Google has officially announced the Nexus 6P as a 5.7-inch smartphone made by Huawei during its launch event in San Francisco.

It's pretty much identical to the many leaks and rumours we've seen and heard in the last few months, with a better camera, higher resolution screen and the much-talked about fingerprint sensor.

Indeed, there are a whole stack of new features and specifications with the new handset so let us tell you everything you need to know about the Nexus 6P - a true powerhouse of a Google Nexus phone. And we'll start with an official video...

Nexus 6P release date and price

Although we don't know the exact shipping date yet, bar that it will be sent out in October, the Nexus 6P is available for pre-order now in the US, UK, Japan and Ireland. It will start at £449 for the 32GB version, £499 for the 64GB model, and £579 for the version with 128GB.

Where can I get the Nexus 6P?

A number of networks have declared that they will be stocking the Nexus 6P in the UK. You can also get it unlocked from the Google Store, where it is on pre-order for the prices above.

O2 will be offering the Nexus 6P on its Refresh tariff, which means the handset cost is separate from the line rental, so if you want to upgrade the handset before the contract is up you only have to pay the remainder owed on the device itself. And after two years, the phone is yours to keep and you only have to carry on paying for the price plan.

Carphone Warehouse has also announced it will stock the phone, with pre-orders for the Nexus 6P starting at 9am on 2 October. In addition, it has revealed that the first 5,000 customers to pre-order a new Nexus handset will get the second generation Chromecast for free as well.

EE's pre-orders for the device open on 9 October. Customers can currently register their interest in the Nexus 6P on the network's website to be informed when more details and pricing are available.

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Nexus 6P build

The Nexus 6P offers a metal build with the Huawei-built device looking a lot like an evolution of the Huawei P8. It'll has that metal build with plastic inserts to ensure that you have a good connection to the outside world.

Although we're still awaiting official confirmation, the measurements are said to be 159.4 x 78.3 x 6.6mm (swelling to 8.5mm at the thickest point around the camera) and looking at photos, it's clear where that camera bulge lies. The Nexus 6P weighs 178g.

There will be four colours of the Nexus 6P available, called aluminium, graphite, frost and gold, although the gold is going to be for Japan only, according to a previously leaked document from Google.

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Google/Huawei

Huawei Nexus 6P hardware

The Nexus 6P is a reasonably powerful handset, with specs to match the latest flagship launches. There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 under the hood - a departure for Huawei from the usual Hi-Silicon hardware it normally uses in its own handsets.

To keep the Nexus 6P running there is a 3450mAh battery, which is generous and should lead to solid endurance. There is also a USB Type-C port on the bottom, marking a change from the previous generation Micro-USB that has been dominant for a number of years. It means a new reversable connector amongst other advantages, so it will be easier to connect for charging. And charging is said to be much faster than ever before.

The Nexus 6P will be available in 32, 64 and 128GB options, meaning plenty of storage for all. We've previously seen Huawei stuff 128GB into the luxury version of the Huawei Mate S and it's great to see this option on a Nexus handset.

There is also be a fingerprint scanner on the rear of the Nexus 6P. The location might not seem as practical as on the front of the device (as seen in the iPhone 6S), but having used the Huawei Mate S with a fingerprint scanner on the rear, we can confirm that it's very effective, both in terms of reliability and speed.

Huawei Nexus 6P display

The Nexus 6P has a 5.7-inch display, topped with Gorilla Glass 4, with a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution that results in a pixel density of 518ppi. This is a slight shrink in size from the Nexus 6, but will result in a device that's a little more pocketable.

Huawei Nexus 6P camera

When it comes to Nexus devices, the cameras haven't been as strong as some of the big name rivals, like the SGS6 or the LG G4. One thing that impressed about the Huawei P8, however, was the camera and we're hoping some of that rubs off on the Nexus 6P.

The Nexus 6P has a 12.3-megapixel camera on the rear (f/2.0), accompanied by a dual-tone flash. It also uses an IR sensor for autofocus properties. And it is designed for better use in low light conditions than before.

Google says that the new Google Camera app is faster too.

The front-facing camera also gets a boost, to 8-megapixels and an f/2.4 aperture.

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Google

Huawei Nexus 6P will debut Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Saying that the next Nexus is a launch platform for Android Marshmallow is like saying the Pope is Catholic.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow brings a range of new hardware support as well as new consumer software features to enjoy. As mentioned, you get native support for the fingerprint scanner, meaning an added dimension to security, as well as support for that new USB format.

But on the consumer front there a new feature in Now on Tap. This integrates Google Now into much more of the device. Accessed through a long press on the home button, it will deliver context-based results directly to your display. The idea is to make it much faster to find the information you're looking for, with one press.

There is also be tighter controls over apps, how they access data in the background, what notifications are allowed and how you manage app permissions. And better battery life is promised by Google over more clever software management.