Tag: Google

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Did you pre-order Google’s Pixel 7, 7 Pro or Pixel Watch?

Google has officially unveiled the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel Watch. At its product fall event, I went hands-on with all three devices though I spent most of the time with the two phones.

First, let’s get to the pricing: the Pixel 7 starts at $799 and the Pixel 7 Pro starts at $1,179. This is similar pricing to what we saw last year with the Pixel 6 series. The Wi-Fi-only Pixel Watch starts at $449. The smartphones and the watch are available to pre-order now and release on October 13th.

One of the highlights of the Pixel 7 Pro is that it features 5x optical zoom. This is a first for the Pixel and beats the likes of the iPhone 14 Pro, but loses to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 10x zoom. And with Super Res zoom, the phone uses its Tensor G2 and its 48-megapixel telephoto to snap super detailed shots. Further, thanks to the power of its new chip, Google says the Pixel 7 Pro can take stellar shots at 2x, 10x and 30x zoom as well.

As someone who uses the Pixel 6 Pro regularly, I probably wouldn’t have pre-ordered the new Pixel 7 or 7 Pro. However, if I had a Pixel 5 or Pixel 4 XL, I’d consider it.

We want to know if you pre-ordered the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel Watch, and if you have, which device? MobileSyrup is also running a contest to give away a Pixel 7 Pro to one lucky winner, so if you didn’t pre-order the device, but still want one, you should definitely enter.

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I’ve hated on Google Stadia, but I genuinely hope others pick up where it left off

Last week, Google announced that it will shut down Stadia, its cloud-based gaming platform, on January 18th, 2023.

For many, it was hardly a surprise. After all, Google has long held a reputation for killing several of its products and services, and its apparent lack of commitment to Stadia — including its decision to close down its first-party game development division before it released a single game — certainly didn’t help matters.

Naturally, then, this made Stadia a big punching bag of the industry, especially as both Google and Stadia’s fanbase insisted everything was fine. Indeed, when I wrote about this in January, I received more inflammatory responses than I had for anything else I’ve written, be it gamer entitlement, gatekeeking, criticism of PlayStation or the whole controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling and Hogwarts Legacy. While every platform has its toxic fans, I was surprised it was Stadia, of all things, that got me the most flack.

But I’m not here to say “I told you so” to all of my haters, nor am I looking to celebrate Stadia’s death. On the contrary — I wish things turned out differently. First and foremost, I’m certainly not happy about the employees and developers who were blindsided by this news, especially those who were still making games and features for the platform. Some of them don’t even know if they’re going to get paid, and that’s awful. I’m also all for giving consumers more choices, and Stadia did just that.

“So, here’s to Stadia: a technologically impressive, extremely mismanaged and utterly fascinating gaming platform.”

And even as I’ve been critical of the platform, I’ve also acknowledged its strengths. The core technology is sound, the controller is solid, and the ability to game without dedicated hardware is convenient. Moreover, I’ve always been a big proponent of streaming, and I’ve praised both Xbox and PlayStation for their measured approaches to the technology. But that was all let down by Stadia’s inherently flawed conceit as a platform centred around streaming games you predominantly had to buy à la carte. It banked on people being content with a platform that only allowed you to stream, in a market in which streaming is still novel. Xbox and PlayStation, meanwhile, give you the ability to stream, download or use physical discs. Even Nvidia GeForce Now, a cloud-only platform, lets you stream games you’ve purchased from other storefronts, which expands its catalogue significantly beyond Stadia’s relatively meagre library.

Stadia’s core foundation, however, is something I hope people build on. “We see clear opportunities to apply this technology across other parts of Google like YouTube, Google Play, and our Augmented Reality (AR) efforts — as well as make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed,” Stadia boss Phil Harrison — a perplexing man who continues to fail at every company he’s worked for — wrote in a blog post about Stadia’s demise. I don’t have a lot of faith about how Google might salvage some of Stadia’s tech under Harrison, but I’d love to be wrong. In any case, the potential is there. I’ve said it before, but I always think back to hypothetical Stadia use cases proposed by Canadian games producer and former Stadia exec Jade Raymond, which include Stadia-powered interactive YouTube documentaries or Duplex-boosted NPC dialogue. It’s that sort of out-of-the-box, cross-platform thinking that could be truly innovative.

