cheaper mass-market alternative to the premium Apple iPhone," Are you implying that people only use Android because it's cheaper? Or that Android is simply designed for those that can't afford Apple products? Does it not occur to you that some people actually prefer using Android products and would continue to do so even if Apple products were less expensive? Do you not understand that a world outside the Apple ecosystem is desirable to many people for several different reasons other than money?Understand, I'm not actually calling this a particularly biased review, because with regards to the phone itself most of it I agree with, but implying that that Android is only for those that can't afford Apple IS biassed and if I might say, quite unprofessional.Does Andrew Harrison believe that more expensive automatically equals better?
Andrew Harrison said: "Galaxy Nexus trails the iPhone 4S in every area by some margin"...not saying the Nexus is better, or the iPhone is better, as everyone has there needs and depending on those needs, you may choose your phone accordingly...however, that statement can't be further from the truth...4g vs 3g?As you'll have noticed from our site address of .co.uk and a reference in the review to 'us Britons', we're a British magazine and website with a mostly British audience. Welcome to PC Advisor, Ny_yanks_win. From your nickname, I’m guessing you’re posting from the other side of the pond? Anyway, it's nice to hear all comments, septic or local.Here in old Blighty, we are several years away from 4G mobile broadband. By the time 4G is up and running most Galaxy Nexus handsets will have long been consigned to landfill sites. So I went to some lengths to test real-world performance, available today to UK subscribers with the fastest services available today – which in my experience is over Three's 3G network. And as you'll have read in the review, the Galaxy Nexus is slower that the iPhone over 3G. That's what counts today and for the next two years or so.By the way, one of our sister titles, computerworld.com, made some measurements of 4G performance in New York City. It makes interesting reading over at http://www.computerworld.com/s....Brian Nadel tested the 4G service offered by Sprint in the US, and commented 'First, the good news: It's fast. Really fast.'So far, so good.He continued 'The 4G network delivered an average download speed of 4.1Mbit/sec – about what you'll get with a wired DSL or cable modem connection. It was seven times faster than Sprint's 3G service, which averaged 550Kbit/sec. I received a peak 4G download speed of 11.2Mbit/sec at one location, nearly 10 times faster than the 1.2Mbit/sec of throughput available on Sprint's 3G network at the same location two minutes later.'Back in England now, on an Apple iPhone 4S, I routinely see 9 or 10Mbit/sec. Over ye olde 3G. And let's not even mention the dismal upload performace Brian Nadel measured over NYC's 4G cellular data links.Using 4G may incur other issue, namely in the extra battery drain the techonology can cause. On a phone like the Galaxy Nexus that has trouble keeping it up for one day, over 3G, I dread to think how working 4G will impact the li'l tablet's working day. Hopefully, just like 3G chipsets in the early days, 4G will become more battery efficient as the technology progresses.So an average of 4.1Mbit/sec is not really worth getting excited about for a 4G upgrade. Maybe it's improved since his test, but until real-world average 4G speeds hit or exceed, say 15Mbit/sec, 4G is a not worth getting excited about, a buzzword only to be bandied by marketing departments and salesmen.Still, I'd be genuinely interested to hear what kind of sales hype and primetime advertising is convincing Americans that 4G is such a grail.
Ny_yanks_win said: "Galaxy Nexus trails the iPhone 4S in every area by some margin"...not saying the Nexus is better, or the iPhone is better, as everyone has there needs and depending on those needs, you may choose your phone accordingly...however, that statement can't be further from the truth...4g vs 3g?
vicky said: IT is a great phone... display, camera quality, size... except it has application crashes, uses alot of battery and gets hot fast. ... i blame the product samsung.... but otherwise the design of the phone is amazing... if apple had this product itd be great