Google has turned the page on a new chapter in its Pixel hardware ecosystem, with this fall’s “Made by Google” event revealing the company’s first smartwatch alongside next-gen flagship Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones. .
New product announcements haven’t been so surprising since Google has been offering previews since it first announced the new line of Pixel devices at Google I/O in May. However, this week’s event answers the last remaining questions, including full specs, pricing, and of course, the actual release date.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
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Over the past few weeks, Google has offered design images and even videos for the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, showcasing the familiar design in a sleeker recycled aluminum finish. The company also previously confirmed that both would work Android 13 and be powered by the next generation of Google’s Tensor chip.
At today’s event, company executives filled in the rest of the blanks, revealing a pair of flagship smartphones focused mostly on iterative improvements that show the range has reached a certain level of maturity.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have shrunk slightly from their predecessors. The Pixel 7 gets a 6.3-inch screen, which drops the new handset 0.1 inches in screen size and physical height from the Pixel 6. However, at 0.3 inches deep and 6 .9 ounces, it also loses some of its volume
Meanwhile, the Pixel 7 Pro features the same 6.7-inch screen as the Pixel 6 Pro while getting a reduction in height and depth, although at 7.5 ounces it weighs about the same. Some reports had suggested Google was planning to shrink the bezels to deliver a bigger screen on the Pixel 7 Pro in the same size as last year’s model, but instead it seems Google chose to shrink the size without sacrificing the size. screen space.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro offer noticeably brighter screens this year, with 1,400 nits of peak brightness on the Pixel 7 and 1,500 nits on the Pixel 7 Pro. Both offer 1,000 nits of HDR brightness. These are good increases over the screens in last year’s Pixel 6 lineup, which peaked at around 800 nits, but the screen technology seems unchanged. The Pixel 7 features the same 1,080 x 2,400 FHD + 90Hz OLED display specs as the Pixel 6, while the Pixel 7 Pro gets the Pixel 6 Pro’s 1,440 x 3,120 QHD + 120Hz display.
While we weren’t expecting any major camera improvements from the Pixel 7 line, Google has increased the optical zoom of the Pixel 7 Pro’s 48-megapixel (MP) telephoto camera from 4x to 5x, which means the digital zoom can now reach 30x magnification. The 12MP ultra-wide camera gains autofocus and gets a slightly wider 125.8-degree field of view, but otherwise retains the same specs as the Pixel 6 Pro, as does the 50MP main camera.
On the other hand, the Pixel 7 seems to have all the same camera specs as the Pixel 6, although it’s certainly no slouch. The main 50MP camera remains identical to that found on its bigger sibling, but the 12MP ultra-wide camera doesn’t get the same autofocus or wider field-of-view improvements as the 7 Pro. The Pixel 7 gets a boost for a 10.8MP selfie camera with a wider field of view for group selfies, putting it on par with the Pixel 7 Pro.
However, most of the real improvements in modern smartphone cameras come more from software than megapixels and sensor sizes, and that’s where Google’s new Tensor G2 chip comes in. In addition to the solid compute features already available with the Pixel 6 lineup, Google has added cinematic blur for videos, photo blur, better Real Tone color mapping, and faster Night Sight processing. The Pixel 7 Pro also gains a macro mode thanks to autofocus on the new ultra-wide lens, while the Pixel 7 pushes the Super Res zoom up to 8x.
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro also promise the same 24-hour battery life, which can now reach up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver mode. Our testing showed that Google’s numbers were pretty accurate across the Pixel 6 lineup, so there’s no reason to believe the Pixel 7 models won’t deliver on that promise. Fast charging also lets you recharge up to 50% in 30 minutes using a compatible 30-watt USB-C charger.
Naturally, Google is changing the color gamut for this year’s lineup. The Pixel 7 will be available in Snow, Obsidian, and Lemongrass and feature a matte aluminum finish, while the Pixel 7 Pro will be available in Snow, Obsidian, and Hazelnut in polished aluminum.
