5 things we just learned about the Pixel 6, Google’s biggest smartphone upgrade in years

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Google's new Pixel 6 phones being shown in different colors
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
  • Google revealed new details about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, its next major smartphone release.
  • The phones will be the first to come with Google's new Tensor chip when they launch in the fall.
  • They'll also come with a refreshed design that makes it more competitive with Apple and Samsung.
  • See more stories on Insider's business page.

If Google has made one thing clear about its next-generation smartphones, it's that they'll represent a major departure from the Pixels of years past.

Google took the wraps off its new Pixel phones on Monday, revealing major changes to the phones' internals and overall design. The most significant change is the addition of Google's new Tensor smartphone chip, which the company says will bring speedier artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to its new devices.

Google previewed what these upgrades will actually mean for Pixel 6 phone users, but it's waiting until closer to the launch to divulge full details.

It's not just the inside of the Pixel that's changed. Google's new Pixels have a completely overhauled design that more closely resembles Samsung's Galaxy S phones.

There's still a lot we don't know about the new Pixel 6 phones, such as when they'll hit retailers, how much they'll cost, and other important details about their specifications. But, based on what's been revealed, Google has some promising upgrades in store.

Here's everything Google has announced about the Pixel 6 lineup so far.

There will be 2 Pixel 6 models.
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro placed face down next to one another
Google's Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Google's new smartphone will come in two flavors: the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. They're both being positioned as premium smartphones, but the Pixel 6 Pro will come in different colors and has an extra telephoto camera lens. 

The Pixel 6 Pro is also larger than the Pixel 6 and has a screen with a higher refresh rate. The Pixel 6's display measures 6.4 inches with a 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution, while the Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch 120Hz QHD+ screen. Both displays will use OLED panels, which typically offer higher contrast and deeper black levels than LCD screens.

They will both run on Google's new Tensor chip.
A rendering of Google's new Tensor chip
Google's new Tensor chip will power the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.

Google is putting its own silicon in its Pixel smartphones for the first time. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will both run on Google Tensor, which the company says should bring better camera and speech recognition capabilities to its Pixels. 

Tensor will bring other improvements to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but Google isn't sharing more information until closer to the phones' launch.

The design will be completely different from last year’s Pixel 5.
Google's Pixel 6 Pro lying face down
Google's Pixel 6 Pro

Google is also giving its Pixel phones a major design upgrade. "We're transforming the inside, we wanted to transform the outside at the same time," Rick Osterloh, Google's senior vice president of devices and services, said in an interview with Insider.

Both phones have a nearly borderless screen with a camera cutout located in the center of the display. The phones are built of glass and metal, making them feel more premium than last year's Pixel 5. The Pixel 6 Pro's screen is also slightly curved at the edges much like Samsung's lineup of Galaxy S smartphones. 

Each device will come in three colors. The Pro model will be available in gold, a white and silver color, and black, while the Pixel 6 will come in coral, green, and black color options. 

One way in which the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are visually different from their Samsung and Apple rivals is in the positioning of their camera sensors. Google's devices have a distinct camera bar that runs across the back of the phone. The iPhone 12 and Galaxy S21, comparatively, have square or rectangular camera modules located in their rear corners. 

The Pixel 6 will have 2 cameras, while the Pro will have 3.
Google Pixel 6 being shown from the back
Google's Pixel 6

Google is bringing camera improvements to both phones, but only the Pro model will have a third telephoto lens with a 4x optical zoom. Both devices will have a bigger primary image sensor that can gather 150% more light and will include both wide and ultrawide camera lenses. 

The addition of a third lens to the Pro model is a departure from Google's previous approach, considering the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G only had dual-lens cameras. 

Google claims that its Tensor chip will greatly improve the Pixels' performance when it comes to photography and videography. In one example, Osterloh showcased a photograph of a child playing that managed to look crisp and sharp despite excessive movement occurring in the scene. 

To produce this image, it fused together images from the main camera sensor and the ultra-wide camera sensor and ran multiple machine learning processes such as face detection and motion recognition algorithms.

In another example, Osterloh showed a video captured on the Pixel 6 that had more contrast and truer color than the same footage shot on the iPhone 12 Pro and Google Pixel 5. Of course, these are controlled demonstrations operated by Google, so we'll have to reserve our judgement on the camera performance until we try the Pixel 6 firsthand.

Google’s Pixel 6 phones will launch in the fall.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro being shown face down from an angle
The Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google hasn't announced a specific release date just yet, but it confirmed the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will debut this fall. That lines up with Google's typical launch cycle, considering it debuted the Pixel 5 in late September last year. There's no word on pricing or availability just yet.

Should you buy it?

We can't recommend the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro until we've tested and reviewed them. Since we don't know how much the phones will cost, it's especially difficult to make any assessments about their value. But based on what we already know, it sounds like Google is improving on some of the Pixel 5's biggest shortcomings, most notably around speed and processing power.

As my colleague Antonio Villas-Boas wrote in his review, the Pixel 5 felt underpowered for its $700 price, making it hard to recommend. Google's Tensor chip should make up for that, while hopefully adding more of the Google-specific features that have made its Pixel devices stand out so far.

Read the original article on Business Insider


Contributer : Business Insider https://ift.tt/3A6wLBd
5 things we just learned about the Pixel 6, Google’s biggest smartphone upgrade in years 5 things we just learned about the Pixel 6, Google’s biggest smartphone upgrade in years Reviewed by mimisabreena on Tuesday, August 03, 2021 Rating: 5

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