But even if Google itself doesn’t want to do anything itself with Stadia, I hope it continues to use the tech to help other companies. It’s already been selling Stadia tech to companies like Capcom, which has rather cleverly used it to let people stream a Resident Evil Village demo from their browsers. That’s to say nothing of developers like Bungie that found Stadia’s infrastructure to be an asset during remote development amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidently, Stadia doesn’t have to be a gaming platform itself to actually achieve success. Google refocusing its Stadia efforts on licensing and other partnerships, rather than selling games themselves, makes much more sense. A big reason why events like the Game Developers Conference are so important is that they give game makers a chance to share knowledge, and, in turn, help the broader industry, and hopefully, Google can do something similar with Stadia. A rising tide, as they say, lifts all boats.

Google Stadia Resident Evil Village demo

Being able to play a demo for a big game like Resident Evil Village right out of a browser is wickedly cool. Image credit: Google

This is all just for the foreseeable future, too, mind you. As more companies push towards streaming and the technology continues to improve, it’s easy to envision cloud-based platforms becoming heavily adopted. In fact, we’re already seeing that happen. Newzoo, a reputable analytics firm, just published a report detailing how the games industry is set to generate approximately $2.4 billion USD (about $3.3 billion CAD) in cloud revenue this year.

On the one hand, that’s not much when you consider it’s set to make an estimated $200 billion USD (about $274 billion CAD) this year, which shows the market’s clearly not where Google wanted it to be for Stadia. But it’s also a 74 percent increase year-over-year, and represents about 31.7 million consumers paying for cloud gaming. Therefore, it’s in companies’ best interest to further invest in this space, and learning from Stadia’s mistakes and leveraging its considerable technology will only help with that.

So, here’s to Stadia: a technologically impressive, extremely mismanaged and utterly fascinating gaming platform. There’s never quite been anything like it, for better and worse, and hopefully, it can help pave the way for better offerings.

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Mobile Syrup

Google to reportedly start Pixel foldable panel shipments in January

Yesterday, Google had its product fall launch, fully revealing the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and it even showed off the Pixel Tablet. However, there was no mention of the Pixel foldable.

So naturally, people had questions. Popular leaker Roland Quandt went on Twitter to ask the question many of us had stirring inside. Though I’m sure he wasn’t expecting an answer, display analyst Ross Young gave him one.

In Young’s reply, he told Quandt, “Q1.” The display analyst has known details about the foldable for quite some time now. Young also then replied to another user, saying that the last he heard, the panel shipments commence in January.

However, it’s still unclear when we’ll get the foldable device. This could mean that Google is going to tease us starting in Q1, or perhaps the Mountain View company will show off the handset at Google I/O 2023. Given Google’s penchant for teasing devices far ahead of release, we could see the Pixel foldable in January but not get the phone until the end of the year. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough information here. But now I’m looking forward to seeing what Q1 has to bring for Google.

Back in May, Young leaked that the Pixel Foldable’s display is being made by Samsung. The phone would sport a 7.6-inch screen size on the inside, and a 5.8-inch display on the outside. The 5.8-inch screen is supposed to be wider than what’s available on Samsung devices.

I’m very much looking forward to the Pixel foldable, so I’m hoping we do learn more about this mysterious device sometime in Q1.

Source: Ross Young 

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Mobile Syrup

Canadian Google Store offering worse trade-in values than U.S. Store

Canadians eager to pre-order Google’s new Pixel 7 or 7 Pro may find themselves underwhelmed by the company’s trade-in offers, especially compared to the U.S. Google Store.

As pointed out by some MobileSyrup readers, Google is offering higher trade-in values for devices in the U.S. than in Canada. For example, the Pixel 6 Pro nets a $350 CAD trade-in value, but in the U.S., it’s $480 USD (about $658 CAD).

Moreover, the U.S. Google Store offers up to $750 off any Pixel 7 phone with qualifying trade-ins, further pumping up the value. The only promotion available for the Pixel 7/7 Pro in Canada so far is a $200 Google Store credit towards another purchase, but the U.S. Store also offers that promo.

