Tag: Pixel 6 Pro

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How do you like your new Pixel 6 or 6 Pro?

Last week, I asked if you pre-ordered the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, and based on the response, it seems like a lot of people are interested in buying Google’s latest flagships.

However, now we’re interested in knowing your thoughts on the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. If you are one of the people that were able to get your hands on a Pixel 6 series device, how do you feel about it after using the smartphone for a few days?

After about two weeks with the phone, I’m still really enjoying it, especially its fantastic camera, display, speed and overall user experience. For more on the Pixel 6 Pro, check out my review. MobileSyrup’s Jon Lamont also reviewed the Pixel 6.

Let us know in the comments below how you feel about the Pixel 6 series so far if you purchased the smartphone.

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Here’s a sneaky way to set up Pixel 6’s Magic Eraser on your last-gen Pixel

Those holding onto their older Pixels this year instead of upgrading to the fancy new Pixel 6 and 6 Pro might be feeling some FOMO over new camera features. But, it seems like there might be a way to get at least one new feature — Magic Eraser — on previous Pixel phones.

As usual, Google’s newest Pixel phone arrived with several fancy camera tricks, but many of them appear to be software-based. However, Google has indicated some of the new software features rely on capabilities built into the new Tensor chip, which suggests the company won’t port the features back to older models.

Despite that limitation, Android Police has found a way to get the new Magic Eraser feature onto other Pixel phones. In short, it involves installing a Google Photos APK file from a Pixel 6 device — APK files, for those not familiar with them, are the application files for Android apps.

How to get Magic Eraser on an older Pixel

We’ve included the instructions below on how to install the APK file and gain access to Magic Eraser, but before you rush into it, I’d advise that anyone not comfortable with installing APK files from third-party sources (or anyone not comfortable troubleshooting problems if something goes wrong) should not do this. Also, you’ll need to be running Android 12 for this to work.

With that said, let’s get into it:

  1. First, you’ll need the ‘Split APKs Installer’ (SAI) app from the Play Store — this app helps install multiple pieces of an APK file, which will be necessary for getting Magic Eraser working on an older Pixel. You’ll also need to download a zipped file with the necessary files from the Android Police website to your smartphone (other Google Photos APK files might not work).
  2. With everything downloaded, open SAI and tap ‘Install APKs.’
  3. Select ‘System file picker’ and grant permission for SAI to access files on your device.
  4. Select the ‘.zip’ file you downloaded from Android Police.
  5. You should see a list of APK pieces, including the base APK and configuration resources — tap ‘Install’ at the bottom.
  6. Next, you’ll see a pop-up asking you to grant SAI permission to install unknown apps. Tap ‘Settings’ and enable permission.
  7. Finally, you’ll see a pop-up asking if you want to update Photos. Tap ‘Update.’

Magic Eraser should work fine on most Pixel phones

Once that’s done, you can open Google Photos and start messing around with Magic Eraser. You’ll be able to find it by selecting an image > Edt > Tools > Magic Eraser. Android Police reported it works fine on the Pixel 5, 5a, 4 XL and 4a. I gave it a try on my Pixel 3 and it also worked fine, although the app crashed the first time I tried to use it (after that, I had no issues).

One final caveat worth considering is that while Magic Eraser is fairly easy to get now, that could change in the future. Android Police warns that a future Photos update could break or remove the functionality. But for now, if you want you can download it and try it out.

Source: Android Police

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Looks like Google will partner with uBreakiFix for Pixel 6/6 Pro repair

Now that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are officially available and pre-orders are starting to arrive, people have the phones. And that means there’s a risk someone will drop their new phone and break it (especially since the phones have glass on the front and back this time around).

If you are unlucky enough to break your Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, it looks like Google is once again partnering with uBreakiFix (which is in the process of rebranding to Asurion Tech Repair and Solutions) for same-day repairs. Google did this before with Pixel phones in Canada. 9to5Google reports uBreakiFix will handle same-day repairs for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in the U.S.

MobileSyrup has reached out to Google to confirm the same for Canada and will update this post with any additional information.

One of the benefits of going to a Google repair partner like uBreakiFix is that you know the company will use OEM parts, tools and training for the repair. That should bring a little peace of mind to the repair process.

