Tag: Pixel Event 2022

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s how the Pixel 7 Pro compares to the Pixel 6 Pro

After several months of teasers and brief sneak peeks, Google finally unveiled its flagship Pixel 7 lineup at its ‘Made by Google’ event earlier today.

The higher-end Pixel 7 Pro starts at $1,179 for the 128GB model and goes up to $1,439 for the 512GB storage variant. The device is available to pre-order today, Thursday, October 6th, and will release next week on Thursday, October 13th.

Before you decide to shell out $1,000+ for the new device, you might want to see how it squares up against the 2021-released Pixel 6 Pro, and if your needs warrant the absolute latest Pixel.

Pixel 6 Pro

Pixel 7 Pro

Display

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

6.7-inch, (1440 x 3120) QHD+ display, 512ppi, 10-120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Tensor

Tensor G2

RAM

12GB of RAM

12GB of RAM

Storage

128GB, 256GB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Dimensions (in.)

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3in. (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm)

Weight

210g

212g (7.5oz)

Rear Facing Camera

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

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x5 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

11.1-megapixel

10.8-megapixel (ultrawide)

OS

Android 12

Android 13

Battery

5,000mAh

5,000mAh

Network Connectivity

LTE/ 5G

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

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

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

SIM Type

Nano SIM, eSIM

Nano SIM

Launch Date

October 28, 2021

October 13, 2022

Misc

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

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Hazel

Display

Pixel 6 Pro

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

Pixel 7 Pro

6.7-inch, (1440 x 3120) QHD+ display, 512ppi, 10-120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Pixel 6 Pro

Tensor

Pixel 7 Pro

Tensor G2

RAM

Pixel 6 Pro

12GB of RAM

Pixel 7 Pro

12GB of RAM

Storage

Pixel 6 Pro

128GB, 256GB

Pixel 7 Pro

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Dimensions (in.)

Pixel 6 Pro

163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm

Pixel 7 Pro

6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3in. (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm)

Weight

Pixel 6 Pro

210g

Pixel 7 Pro

212g (7.5oz)

Rear Facing Camera

Pixel 6 Pro

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

Pixel 7 Pro

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x5 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

Pixel 6 Pro

11.1-megapixel

Pixel 7 Pro

10.8-megapixel (ultrawide)

OS

Pixel 6 Pro

Android 12

Pixel 7 Pro

Android 13

Battery

Pixel 6 Pro

5,000mAh

Pixel 7 Pro

5,000mAh

Network Connectivity

Pixel 6 Pro

LTE/ 5G

Pixel 7 Pro

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

Pixel 6 Pro

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

Pixel 7 Pro

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

SIM Type

Pixel 6 Pro

Nano SIM, eSIM

Pixel 7 Pro

Nano SIM

Launch Date

Pixel 6 Pro

October 28, 2021

Pixel 7 Pro

October 13, 2022

Misc

Pixel 6 Pro

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

Pixel 7 Pro

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Hazel

Display and design

The Pixel 6 Pro was Google’s first smartphone to feature a large 6.7-inch QHD+ display with a 512 ppi pixel density and a 120Hz refresh rate. The new Pixel 7 Pro offers a display setup identical to its predecessor, with a 6.7-inch display QHD+ screen with a 512ppi pixel density and the same adaptive 10-120Hz refresh rate.

Both devices have an always-on display and HDR support, alongside Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back and identical bezels

In terms of weight, the new Pixel 7 Pro is roughly 2g heavier than its predecessor, while maintaining roughly the same 163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm dimensions. The aluminum in both the Pixel 7 Pro’s phone enclosure, and the Pixel 6 Pro’s body is made of 100 percent recycled content. In the Pixel 6 Pro, however, recycled aluminum made up approximately 14 percent of the product based on weight, whereas with the Pixel 7 Pro, Google says, “recycled materials are approximately 19 percent of phone based on weight.”

One of the major design changes is visible on the rear of the Pixel 7 Pro. Although the new flagship retains the Pixel 6 Pro’s rear camera bar, it comes in a new metallic finish, instead of a glass finish, which offers the rear a dual-tone look, and makes the cameras prominently stand out.