Left: Canadian trade-in estimate for Pixel 6 Pro / Right: U.S. trade-in estimate for Pixel 6 Pro.

Some other trade-in value estimates can be found below (based on trading in for a 128GB Pixel 7 Pro):

  • Pixel 6: $290 CAD | $440 USD ($603 CAD)
  • Pixel 5: $213 CAD | $400 USD ($548 CAD)
  • Galaxy S22+: $430 CAD | $600 USD ($823 CAD)
  • iPhone 13 Pro: $540 CAD | $625 USD ($857 CAD)

While it’s not a huge surprise that Google offers different promotions in different regions, it seems strange that there’s such a wide difference in trade-in values for the same phones in different regions. MobileSyrup has asked Google Canada about the differences and will add any additional information the company provides to this story.

In the meantime, it may be worth checking out trade-in offers from other places to see if you can get better value for your old devices elsewhere. Check out MobileSyrup’s guide to trade-ins in Canada here.

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Everything you need to know about Google Stadia refunds ahead of its death

In case you haven’t heard, the Google Stadia plug is being pulled on January 18th, 2023.

As part of its official announcement, Google reassured those who invested in the cloud gaming ecosystem that refunds will be given. As we steadily approach the month of January, we’ve compiled all the info you need to request a refund from the company.

It’s no easy pill to swallow knowing a platform you’ve invested money and time into is getting the axe. Google is thankfully issuing refunds for Stadia hardware purchases, software and DLC. However, there are eligibility guidelines to follow.

Google has confirmed that purchases on all hardware and software products are eligible for refunds. However, the major caveat is that the company is only issuing refunds for purchases made via the Google Play Store and Stadia store. Therefore, the following products are eligible for refunds:

  • Google Stadia controller (est. $89 CAD)
  • Founders Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Premiere Edition (est. $169 CAD)
  • Games and DLC purchases (Prices vary)

Understandably, Google is not refunding Stadia Pro subscriptions. In Canada, premium-level subscription cost $11.99 per month. However, if you’re a current subscriber, Google is not charging for access to the service between now and January 18th, 2023.

It’s also worth noting that returns of Stadia hardware aren’t required for a refund. That means Stadia players can keep their controllers and Chromecast Ultra. Players are hoping that support for the controller may expand following the termination of Stadia. With that in mind, all purchases can be tracked via the ‘Order History’ tab on the Google website. Likewise, with software purchases, there is a tab on the Stadia website that breaks it all down.

The Stadia store is currently closing. Players can no longer purchase new games to play. Google also confirms it is cancelling preorders for upcoming Stadia games. Stadia players will not be charged for the full price of the game. Once again, any dollar amount that has gone towards preorders will be refunded.

With all this said, Google hasn’t outlined the refund process in full. We’re still very early on in the process of Google shuttering Stadia, which was not long for this world. However, it appears the tech giant aims to fulfill refunds prior to January 18th, 2023.

Although Google is issuing refunds, some third-party partners are looking at other means to transfer game purchases. For instance, Ubisoft is looking at a way to transfer Stadia-purchased games from the publisher over to PC. The publisher confirms this is to be done via Ubisoft Connect. Bungie, IO Interactive, and other studios are also following suit.

MobileSyrup will continue to report on the state of Stadia refunds as more information surfaces in the lead-up to January 18th, 2023.

Image credit:

Source: AndroidPolice

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Win a Pixel 7 Pro with MobileSyrup

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ggy3BcZwk

It’s that time of year, and MobileSyrup is feeling giving.

We’re giving away a Pixel 7 Pro for free to one lucky winner.

The Pixel 7 Pro features a 6.71-inch 1440 x 3120-pixel resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it offers the Tensor G2 processor, 12GB of RAM and a triple camera setup featuring a 50-megapixel primary shooter, 48-megapixel telephoto with 5x zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide angle camera. I had the opportunity to go hands-on with the device in NYC at the ‘Made by Google’ event, and I thought the handset felt great in my hand and that it was overall very premium.