Google Pixel Watch
While the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will undoubtedly continue to be the flagships of Google’s hardware lineup, the company has worked hard to create an entire ecosystem around its Pixel smartphones. It started in 2017 with the first Pixel Buds, and now Google has added its first smartwatch to the mix, which the company calls its “Pixel Collection.”
The Pixel Watch is only available in one size and finish. It’s made from 80% recycled stainless steel and Corning Gorilla Glass in three color options designed to complement the Pixel 7: matte black, polished silver, and champagne gold. It also has an interchangeable band system. A fluoroelastomer active band is included in a choice of four colors, while woven, stretch, two-tone, and crafted leather bands will be available for purchase separately. Google notes that metal mesh and metal link bands will arrive next spring, and we’re sure third-party accessory makers will soon come on board to come up with their own options.
The Pixel watch also features an always-on display, so you’ll be able to see the time and other relevant information at a glance, as well as 4G/LTE cellular support, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth. Internal sensors include a compass and altimeter, blood oxygen sensor, optical heart rate sensor, and what Google calls a “general purpose electrical sensor.” At launch, however, you won’t be able to do anything with the blood oxygen sensor.
Under the hood, Google is leveraging expertise gained from its acquisition of Fitbit in 2019 to power a whole suite of health and fitness features. This includes continuous heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, 40 different workout modes, and an ECG app.
Thanks to Google’s advanced machine learning algorithms, the Pixel Watch also promises a Daily Readiness Score to help steer you towards the best workouts every day, plus Active Zone Minutes to let you know when you need to push yourself. stronger during a workout. Naturally, the Pixel Watch can also be used with a Fitbit Premium subscription, and it includes a six-month subscription for new users.
With WearOS 3.5, the Pixel Watch includes wearable versions of Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Assistant, YouTube Music, and Messages. Emergency SOS lets you quickly call 911 or other international emergency services when you’re in a bind. Google announced plans to bring fall detection to the Pixel Watch in a winter update to Wear OS.
The Google Pixel Watch promises up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, with a magnetic USB-C charging cable powering the wearable to 50 per cent in 30 minutes or a full charge in around 80 minutes. It’s also rated for 5 atmospheres (5 ATM) water resistance under ISO 22810:2010 and features durable, scratch-resistant 3D Gorilla Glass for protection against everyday bumps and scrapes .
Google Pixel tablet
During the event, Google also gave us another look at its upcoming Pixel tablet. It won’t launch today, but we have a better idea of what will come out of the tablet when it launches in 2023.
The name of the tablet is officially “Google Pixel Tablet”. Google says the tablet is built with premium materials and has an immersive screen. The Google Pixel tablet runs Android with all the benefits of the Material You theme that you get on a Pixel smartphone. Google also touts the Pixel tablet as “the best way to experience Android on a tablet.”
The same Tensor G2 chip inside the Pixel 7/7 Pro is what powers the Pixel tablet. All of the same phone calling and photo editing features of the Pixel 7 series are also available on the Pixel tablet, meaning you get all of Google’s great software features, just on a bigger screen than before.
Another unique aspect of the Google Pixel tablet is that it can be paired with a charging station/speaker. The Pixel tablet looks like a Nest Hub Max when docked, making it the perfect smart home companion. While docked, the Pixel tablet gives you easy access to smart home controls and hands-free Google Assistant voice commands. Moreover, it can work as a digital photo frame for Google Photos.
The Google Pixel tablet will launch in 2023, and as it stands, we still have no word on the final price.
Price and availability
As expected, Google continues to aggressively price its Pixel line at the same level as previous models. The Pixel 7 is available in 128GB and 256GB capacities, starting at $599, while the Pixel 7 Pro starts at $899 for a 128GB model, with 256GB and 512GB versions available.
The Pixel Watch is available in four color and band combinations, with the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi version starting at $350 and the cellphone-equipped model starting at $400. While the Pixel Watch is obviously a perfect companion to the Pixel 7, it can be used with any smartphone running Android 8.0 or later.
Pre-orders for Pixel 7/7 Pro and Pixel Watch are open now, with regular sales starting October 13.
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