Internals

The Pixel 6 series marked the beginning of Google’s experiment with its custom-made Tensor chips, and it’s safe to say the bet paid off. With the new Pixel 7 Pro, Google has updated the Tensor chip to a new Tensor G2, which according to Google, will “bring even more helpful, personalized features to photos, videos, security, and speech recognition.” Additionally, on paper, the updated chip should bring better battery efficiency to the device, alongside improved speech recognition.

Both devices feature the Titan M2 security chip, alongside consistent 12GB of RAM. On the storage side of things, the Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel 6 Pro are both available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options.

Both devices feature identical-sized 5,000mAh batteries, which Google claims can last upwards of 24 hours, with the Pixel 7 Pro getting a maximum of 72 hours of uptime with ‘Extreme Battery Saver’ enabled, while the Pixel 6 Pro can last for a maximum of 48 hours with the same mode enabled.

Both devices feature fast charging, fast wireless charging, battery share capabilities and are IP68 dust and water-resistant.

The Pixel 6 Pro and the Pixel 7 Pro both feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensors, and compass, though the latter also has support for Face Unlock, a feature a lot of Pixel 6 users have missed.

Camera

The Pixel 6 Pro and the new Pixel 7 Pro both feature an almost identical triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel ƒ/1.85 (primary) + 48-megapixel ƒ/3.5 (telephoto) + 12-megapixel ƒ/2.2 (ultrawide) sensor. The difference, however, is in the 48-megapixel telephoto camera’s zoom capabilities.

On the Pixel 6 Pro, the telephoto lens featured a 4x optical zoom, and a 20x ‘Super Res Zoom’, both of which have been upgraded to 5x optical zoom and 30x ‘Super Res Zoom,’ respectively, on the Pixel 7 Pro.

Another non-revolutionary change includes the ultra-wide camera’s field-of-view being increased to 125.8° on the Pixel 7 Pro from 114° on the Pixel 6 Pro. Other new camera features included with the Pixel 7 Pro include ‘Photo Unblur’ and ‘Macro Focus’ modes.

Below is a list of all the camera features that the two devices have in common:

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

The front camera seems to have been downgraded, going from 11.1-megapixel f/2.2 on the Pixel 6 Pro to a 10.8-megapixel ƒ/2.2 camera on the Pixel 7 Pro. Both selfie cameras offer 1.22 μm pixel width, and the slight decrease in the Pixel 7 Pro’s pixel count should be offset by the Tensor G2’s advanced image processors and Google’s computational photography to improve the overall photo quality.

Colours and pricing

When released back in 2021, the Pixel 6 Pro started at $1,179 and was available in ‘Stormy Black,’ ‘Cloudy White,’ and ‘Sorta Sunny’ colourways. The smartphone will likely receive a press drop soon and this story will be updated.

The Pixel 7 Pro is starting at the same price as the Pixel 6 Pro did: $1,179. The 256GB storage model starts at $1,309, whereas the 512GB model is available to pre-order for $1,439. Colour options include ‘Hazel,’ ‘Snow’ and ‘Obsidian.’

Is the new flagship for you?

The Pixel 7 Pro feels like an improved version of the Pixel 6 Pro, though it doesn’t feel like an entirely new-gen device. It features an almost identical display, with the same battery size, and the same RAM configuration.

Improvements on the camera side aren’t revolutionary, though we’ll have to get our hands on the device to see how much of a difference the Tensor G2 makes when it comes to photography, and overall device performance.

Elsewhere, the rear camera setup bar does look way cleaner and more premium than it did on the Pixel 6 Pro, and we’d imagine the metallic finish on the 7 Pro would also be more durable than the glass finish on the 6 Pro.

The menial upgrades definitely don’t warrant an upgrade if you’re already using a Pixel 6 Pro. If you’re using an older device and looking to upgrade, the decision falls entirely on your budget and requirements.

For more on the Pixel 7 Pro, check out our hands-on with the smartphone. For everything from Google’s Pixel event, follow this link.

Image credit: Google

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Mobile Syrup

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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Mobile Syrup

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.

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Google’s first wearable says no to iPhone users

At its ‘Made by Google’ event today, Google unveiled the new Pixel 7 lineup alongside its first wearable, the Pixel Watch.

The WearOS-powered watch starts at $449.99 CAD for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model and $529.99 for the LTE + Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model.

The watch features Google Wallet for contactless payments and Google Maps for turn-by-turn navigation, alongside support for Google Assistant so you can ask questions or request tasks completely hands-free.