Even if you don’t have the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, uBreakiFix’s website says it’s “Google authorized” and lists repair capabilities for Google phones including the entire Pixel lineup along with several Nexus phones (even the Nexus S, interestingly). The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro aren’t currently listed on the website, but that might change given how new the phones are. Also, the site humorously lists the Pixel 5a even though it’s not officially available in Canada.

Source: 9to5Google, uBreakiFix

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Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro release today, but good luck getting one

Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are the company’s newest and probably most anticipated flagships and because of that, the company seems to be struggling to keep up.

In the U.S. the Google Store put out a notice today saying that the Pixel 6 Pro may be out of stock or have long delivery times, according to 9to5Google. 

Canada, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have the same notice; however, when you’re buying a Pixel you’ll notice that delivery times aren’t anywhere close to now.

With the ‘Stormy Black’ Pixel 6 Google’s delivery time says November 23rd, which is almost a month out. Some of the other Pixel 6 models are just plain sold out, such as the Pixel 6 128GB in ‘Sorta Seafoam,’ or the ‘Kinda Coral’ model. The 256GB ‘Sorta Seafoam’ model seems to be the best bet as it’s starting to ship on November 8th.

The Pixel 6 Pros are another matter entirely. It. seems the earliest you can get a Pixel 6 Pro is December 14th for the ‘Cloudy White’ model. The 128GB ‘Stormy Black’ won’t ship out until December 30th and the ‘Sorta Sunny’ Pixel 6 Pro has a January 18th shipping date. Additionally, the 256GB ‘Stormy Black’ 6 Pro is just completely sold out.

It seems that the Pixel 6 is easier to get at Best Buy, though the device is sold out at stores, you can purchase it online. Further, the Pixel 6 Pro are all sold out it would appear.

It’s likely carriers will have similar stock issues. You can check out the Canadian carrier availability list, here.

Unless you pre-ordered a Pixel 6 series device it’s unlikely you’ll be getting any soon. Currently, MobileSyrup has a contest where you can win the chance to get the Pixel 6, if you weren’t lucky enough to obtain a pre-order.

To learn more about the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro, check out our reviews of the devices.

Source: 9to5Google

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Bell, Virgin release Pixel 6 and 6 Pro pricing 10 days late

Bell and its flanker brand Virgin Plus have finally released Pixel 6 and 6 Pro pricing after basically skipping the pre-order period.

If you were expecting any crazy awesome pricing, well, I’ve got some bad news. Bell appears to be more or less in line with Rogers and Telus on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro cost.

The Pixel 6 starts at $0 down with $28.30/mo financing ($679.20 over the 24-month term). On the surface, it sounds like a deal, but that pricing is based on Bell’s Device Return Option. In other words, at the end of the two-year contract, you’ll either need to give back the phone or pay $120 to keep in. All in, that means you’d get the phone for $799.20 from Bell through financing, which is the same as buying the phone outright from Google.

If you don’t do the Device Return Option, the monthly financing cost jumps to $33.30 (which works out to $799.20 over two years).

The story is very similar with the Pixel 6 Pro, which also costs $0 upfront and $39.12/mo financing ($938.88 after 24 months). Adding on the Device Return Option fee of $240 brings the grand total to $1,178.88, just a few cents shy of the $1,179 outright price for the Pixel 6 Pro. If you don’t do the Device Return Option, you’re looking at $49.12/mo financing ($1,178.88 total).

Keep in mind that this is all on top of at least an $80/mo plan.

At Virgin Mobile, the Pixel 6 costs $0 upfront and $33.30/mo financing ($799.20 over two years), but plans start at a lower $50/mo. In other words, while the phone costs the same, Virgin Plus customers can get a little relief on the monthly cost.

For the Pixel 6 Pro, Virgin charges $379 upfront plus $33.34/mo financing ($1,179.16 total).

Those interested can check out the Pixel 6 Pro pricing for all carriers offering the phones here.

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Several Pixel 6/6 Pro owners reporting display flickers, green tints and more

Another Pixel, another problem.

It, unfortunately, seems that Google’s Pixel line has a knack for issues at launch and this year’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are, unfortunately no different. Several reports are cropping up from sources like Reddit of people with display issues on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

GSMArena detailed a few different cases, including a screen flicker issue when the phone is turned off, a green display tint and, in one case a Pixel 6 Pro display adding another hole-punch cut-out. Android Police also reported on the screen flickering issue.

