Google Releases Nexus 5 Phone with Kit Kat

Google is selling a new Android smartphone that it hopes will become more like a clairvoyant friend than a piece of hardware. Nexus devices are Google’s flagship line of phones and tablets, running the newest and purest form of Android and available without contracts.

The Nexus 5 phone unveiled Thursday is the first device to run on Kit Kat, the latest version of Google’s Android operating system. Physically, the 5-inch Nexus is a bit thinner and lighter than the previous generation, while packing a faster Snapdragon 800 processor.

Google Nexus 5
Google Nexus 5

The Nexus 5 also includes a feature, called the dialer,” that will display phone numbers pulled directly from the Web instead of just a person’s contact list.

The Nexus 5 is available online today in 10 countries and will be available in retail stores like Best Buy. It’s a wider rollout than for previous generations of Nexus phones. The 16 GB version will cost $349 without a contract and the 32 GB version will go for $399, also without a contract.