Now, before you get too excited and visit the Google Store to order the device, we’d like to give you some bad news. It’s not necessarily bad for everyone, but it is for those looking to pair the watch with an iPhone: iOS users aren’t invited to the party.

Like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, the Pixel Watch won’t work with an iPhone. The watch’s specifications say that it “Requires an Android 8.0 or newer phone, Google Account, and internet access,” to function.

This is a disappointment for those who like to mix and match different ecosystem products, but something we saw coming. Before Google officially unveiled the Watch, the Fitbit Android app already had a pairing screen for the Pixel Watch, whereas the iOS application didn’t. It is also Apple getting a taste of its own medicine, as it locks Android users out of the Apple Watch ecosystem.

More to come…

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s how much the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and Pixel Watch cost in Canada

Google’s much-anticipated Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and Pixel Watch are finally here. The search giant detailed the new devices during its October 6th event, but they’re also now available to pre-order ahead of an October 13th release.

If you want to buy one of the new Pixels in Canada, read on to find out how much you’ll need to pay. We’ll start with buying them from Google, and then add carrier pricing as it becomes available.

Google Store

ThePixel 7 comes in ‘Obsidian,’ ‘Snow,’ or ‘Lemongrass’ while the Pixel 7 Pro comes in ‘Obsidian,’ ‘Snow,’ or ‘Hazel.’ The Pixel Watch comes in ‘Matte Black / Obsidian,’ ‘Polished Silver / Charcoal,’ ‘Polished Silver / Chalk,’ or ‘Champagne Gold / Hazel’ (the first colour refers to the stainless steel case colour, while the second is the band colour).

  • Pixel 7: $799 (128GB) or $929 (256GB)
  • Pixel 7 Pro: $1,179 (128GB), $1,309 (256GB), or $1,439 (512GB)
  • Pixel Watch: $449.99 (Wi-Fi), $529.99 (LTE)

Pixel Watch bands start at $69.99, while the charger starts at $39.99.

Carriers

Keep an eye on this section for updates as carrier pricing goes live.

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Google unveils Pixel Watch with ‘health by Fitbit’

As expected, Google unveiled its new Pixel Watch at its October 6th Pixel event. The new Wear OS-powered smartwatch boasts “health by Fitbit” and “help by Google.”

The Pixel Watch looks, well, exactly like all the leaked details. It’s not much of a surprise — Google itself posted teaser videos showing off the Pixel Watch design in the weeks leading up to the reveal. I’ll keep the design section short since we already know most of those details.

The watch will be available in ‘Chalk,’ ‘Charcoal,’ ‘Hazel,’ and ‘Obsidian.’ Google says there will be seven band families, including active, leather, metal links, stretch, woven and other bands. Each band family includes several colour options.

Now, onto important things, like price! The Pixel Watch comes in two variants in Canada: LTE and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. Those start at $529.99 and $449.99, respectively. Moreover, Pixel Bands start at $69.99 for active, $79.99 for woven, and $109.99 for leather. The Pixel Watch charger starts at $39.99.

Google also shared Pixel Watch tech specs, including that it uses 80 percent recycled stainless steel, uses custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5, a 320ppi AMOLED display with up to 1000 nits of brightness, a 294mAh battery, Exynos 9110 chip with Cortex M33 co-processor, 32GB of eMMC flash storage and 2GB of RAM. Google says the battery last 24 hours and a 45-minute charge gives you nine hours of battery life. Speaking of charging, the Pixel Watch uses a magnetic charger with USB-C.

Finally, the Pixel Watch supports Android 8.0 and newer. Notably, Google said the Pixel Watch wouldn’t work with iOS.

Health by Fitbit

Google says the Pixel Watch’s co-processor handles the Fitbit experience, including health features like heart rate tracking. Moreover, Google said the Pixel Watch includes Fitbit’s most accurate heart rate tracking.

Regarding tracking, the Pixel Watch includes several Fitbit tracking capabilities, like ECG, but lacks some functions present in Fitbit’s latest Sense 2 smartwatch, including temperature sensing. Google says the Pixel Watch also supports SpO2, but that it had nothing to announce about SpO2 yet. Presumably, that means the Pixel Watch will get support in the future.