The Pixel 7 Pro that we have to offer is a 128GB ‘Hazel’ coloured that costs $1,179. This contest will run until November 10th, with the winner being selected on November 11th. For more on the Pixel 6 Pro, check out my hands-on with the smartphone.

Note the Pixel 7 Pro in the picture is not the one available in this contest.

Sign up for our newsletter to enter:

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Heritage Minister fires back at Google following streaming Bill C-11 opposition

Canada’s Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is butting heads with tech goliath Google over Bill C-11. The Alphabet-owned company pushed back against the Canadian government’s proposed online streaming bill. Rodriguez says Google is “trying to intimidate Canadians.”

The House of Commons recently voted to pass the Online Streaming Act, and now the Bill is in the hands of the Senate. Google believes that “thousands of creators shared their concerns” with Bill C-11, but they have gone unaddressed. Because of this, the company believes the proposal may be of “disadvantage [to] the Canadian creators.”

The Online Streaming Act, which the Senate is now considering, could force platforms to promote Canadian TV, movies, music, and other content. Bill C-11 was created and positioned by the government as an effort to help fund Canadian-made content. At its core, the proposal hopes to see streaming services and platforms better contribute to Canadian culture.

Earlier this year, YouTube, which is under Google’s umbrella, also outspokenly opposed the Bill. The company argued that the Online Streaming Act could cause creators to lose foreign revenue opportunities if forced to promote Canadian content.

In September, YouTube executive Jeanette Patell spoke to the Senate committee. Patell urged that the Online Streaming Act gives Canadian broadcasting regulators far too many ways to make demands. “We strongly believe that we have a responsibility to inform Canadian users and creators of how this bill could impact their YouTube experience, and in some cases, their livelihoods,” Patell said.

This past June, the House of Commons passed Bill C-11. During the process, the Online Streaming Act saw over 150 amendments made. As it transitions over to the hands of the Senate, it appears that a lot of time and consideration was taken before passing a vote.

If the Senate votes in favour of Bill C-11, it once again heads to the House of Commons prior to becoming a Canadian law.

Image credit: CPAC (screenshot)

Source: CP24

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Mobile Syrup

Pixel Watch Hands-on: Google’s Pixel ecosystem starts today

Google is stepping firmly into the wide world of wearables with the launch of the new Pixel Watch, and it represents a big shift in the way the search giant values its hardware lineup, and maybe even the slowly-forming Pixel ecosystem.

That said, none of that matters if the watch isn’t any good, and in my brief hands-on time with it, I walked away feeling very excited to see where Google’s smartwatch ambition goes over the next few years.

The company has been teasing us with hints since I/O, so we’ve known that the new Pixel Watch is thin, round, and features a very minimal take on what a smartwatch should be. From the software to the hardware, it’s a simple device designed to be comfortable and easy to use.

At 41mm in diameter, it’s smaller than the larger-sized Apple Watch and it weighs in at 36g, making it substantially lighter than even the smallest stainless steel Apple Watch and the Fitbit Sense 2. Instead, it’s actually much closer in weight and size to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5.

This all adds up to a supremely comfortable wrist computer, but it does make me worry about battery life.

This story focuses on what the watch feels like to wear and what it might represent for Google. For a more detailed view of the specs, read Jon Lamont’s initial overview of the Pixel Watch.

How it felt to wear

The device’s stainless steel frame feels incredibly sturdy in the hand and almost like a small Pebble, allowing it to nestle into your wrist as comfortably as a standard round watch.

Before moving on from the design, I’d be remiss not to mention the bands. There are seven different types ranging from standard silicon sport bands to metal links like you’d expect on higher-end watches.

They’re quite enticing and offer a reasonable number of options to start the Pixel Watch out in the correct direction when it comes to customizability. Standouts to me were the comfortable leather bands that felt premium and came in a few Google colours to match the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The metal link band also felt really nicely sized for my wrist and gave the watch a classy feel without adding too much bulk.

On the software side of things, there’s a lot to love. Google has packed just about everything people love about Fitbit’s fitness tracking into this sporty watch, except for a temperature sensor. It’s a little hard to test in the crowded Google showroom, but MobileSyrup’s Fitbit expert Jon Lamont is going to be looking deeper when he reviews the watch soon.

