Google Pixel 6: New Smartphone Lineup Revealed

A New Chapter for Pixel: Introducing the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro

The month of May 2020 signified a turning point for the Pixel smartphone line. Google’s development team experienced a departure of several key personnel as they looked ahead to a period of substantial change. This was a natural progression, as the Pixel, while never a poor performer, had often been considered unremarkable.

In a market saturated with high-quality flagship smartphones, simply being “good enough” is no longer sufficient. Google’s efforts to distinguish its products from those of industry leaders like Apple and Samsung have met with limited success.

Success with the A-Series

The company has achieved notable success with its more affordable A-Series devices. However, aspirations of directly competing with premium smartphone manufacturers have, until now, remained unfulfilled. The Pixel 5, released last year, didn’t represent the significant overhaul that many enthusiasts had anticipated, as substantial product line revisions require considerable time.

A Radical Departure

Today, during a virtual hardware event, Google unveiled its vision for a fresh start. The Pixel 6 represents the most significant redesign in the history of Google’s flagship devices, and its most determined attempt to challenge Samsung and Apple in the premium smartphone market.

A first look at the device was provided in August, offering a remarkably complete preview of a product that would officially be announced three and a half months later. Rick Osterloh, head of hardware, emphasized the importance of chips, design, and Google’s decision to move away from Qualcomm by developing its own in-house chip, the Tensor.

The Tensor Chip

“The future of our innovation lies in AI, but we were constrained by computing limitations that hindered our ability to fully realize our goals,” Osterloh explained. “Therefore, we embarked on creating a mobile technology platform that would empower us to deliver our most advanced AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities to Pixel users. We aimed to build our own System on a Chip (SoC) to power the Pixel 6, and after years of development, it is now almost here.”

The Tensor chip has arrived, powering both the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Initial impressions suggest a fundamentally new direction for the Pixel line. Google has clearly prioritized a premium aesthetic, with the new devices sharing more design similarities with Samsung’s offerings than previous Pixel models.

Display Specifications

The Pixel 6 features a 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED display with a pixel density of 411 ppi, aligning with mid-range specifications. The Pro model boasts a larger 6.7-inch QHD+ display at 512 ppi. These displays offer refresh rates of 90Hz and 120Hz, respectively, and are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, with curved edges.

Design and Camera Bar

The rear of the phone is covered in Gorilla Glass 6, featuring a prominent camera bar that spans the upper third of the device. This raised bar causes the phone to sit at an angle on a flat surface, unless protected by a case, which provides a more even profile. A subtle color gradient above and below the camera bar adds visual interest, replacing the signature color pop power button found on earlier Pixel models.

This increased focus on camera hardware represents a shift in strategy for Google, a company that has historically emphasized computational photography, suggesting that hardware specifications are less critical. While future advancements in AI and ML may eventually validate this approach, robust camera hardware remains essential for now.

Camera System

The Pixel 6 is equipped with a dual-lens camera system: a 50-megapixel wide-angle lens and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens. The 6 Pro adds a 48-megapixel telephoto lens, offering 4x optical zoom and up to 20x Super Res zoom. The front-facing cameras are 8 megapixels on the 6 and 11 megapixels on the 6 Pro, with fields of view of 84 and 94 degrees, respectively.

New Camera Features

A comprehensive list of camera features available on both models includes:

• Magic Eraser
• Motion Mode
• Real Tone
• Face Unblur
• Panorama
• Manual white balancing
• Locked Folder
• Night Sight
• Top Shot
• Portrait Mode
• Portrait Light
• Super Res Zoom
• Motion autofocus
• Frequent Faces
• Dual exposure controls
• Live HDR+
• Cinematic Pan

Among the most noteworthy additions are Real Tone, Motion Mode, Magic Eraser, and Face Unblur. Face Unblur sharpens facial features in photos. Motion Mode creates a blurred background around a moving subject. Magic Eraser utilizes AI to remove unwanted elements from photos, seamlessly filling in the gaps. Real Tone aims to improve the accuracy of skin tone representation in photographs, addressing a long-standing issue in smartphone photography.

Software and Additional Features

The devices include a fast in-display fingerprint reader and Google’s suite of first-party software, including Live Translate, Recorder, and Android’s new Material You design language, which provides aesthetic consistency across the wallpaper and apps.

New features include Calling Assistance, which provides estimated wait times for toll-free numbers and a text-based menu navigation system. Hold For Me will wait on hold for you and notify you when a human operator is available.

Improved Assistant Voice typing is also available. Initiated with the command “Hey Google, Type,” the Assistant will dictate text. Commands like “Stop” and “Send” control the feature.

Battery Life and Charging

Google has addressed previous battery life concerns. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro feature 4,614mAh and 5,003mAh batteries, respectively, a significant increase from the Pixel 5’s 4,080mAh battery. Google estimates up to 24 hours of battery life, or nearly double that in Extreme Battery Saver mode. Fast charging via a 30W USB-C adapter (sold separately) can provide a 50% charge in approximately 30 minutes. Both devices also support wireless charging via Qi.

Pricing and Availability

The Pixel 6 is available with 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage. The Pixel 6 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. Google has maintained competitive pricing, with a starting price of $599 for the Pixel 6 and $899 for the Pixel 6 Pro. Pre-orders are open now, and the devices will be available for purchase on October 28.