We have the Google Pixel and Pixel XL out of the curtains today for real. A pro-long sessions of news, rumours, speculations and hints has finally met its fate today. Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, took the stage today at Google’s event to unleash the new Google smartphones which are made in collaboration with HTC. HTC is there as far as the phone’s manufacturer stamp is concerned, otherwise it’s all Google.
After having a look at the specifications of these phones, it won’t be wrong to say that there is nothing surprising. No, we do not mean to say that the phone’s specifications are not surprising. We mean to say that most of the specifications which were floating around the web have turned out to be the real specs of the two new smartphones. We even had the official renders of the smartphone out before a few hours of its official release, and the phone looks exactly the same.
Let’s dig out what these two new phones by Google and HTC have to offer.
Both the Pixel and Pixel XL sport a very new design. Polished aluminium build is packing up these new phones of Google. The phones have a glass covering the front and the upper part of the back is also covered under the glass. The beautiful curves around the bezel make it easy to hold the phone in your hands. The camera, that little black spot at the back is flat with the phone’s body. You won’t find a camera bump coming out of it.
There is a fingerprint scanner at the back in the middle of the smartphone. Google has named its new fingerprint scanner as the Pixel Imprint. The new Pixel Imprint does not only unlock your phone, but Google has managed to add some extra functionality in it as well. Swiping your finger down over the Pixel Imprint will result in pulling down the notification bar for you.
Another thing to note here is that these smartphones are powered up by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 821 CPU. Addition of the top-of-the-line CPU makes these two smartphones join the elite league of Snapdragon 821 powered phones. There is a new smartbust mode in the Camera of these smartphones. Google Assistant has also found life through the Pixels. Google has made the phones water resistant. Pixel and Pixel XL are IP53 certified. Both the phones will be offered in Black, Silver and Blue colors. The colors look amazing though.
With the release of Pixel lineup, Google has also unveiled the Android 7.1 Nougat. We definitely expect the Android 7.1 Nougat to bring some new features and a handful of performance and stability fixes. Let’s have a look on the specifications of these two smartphones now.
Google Pixel and Pixel XL: Specs, Features, Price and Release Date
| Specification | Google Pixel | Google Pixel XL |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions & Weight | 5.66 x 2.74 x 0.34 inches (143.84 x 69.54 x 8.58 mm) - 143g | 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.6 mm (6.09 x 2.98 x 0.34 in) - 168g |
| CPU | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) | Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) |
| GPU | Adreno 530 | Adreno 530 |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 32/128GB - No external card slot. | 32/128GB - No external card slot. |
| Software | Android 7.1 Nougat | Android 7.1 Nougat |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, LE USB Type-C reversible connector | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Bluetooth v4.2, A2DP, LE USB Type-C reversible connector |
| Camera - Back | 12 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash 1/2.3" sensor size, 1.55µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama | 12 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash 1/2.3" sensor size, 1.55µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Camera - Front | 8 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.2" sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, 1080p | 8 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.2" sensor size, 1.4 µm pixel size, 1080p |
| Battery | 2770 mAh | 3450 mAh |
| Colors | Blue, Silver, Black | Blue, Silver, Black |
| Availability | Exp. October 20, 2016 | Exp. October 20, 2016 |
| Price | 32GB - $649 128GB - $749 | 32GB - $769 128GB - $869 |