Let’s start with the screen flickering issue. This one primarily appears to affect the Pixel 6 Pro, judging by the reports from users on Reddit. Android Police does note that the people occupying smartphone subreddits might be enthusiasts who are more likely to buy a Pixel 6 Pro, which could be why the issue is skewed in that direction. I can confirm my Pixel 6 doesn’t have this issue (and neither does Dean Daley’s Pixel 6 Pro for that matter).

For most impacted users, pressing the power button on the Pixel 6 Pro causes the screen to flicker — one video shows green lines briefly appearing on the screen. So far, it seems specific to the power button, although one user did report the issue happening while the phone was on, which is more concerning. Redditors also suggested the problem could be caused by static discharge, but it’s still not entirely clear what’s causing the problem.

Green display tints and other issues

Source: GSMArena

Although my Pixel 6 didn’t exhibit the screen flickering issue as described above, it did have some other display problems. First, as I noted in the review, I saw a flicker issue on the display when in use under direct sunlight. Since posting the review, I’ve also noticed a very slight flicker when using dark mode in apps with a grey background, although this appears to be related to the phone shifting between 60Hz and 90Hz refresh rates (locking the Pixel 6 to one refresh rate stops that from happening).

My Pixel 6 also has a green tint at low brightness on dark grey screens, although not as severe as what was reported by GSM. Green tints aren’t uncommon on OLED panels and I’ve seen this issue before (including on previous Google phones like the Pixel 4). Still, it’s a frustrating issue, especially if you encounter it on your new, expensive smartphone.

Finally, the display cut-out issue seems like more of a one-off, but it’s still strange to see. I haven’t encountered anything like that, even when I was messing around with Android’s built-in display cut-out simulator in the developer options screen.

Source: Reddit, (2), (3), Mark Schramm (Twitter), Via: GSMArena, Android Police

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Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are now available in Canada

Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are now available at Google’s Store, carriers and retailers like Best Buy across Canada.

The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro cost $799 and $1,179 in Canada, respectively, directly through Google (the smartphone is likely sold out).

Pixel 6 Pro

Pixel 6 Pro

Display

6.71-inch, (1440 x 3120) LTPO AMOLED display, 512ppi, 120Hz refresh rate

6.71-inch, (1440 x 3120) LTPO AMOLED display, 512ppi, 120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Tensor

Tensor

RAM

12GB of RAM

12GB of RAM

Storage

128GB, 256GB

128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

Weight

Rear Facing Camera

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x4 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x4 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

11.1-megapixel

11.1-megapixel

OS

Android 12

Android 12

Battery

5,000mAh

5,000mAh

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, eSIM

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

October 28, 2021

October 28, 2021

Misc

Colours: Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

Colours: Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

Display

Pixel 6 Pro

6.71-inch, (1440 x 3120) LTPO AMOLED display, 512ppi, 120Hz refresh rate

Pixel 6 Pro

6.71-inch, (1440 x 3120) LTPO AMOLED display, 512ppi, 120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Pixel 6 Pro

Tensor

Pixel 6 Pro

Tensor

RAM

Pixel 6 Pro

12GB of RAM

Pixel 6 Pro

12GB of RAM

Storage

Pixel 6 Pro

128GB, 256GB

Pixel 6 Pro

128GB, 256GB

Dimensions (in.)

Pixel 6 Pro

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

Pixel 6 Pro

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

Weight

Pixel 6 Pro

Pixel 6 Pro

Rear Facing Camera

Pixel 6 Pro

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x4 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Pixel 6 Pro

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x4 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

Pixel 6 Pro

11.1-megapixel

Pixel 6 Pro

11.1-megapixel

OS

Pixel 6 Pro

Android 12

Pixel 6 Pro

Android 12

Battery

Pixel 6 Pro

5,000mAh

Pixel 6 Pro

5,000mAh

Network Connectivity

Pixel 6 Pro

LTE/ 5G

Pixel 6 Pro

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

Pixel 6 Pro

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

Pixel 6 Pro

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

SIM Type

Pixel 6 Pro

Nano SIM, eSIM

Pixel 6 Pro

Nano SIM, eSIM

Launch Date

Pixel 6 Pro

October 28, 2021

Pixel 6 Pro

October 28, 2021

Misc

Pixel 6 Pro

Colours: Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

Pixel 6 Pro

Colours: Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black | IP68 water and dust resistance

For those not interested in getting the latest Google flagship from Google itself, you can purchase the phones from various Canadian carriers (we’re still waiting on Bell’s Carrier pricing).

