Jump to content

The RF evolution/revolution of the HTC 2016 Nexus

WiWavelength

Entry posted by WiWavelength

25,096 views

 Share

blog-0133502001471589857.png

by Andrew J. Shepherd

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates

Friday, August 19, 2016 - 2:04 AM MDT

 

Earlier this week, the two HTC 2016 Nexus handsets -- codenamed "Marlin" and "Sailfish" -- were caught in the net of the FCC OET (Office of Engineering and Technology) authorization database.

 

While Google has yet to reveal them officially as Nexus handsets, that HTC is the manufacturer of choice this year has been a heavily leaked secret the past few months. And the circumstantial evidence now is overwhelming.

 

The FCC grantee code, NM8G, appends a "G" to the usual NM8 grantee code for HTC branded devices, and the user manual declaration document posits that the final draft manual will be available publicly on the Google web site in the Nexus support section. Neither handset has been identified or named individually, though the 2PW4100 likely is the larger "Marlin," the 2PW2100, the smaller "Sailfish."

 

Both are at least the domestic variants with airlink support across the board for VZW, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. No international variants have passed through the FCC OET. Unless international variants do get authorized in the coming days/weeks, the two HTC Nexus handsets could end up in uncharted waters as single variants for the world, covering all supported international LTE bands, too. Full disclosure, however, probably will have to wait until the Google announcement event when accompanying tech specs are published.

 

In the meantime, the domestic RF uplink test results and declarations are out in the world. S4GRU will not run down every last RF capability. But, just to confirm, some of the highlights are...

  • LTE bands 2/4/5/7/12/13/17/25/26/29/30/41
  • VoLTE bands 2/4/5/12/13 (for VZW, AT&T, and T-Mobile)
  • Downlink 2x/3x CA
  • Dual, switched WWAN Tx antennas 0 and 1, bottom and top
  • 802.11ac 2x MIMO

The primary purpose of this article is to present a retrospective on the uplink RF powers of the current 2013-2016 era of 3GPP/3GPP2, Sprint compatible Nexus handsets as well as two recent HTC handsets. Those domestic variant Nexus handsets and the Sprint variant HTC One A9 and HTC 10 are the RF and design forebears of the 2016 Nexus handsets. So, how do the new kids on the block hold up to their predecessors?

 

S4GRU culled relevant data across all eight handsets from thousands of pages of authorization documents in the FCC OET. For the radiated power figures, the usual clauses about lab testing versus real world performance and uplink versus downlink always apply. The figures represent best averaged and rounded estimates of maximum uplink ERP/EIRP test results provided to the FCC OET in the authorization filings for the domestic variant Nexus devices and Sprint variant HTC devices. See below:

 

14y33ol.png

 

The numbers can speak for themselves. The LG, Motorola, and Huawei manufactured handsets generally are more powerful. The HTC handsets are not blatantly deficient -- though the One A9 comes uncomfortably close -- but the 2016 Nexus do spec out typically average or slightly below.

 

Source: FCC

  • Like 14
 Share

8 Comments

Recommended Comments

Tengen31

Tengen31 821

Posted

Now if only Sprint allowed these devices On Boost.

  • Like 1
Arysyn

Arysyn 1,101

Posted

I'm suspecting these Nexus devices will be a big letdown this year. I got the impression from reading certain articles about the HTC Nexus models that perhaps Google made some concessions to get HTC to manufacture these this year.Google should never have to do this when choosing a manufacturer for the Nexus line.

 

For that matter, Google really should have chosen Sony, or even Blackberry. I know that could really help Blackberry's business, who would do anything to make the perfect Nexus, if given the opportunity to do so.

leozno1

leozno1 227

Posted

I'm suspecting these Nexus devices will be a big letdown this year. I got the impression from reading certain articles about the HTC Nexus models that perhaps Google made some concessions to get HTC to manufacture these this year.Google should never have to do this when choosing a manufacturer for the Nexus line.

 

For that matter, Google really should have chosen Sony, or even Blackberry. I know that could really help Blackberry's business, who would do anything to make the perfect Nexus, if given the opportunity to do so.

 

HTC is as good a phone manufacturer as anybody. The only concession I see Google having to make is the desire to sell the devices for Sub-$500 prices, not in terms of quality or features of the devices themselves.

WiWavelength

WiWavelength 31,620

Posted

For that matter, Google really should have chosen Sony, or even Blackberry. I know that could really help Blackberry's business, who would do anything to make the perfect Nexus, if given the opportunity to do so.

 

That is a two way street.  Google does not point a finger and, voila, it just selects a Nexus OEM.  The OEM has to accept or submit an RFP.  Not every OEM is going to do so.

 

Think about it.  What does an OEM gain by making a Nexus device?  A generally low margin, niche device with primarily Google branding, not OEM branding.

 

To make matters even more attractive, that Nexus device could compete in the same product space as one of the OEM's own branded devices.  See the Nexus 5 and the LG G2.

 

In short, I highly doubt that Sony and BlackBerry were in the running this year or ever will be considered to be a Nexus OEM.

 

AJ

jefbal99

jefbal99 1,486

Posted

 

To make matters even more attractive, that Nexus device could compete in the same product space as one of the OEM's own branded devices.  See the Nexus 5 and the LG G2.

 

In short, I highly doubt that Sony and BlackBerry were in the running this year or ever will be considered to be a Nexus OEM.

 

AJ

 

While they are competing in the same product space, an OEM is saving on R&D as much of the work is reused on the OEM branded device.  Google is paying them to make the device, so there is a savings to offset the lost sales.

ktemplin5354?

ktemplin5354? 1

Posted

I joined this site because I'm interested in learning from you all.I hope that I won't be in the way.I clicked on this website because I was trying to find out about Sprint Spark and I found you all and may I say you have really "sparked" my interest. Thank you.

  • Like 1
crazy_vag

crazy_vag 182

Posted

Is iPhone 7 the only Sprint phone with 2x CA Uplink?  I thought that starting with iPhone and Pixel, all new phones would have it.

red_dog007

red_dog007 426

Posted

When will we get a new RF comparison?

Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
×
  • Create New...