Beyond that, I can say that scrolling around the interface felt smooth, but there were brief moments of loading when I tried to customize the watch face. Beyond that, it looked great. Whatever team at Google designed the software deserves a pat on the back because it looks great and does a fantastic job of hiding the device’s bezels.

Some may be thrown by the larger bezels, but most of the interface hides them and based on my time with the watch, it truly feels like something you’d forget you had on since it’s minimal and comfortable.

On the watch face side of things, there are tons of faces, ranging from modern takes on classic watch designs, abstract options and faces with customizable areas that can show a few complications like the date, weather, your Fitbit scores and more. There are enough to choose from, and it will be exciting to see what gets added in the future. Tapping on these complications felt nice and decently responsive.

To change the watch face, all you need to do is tap and hold on to the device. You can even use photos from your own library. This sounds like a small thing, but it’s one of my favourite features of the Apple Watch, so it’s nice to see Google include that detail here. There’s even a really cool watch face called ‘Shapes’ that has a really fun minimal take on Google branding that I really liked.

The glass specifically is 3D Gorilla Glass and only time will tell if this version is prone to scratches. That said, interacting with it felt glassy and natural.

Other smartwatch perks

It’s exciting to see Google Maps’ turn-by-turn navigation on another wrist-based device. Newer Samsung watches running Wear OS 3 can also do this, and as a biker, I can say that having directions pop up on your wrist in a big city can be extremely helpful.

Beyond that, other Google apps you’d expect are present, like YouTube Music, Gmail, Google Wallet and, of course, Google Assistant.

The company touted that the heart rate sensor on the new Pixel Watch is also the most accurate sensor ever in a Fitbit-supported device. Google is also hyping up the watch’s sleep-tracking ability, but that’s another thing we’ll need to wait until the review to test.

Beyond the health tracking, I didn’t notice anything else that jumped out at me, but since the watch is running WearOS 3.5 and can get third-party apps, it will be exciting to see what comes in the future.

Finally, the watch also has fall detection that can call emergency services if you fall and remain motionless.

Final thoughts

Google is calling the Pixel Watch the latest device in the ‘Pixel Collection,’ and its ambitions for a larger Google-based ecosystem are becoming clearer all the time.

The company is in a good position to become a dominant consumer technology company even more than it already is, but as it seems to be learning with the refined Pixel 7 series and the new Pixel Watch, you need to create hooks and familiarity to keep people coming back.

Devices like a really helpful smartwatch and great wireless earbuds are a step in the right direction for the company. They may even hook in a lot of users with the watch, but getting people familiar will take time. Google has pump-faked us on so many things already, from the Pixelbook to Stadia, and it might be hard for consumers to jump on board with the latest and greatest Google product out of fear that it will be an afterthought in a few years.

Regardless, the Pixel Watch is a stunning wearable, and I’m really excited to see what Google does in the coming years to pad out the Pixel Collection to really make it a compelling ecosystem to invest in.

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Pixel 7 Pro Hands-on: Flagship worthy

Google revealed the Pixel 7 Pro back in May, but I’ve finally gotten my hands on the company’s premium smartphone offering.

I’ve been waiting to hold this phone for months, and at least at the outset, it delivers. While I only spent a few moments with the device, I’m excited to work on the full review and really put it through its paces.

The Pixel 7 Pro feels premium and well-built. In comparison to the Pixel 6 Pro, the handset feels more solid, heavier and worthy of the flagship term. However, the change in design was barely noticeable, and I could only really identify what was different when I also held my Pixel 6 Pro.

Design-wise I absolutely love the striking visor on the rear, as it makes the smartphone stand out. The polished aluminum on the Pixel 7 Pro, unfortunately, didn’t feel as nice as the matte aluminum on the Pixel 7. Of course, it looked more premium and matches an elegant stainless steel watch finish, but I preferred the Pixel 7.  Flagships like the iPhone 14 Pro and Galaxy S22 Ultra have more of what I’d call a standard camera setup, but the Pixel 7 Pro stands out from the bunch. And despite my preference for the matte visor, the polished aluminum finish takes it one step further, compared to its predecessor.