You can check out our full reviews for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro on MobileSyrup, alongside our video about Real Tone.

Additionally, you can check out carrier pricing, here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

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Pixel 6 and 6 Pro owners will need to install day-one update

If you’re among the lucky few who managed to pre-order the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro (or who will get one when they become available tomorrow), get ready to download a day-one update.

According to a post on Google’s ‘Pixel Phone Help’ site, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro owners will need to update their phones “to get all the features.” The post explains that once users complete the phone setup, the update “automatically downloads silently in the background” and will prompt users to reboot the phone once it’s ready.

The post also recommends updating apps to the latest versions as well to ensure access to all features.

The Verge further elaborates, noting that users should look for build number ‘SD1A.210817.036’ (or ‘SD1A.210817.036.A8’ for Verizon customers). You can find that number either by opening the notification shade and swiping down again to reveal the quick settings widgets (the build number will be visible below the widgets but above the edit, power and settings buttons). Alternatively, you can head to Settings > About Phone and scroll to the bottom to see the build number.

Day-one software updates seem to be the norm these days, whether you’re picking up a new phone, laptop, game or other tech. As a reviewer, I’ve started making it common practice to set new devices aside to update after I first set them (I’ve had more than a few scenarios where a laptop performed really poorly because I hadn’t installed some critical software update yet).

As for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, the day-one update is likely the cause behind some of my woes during testing. I noted in my Pixel 6 review that several features weren’t available or didn’t work (I even made sure all my apps were up to date and, as far as the Pixel 6 was concerned, Android was fully updated too). Naturally, after publishing the review, the day-one software update arrived and fixed several problems, although some features still aren’t available because I’m in Canada.

All this is to say, update your phones (and other tech)!

Source: Google Via: The Verge

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Canadian Pixel 6/6 Pro devices won’t have new call features are launch

Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly) for Canadian Pixel 6 and 6 Pro owners, the new calling features won’t be available at launch in Canada.

Google confirmed to MobileSyrup that ‘Direct my Call’ and ‘Wait Times’ “will be rolling out in Canada,” but didn’t provide any detail about when that would happen.

The company’s popular ‘Call Screen’ feature has been available in Canada for a while, but only in English. The ‘Hold for Me’ feature has also started showing up for Canadian users in recent months.

In other words, it’s not totally uncommon for Pixel call features to skip Canada on release and roll out at a later time. Google tends to be pretty good and bringing these features to Canada, although it doesn’t always.

Still, the confirmation that neither of the fancy new call features will be available in Canada right away is a bummer, although I’m not sure how many people are buying the Pixel 6 or 6 Pro specifically for Direct my Call and Wait Times.

Anyway, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro users will want to grab a day-one software update once they finish setting up their phones to make sure they get all the fancy new features that are coming to Canada, such as Magic Eraser. Those interested can also read about the Pixel 6 review here and 6 Pro review here.

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Did you pre-order Google’s Pixel 6/6 Pro?

Google has finally unveiled its Pixel 6 and 6 Pro flagship smartphones.

Both devices offer great specs and top-of-the-line features, including Google’s Tensor chip, 12GB of RAM for the Pro model, a trio camera setup (also for the Pro model), large batteries and more. The pair of smartphones also feature a sleek new design and up to 256GB of storage. Additionally, the Pixel 6 Pro sports a 120Hz display refresh rate, while the Pixel 6 sports a 90Hz refresh rate.

With all of this in mind, the most intriguing aspect of the Pixel 6 series is its reasonable pricing: the Pixel 6 Pro costs $1,179 and the Pixel 6 costs $799.

Did you buy a Pixel 6/6 Pro, and if so, which device and why? The Pixel 6 Pro is already sold out in the Canadian Google Store, so a lot of people are definitely interested in the handsets.

I’m currently testing the Pixel 6 Pro for my review (coming soon), but I would love to hear your thoughts on Google’s latest flagships.