As expected, Google has finally released the eagerly awaited Nexus 6 phablet and its first 64-bit device, the Nexus 9 tablet.

However, both devices have a number of foibles that could render them unappealing to many Nexus fans. Although both feature an impressive spec, they also feature new form factors and in a sense they are entirely new products.

Lack of consistency

The Nexus 6 is not a direct successor to the Nexus 5, since it is a massive 6-inch phablet rather than a proper phone.

While it does come with a long list of goodies, including the Snapdragon 805 processor, a 13-megapixel camera borrowed from Motorola's latest Moto X and 32GB or 64GB of storage, it simply does not tick all the right boxes.

It is too big for a mainstream phone, so let's just call it what it is — a tablet with high resolution screen and a voice functionality.

The Nexus 9 sits in-between the old Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, which hasn't been updated in two years and is most likely on its way out. The Nexus 9 brings a proper 64-bit processor to play, courtesy of Nvidia, but once again it lacks consistency.

It is too big and too high-end to replace the Nexus 7, but at the same time it is not a replacement for the Nexus 10. It also features a 4:3 panel, making it the first Nexus tablet with such a form factor.

What happened to affordable no-nonsense devices?

Nexus devices were popular in geek circles for a number of reasons, but let's focus on just two. They offered users a chance to get the latest updates out of the box, on unlocked phones sans rooting. Luckily, we'll still get that with the latest Nexus series. The other reason behind their popularity was sensible pricing. With the latest generation it is all but gone, there is not even a whiff of bargain, no taste of value.

Google says the Nexus 6, presumably the 32GB version, will cost $649 unlocked, making it the most expensive Nexus device ever. The Nexus 9 starts at $399, but that will get you just 16GB of storage and WiFi only connectivity. The 32GB WiFi model costs $479, while the 32GB version with LTE ends up at $599.

The Nexus 6 is not getting a 16GB version, unlike the iPhone 6. The Nexus 9 will be available in 16GB and 32GB flavours, but there is no 64GB model. Google and HTC went to the trouble of garnishing the Nexus 9 with a pair of good speakers, high-res screen and 8-megapixel rear facing camera, topped off by one of the fastest SoCs on the planet, with a GPU capable of keeping up with all Android games on the market (and probably any Android game likely to launch over the next couple of years).

We are hardware loving geeks, we love the smell of fresh Denver silicon in the Nexus 9 and the exceptional LTE carrier aggregation functionality on the Nexus 6, but we fear Google has missed the point with both of them. They will sell, but they will also strip the Nexus brand of much of its appeal.

In any case, the good old Nexus 5 is still listed on Google Play and let's hope it stays that way. The Nexus 7, however, is dead as disco.