The handset comes in ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Snow,’ but ‘Hazel’ stole the show for me because of its stunning bronze accents.

The Pixel Pro’s 6.7-inch display with 1440 x 3120-pixel resolution and 120Hz refresh rate looks great at first glance, but I’ll definitely need to take a closer inspection when I get my hands on a review device. The refresh rate makes scrolling smooth, which was evident in my time with the device.

The Pixel 7 Pro features a 50-megapixel primary shooter, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide shooter. Google has claimed a lot about its Super Res feature, saying that the Pixel 7 Pro can take quality shots at 2x -4x zoom with cropping, as well as at 10x zoom and 30x zoom. I snapped a couple of shots on during the hands-on period, and they looked good, but I’ll definitely need more time with the device before making any definite statements. For instance, I got a somewhat okay 5x zoom shot, but 30x zoom was impossible to gauge in that venue. In my full review, I’ll definitely try out the 30x, 10x and 5x zoom and figure out whether the quality matches Google’s claims.

The Pixel 7 Pro also features a macro shot feature that I tried out, and they were pleasant. When you’re taking a picture and holding your phone right up to something like flowers, the autofocus snaps into macro mode. I can’t wait to compare this to phones like the Galaxy A53 that have a dedicated macro shooter.

Google has also claimed that the Pixel 7 Pro can unblur photos, take quicker night shots and have offers improved Night Sight. When I write my full review of the Pixel 7 Pro, I’ll offer detailed opinions on each of these features, so stay tuned. I did take a couple of wide-angle selfies, and I thought this was a useful feature and can have me soon getting rid of my selfie stick.

Oddly, selfies with ‘Real Tone’ didn’t look all that impressive, and my selfies on my Pixel 6 Pro, in comparison, are more pleasing. I’m hoping this has something to do with the less-than-perfect lighting situation in the venue because Real Tone is one of the reasons I’m such a huge Pixel fan.

Alongside new camera tech, the Pixel 7 Pro features 12GB of RAM, the Tensor G2 and a 5,000mAh battery. Google says the Pixel 7 Pro can last between 24 to 72 hours depending on the usage of Extreme Battery Saver. I doubt I’ll use Extreme Battery Saver for all 72 hours, but definitely plan on stretching out battery life as long as possible, while taking photos, watching YouTube videos, video calling and playing games.

At this time, I’d be hard-pressed to say that anyone using a Pixel 6 Pro should update, but maybe I’ll be surprised during my review period. The Pixel 7 Pro costs $1,179 and is now available to pre-order. If you want to learn more about the Pixel 7, check out my hands-on here.

Stay tuned for my review of the Pixel 7 Pro. The device releases on October 13th.

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Pixel 7 Hands-on: Flagship built small

At 2022’s Made by Google event in New York City, I went hands-on with the Pixel 7, Google’s latest small-sized flagship.

While I won’t be reviewing the Pixel 7, I still wanted to share my overall impressions of Google’s latest handset. In a few days, MobileSyrup’s Jon Lamont will share his more detailed thoughts about the phone after putting it through its paces.

Pixel 7

Pixel 6

Display

6.3-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400) OLED display, 416ppi, 90Hz refresh rate

6.4-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400) OLED display, 411ppi, 90Hz refresh rate

Processor

Tensor G2

Tensor

RAM

8GB of RAM

8GB of RAM

Storage

128GB, 256GB

128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

6.1 x 2.9 x 0.3in (155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm)

160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm

Weight

197g (6.9oz)

207g

Rear Facing Camera

50-megapixel (primary) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

50-megapixel (primary) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

10.8-megapixel

8-megapixel

OS

Android 13

Android 12

Battery

4,355mAh

4,600mAh

Network Connectivity

LTE/ 5G

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass

Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass

SIM Type

Nano SIM

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

October 13, 2022

October 28, 2021

Misc

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass

Colours: Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

Display

Pixel 7

6.3-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400) OLED display, 416ppi, 90Hz refresh rate

