Google's Vision Of Android Everywhere Cries Out For The Launch Of A Nexus 3

Nexus 3将成为安卓4.4的试金石

The initial reviews from the tech scene are good, and a quick glance through my Twitter feed shows a lot of satisfied customers of Google’s latest handset the Nexus 5. Google now has an up to date developer device for the smartphone world (the Nexus 5), for the mini tablet space (the Nexus 7), and those looking for a full sized tablet (the Nexus 10). All of them could be seen as cutting edge, and are arguably aimed at either developers or power-users.

谷歌公司（Google）发布了最新款Nexus 5手机，科技界做出的最初反应颇为不错，而快速扫一眼我的Twitter消息流，上面对这款手机感到满意的用户大有人在。现在，谷歌在智能手机领域拥有最新开发设备Nexus 5，在迷你平板电脑有Nexus 7，还为那些寻求全尺寸平板电脑的人提供了Nexus 10。所有这些设备都新锐前沿，瞄准的不是开发者就是高级用户。

If Google wants a reference device that is going to service the Android community well, then they need to go where the market volume is. The glory is in the high-end, singing and dancing smartphones with HD screens, detailed cameras, and superfast data connections. But the bulk of sales are built on much cheaper devices, which are constrained by processor speed, RAM, and storage.

如果谷歌想拥有一款将很好服务于安卓社区的参考设备，他们就需要迎合大众市场。头顶光环的是长袖善舞的高端智能手机，这些设备搭载了高清显示屏和高像素摄像头并且拥有超快的数据连接。但构成销售大头的是价格更为低廉的设备，其处理器速度、内存以及存储空间都会受到一定限制。

According to Google’s senior VP for Android,

据谷歌负责安卓业务的高级副总裁桑达•皮采（Sundar Pichai）称，安卓（Android）4.4“奇巧巧克力”将寻求成为“一款对各种安卓手机全部通吃的操作系统”，从最新的Galaxy S4到中国市场上名不见经传的普通塑料平板安卓手机皆可搭载。安卓很大一部分市场份额来自于更便宜的机型，而非各大广告宣传通常主打的高端手机。如三星（Samsung）等一些公司依靠推出迷你版旗舰机型（如Galaxy S4 Mini）来帮助提升销售业绩，而其他公司则专注于中低端市场以便汲取尽可能多的价值（中兴就是其中一例）。

Android 4.4 ‘Kit Kat’ is looking to be “one version of the operating system which will run across all versions of Android smartphone”, presumably from the latest Galaxy S4 right down to the unbranded basic plastic slab Android handsets that are found in China. Much of Android’s market share comes from these devices that are cheaper than the high-end smartphones that typically front all the advertising campaigns. Companies such as Samsung rely on the smaller versions of the flagships to help their sales (witness handsets like the Galaxy S4 Mini), while others focus on the area to extract as much value as possible (ZTE being one example).

诺基亚（Nokia）也正在凭借Windows Phone手机开拓这一领域。今年卖得最好的Windows设备是一款Windows Phone手机，即Lumia 520。该手机只有512MB内存，8GB存储空间和1 GHz CPU，参数方面没什么值得夸耀之处。但是由于移动操作系统Windows Phone 8注重为各个价位的产品提供一致的用户体验，Lumia 520运行速度快，漂亮时髦，值得拥有。

It’s an area that Nokia are also exploiting with Windows Phone. The biggest selling Windows device this year is a Windows Phone handset, specifically the Lumia 520. With just 512 MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and a 1 GHz CPU the numbers are nothing to write home about. But because of Windows Phone 8′s focus on a consistent user experience across the price points, the Lumia 520 is fast, slick, and rewarding smartphone to own.

这正是谷歌希望安卓4.4有所作为之处。我不是说谷歌应当替换掉Nexus 5，为开发者们提供一个参照点是完全有必要的。但Nexus 5不是基线产品，而是高端机型。如果谷歌真的想炫耀安卓，就应当炫耀安卓在低端设备中能够运行得多好。对低端型号而言，材料上的每一分钱都卡得很紧，每一款手机都有特定的预算，而正是这些设备占有着巨大的市场份额。

This is where Google is hoping that Android 4.4 will make a difference. I’m not arguing that Google should replace the Nexus 5, it’s perfectly valid to have a reference point for developers. But the Nexus 5 is not a baseline, it is a high-end device. If Google wants to show off Android, they should show off just how well it can run at the low end, where ever dollar counts in the bill of materials, where phones are built to a specific budget, and where the lion’s share of sales are made.

内存和存储空间都很小的小屏手机Nexus 3，在各个方面都符合安卓4.4的定位目标。谷歌将向世界展示安卓在低端机型上运行得多流畅，他们将向制造商们说明在他们看来现代智能手机的规格可以低至何处，而且他们还会让开发者们知道如果一款应用能在Nexus 3上运行，那么市面上任何一款安卓设备都不在话下。

A Nexus 3, with a small screen, minimal RAM, and low storage, would broadly match one of the targets of Android 4.4. Google would be showing the world just how good Android is at the low end, they would be saying to manufacturers where they believe the minimum specs are for a modern smartphone, and they would be letting developers know that if their app runs on the Nexus 3, then the app will run on any current Android device.

budget ['bʌdʒit] video n. 预算，预算费vt. 安排，预定；把…编入预算vi. 编预算，做预算adj. 廉价的

extract [ik'strækt, 'ekstrækt] video vt. 提取；取出；摘录；榨取n. 汁；摘录；榨出物；选粹

processor ['prəusesə, 'prɔ-] video n. [计] 处理器；处理程序；加工者

spec [spek] video n. 投机；说明书；细则

typically ['tipikəli] video adv. 代表性地；作为特色地

superfast ['sju:pə,fa:st] video adj. 超快速；超高速的

rely [ri'lai] video vi. 依靠；信赖

handset ['hændset] video n. 手机，电话听筒

slab [slæb] video n. 厚板，平板；混凝土路面；厚片vt. 把…分成厚片；用石板铺

biggest [bigist] video adj. 最大的（big的最高级）

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