Pixel 6

6.4-inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400) OLED display, 411ppi, 90Hz refresh rate

Processor

Pixel 7

Tensor G2

Pixel 6

Tensor

RAM

Pixel 7

8GB of RAM

Pixel 6

8GB of RAM

Storage

Pixel 7

128GB, 256GB

Pixel 6

128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

Pixel 7

6.1 x 2.9 x 0.3in (155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7mm)

Pixel 6

160.4 x 75.1 x 8.2mm

Weight

Pixel 7

197g (6.9oz)

Pixel 6

207g

Rear Facing Camera

Pixel 7

50-megapixel (primary) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Pixel 6

50-megapixel (primary) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

Pixel 7

10.8-megapixel

Pixel 6

8-megapixel

OS

Pixel 7

Android 13

Pixel 6

Android 12

Battery

Pixel 7

4,355mAh

Pixel 6

4,600mAh

Network Connectivity

Pixel 7

LTE/ 5G

Pixel 6

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

Pixel 7

Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass

Pixel 6

Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometor, gyro, proximity, compass

SIM Type

Pixel 7

Nano SIM

Pixel 6

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

Pixel 7

October 13, 2022

Pixel 6

October 28, 2021

Misc

Pixel 7

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass

Pixel 6

Colours: Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

Compared to Google’s 2021 model, the Pixel 7 surprisingly feels like a far more premium device. The handset isn’t unwieldy, and it’s small enough to easily use with one hand. The smartphone is lighter, too, which is the first thing I noticed about it. Further, even though the decrease in display size is minimal (6.4-inches to 6.3-inches), the change feels more substantial when you’re holding the Pixel 7 in your hand.

I’m someone who typically prefers larger smartphones, and I often hold handsets with both hands, but I understand why the size change is beneficial.

I also think the Pixel 7’s overall design is quite attractive. The visor on the back is striking, thanks to its matte aluminum finish. I prefer this aesthetic more than last year’s Pixel 6 series and feel it adds a premium flair to the device. In fact, I preferred the visor on the Pixel 7 compared to the Pixel 7 Pro because of its more matte texture.  The back of the phone is glossy, which I’m not fond of.

Regarding colours, I prefer the Pixel 7’s new ‘Lemongrass’ hue over the less vibrant ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Snow.’

The Pixel 7 offers a 6.3-inch display with a 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. Scrolling seems sufficiently smooth, and while I can often tell the difference between 60Hz and 120Hz, the shift between 90Hz and 120Hz is less noticeable. I looked at several photos, checked out a few YouTube videos and browsed the internet, and the display looks stellar. Of course, I need to spend more time with the device to know for sure.

The Pixel 7 features a 4,355mAh battery that Google claims offers 24 hours of battery life and up to 72 hours with extreme battery save enabled. We plan to do more testing surrounding the smartphone’s battery life in the coming weeks.

Further, the device features 8GB of RAM, a 50-megapixel primary and 48-megapixel ultra-wide, a 10.8-megapixel selfie camera, Google’s Tensor G2 chip, the Titan M2 security and finally, the return of ‘Face Unlock.’ Google also says it improved ‘Real Tone,’ and that the G2 chip is faster and more efficient than last year’s processor.

I didn’t get the chance to really test the G2 out, but the phone seems snappy and responsive. I also snapped a few pictures at Google’s event, and they looked solid, although similar to the experience with the Pixel 6. Of course, we’ll need to do more camera testing, but I’m quite happy with what I’ve seen so far. I also tried out the ultrawide front camera and can see how it would be useful when taking selfies with large groups of friends. You won’t need a selfie stick anymore.

These specs aren’t the most impressive on the market, but at a $799 price tag, Google’s Pixel 7 offers a lot of high-end features. Jon will be putting the smartphone’s cameras, Face Unlock and more through their paces, so keep an eye out for our full review in the coming days. The Pixel 7 is now available for pre-order and will release on October 13th.

To learn about the Pixel 7 Pro, check out my hands-on here, and keep an eye on MobileSyrup for our Pixel 7, 7 Pro and Pixel Watch reviews.

For all of MobileSyrup’s content from Google’s fall hardware event, follow this link.