In all, the Pixel Watch features a compass, altimeter, blood oxygen sensor (SpO2), multipurpose electrical sensor, optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and ambient light sensor.

For the swimmers out there, the Pixel Watch is 5ATM swim-proof, which means the watch can withstand pressure equivalent to a depth of 50 metres.

Google says that the Pixel Watch will offer sleep tracking, access to 40 workout modes, Fitbit’s ‘Daily Readiness‘ score, Active Zone Minutes, and more. However, to make the most of the Fitbit-based health features, you’ll need to use the Fitbit app on your Android phone. Google went so far as to describe Fitbit as the “heart” of the Pixel Watch fitness experience.

Also like Fitbit watches, to make the most of the Fitbit experience on Pixel Watch, you’ll need a Fitbit Premium subscription. Google includes six months of free Premium with the Pixel Watch. Fitbit Premium costs $12.99/mo or $104.99/year in Canada and offers expanded data and insights, more workouts, mindfulness sessions, and access to things like Wellness Report and the Health Metrics Dashboard.

Help by Google

On the Google side of things, the Pixel Watch will get a bunch of capabilities aimed at making people’s lives a little easier and safer. The Pixel Watch runs Wear OS 3.5 and will offer Google Maps, Wallet, Assistant, and ‘Emergency SOS’ for 911 calls and fall detection.

Google says the Emergency SOS features require a cellular connection, and fall detection won’t arrive until the winter. It’s unclear if (or how) these features will work in Canada, but that will hopefully change in the near future.

Google’s Pixel Watch will also have access to other Wear OS apps, with Google highlighting options like Spotify, Strava, Bitmoji, Adidas Running, MyFitnessPal, Calm, and more available from the built-in Play Store. Moreover, Pixel Watch will offer integrations with Google’s Pixel smartphones, such as the ability to use the watch as a remote control for a Pixel phone’s camera, use Find My Device, and more.

Finally, the Pixel Watch will offer 18 watch faces with complications, generally split between ‘personal’ and ‘informative.’ However, Google indicates users would be able to customize this, adding information to personal faces or reducing items on the informative faces to make them less cluttered.

The Pixel Watch will be available to pre-order on October 6th and will release on October 13th. You can learn more on the Google Store.

Additionally, stay tuned to MobileSyrup for a full review of the Pixel Watch.

Image credit: Google

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Google’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro release on October 13 in Canada

Google has finally revealed more about the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. At the company’s fall product reveal, we learned the pricing and availability of both devices, some of their cool new features and a look at the specs.

First and foremost, let’s get to the pricing; the Pixel 7 starts at $799 CAD, and the Pixel 7 Pro starts at $1,179.00. This is similar pricing to what we saw last year with the Pixel 6 series. The phones are available to pre-order today, October 6th, and both will release on October 13th.

Here are the specs of the devices:

Pixel 7

Pixel 7 Pro

Display

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

6.7-inch, (1440 x 3120) QHD+ display, 512ppi, 10-120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Tensor G2

Tensor G2

RAM

8GB of RAM

12GB of RAM

Storage

128GB, 256GB

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Dimensions (in.)

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

6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3in. (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm)

Weight

197g (6.9oz)

212g (7.5oz)

Rear Facing Camera

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

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x5 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

10.8-megapixel

10.8-megapixel (ultrawide)

OS

Android 13

Android 13

Battery

4,355mAh

5,000mAh

Network Connectivity

LTE/ 5G

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

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

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

SIM Type

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Launch Date

October 13, 2022

October 13, 2022

Misc

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Hazel

Display

Pixel 7

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

Pixel 7 Pro

6.7-inch, (1440 x 3120) QHD+ display, 512ppi, 10-120Hz refresh rate

Processor

Pixel 7

Tensor G2

Pixel 7 Pro

Tensor G2

RAM

Pixel 7

8GB of RAM

Pixel 7 Pro

12GB of RAM

Storage

Pixel 7

128GB, 256GB

Pixel 7 Pro

128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Dimensions (in.)

Pixel 7

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

Pixel 7 Pro

6.4 x 3.0 x 0.3in. (162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm)

Weight

Pixel 7

197g (6.9oz)

Pixel 7 Pro

212g (7.5oz)

Rear Facing Camera

Pixel 7

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

Pixel 7 Pro

50-megapixel (primary) + 48-megapixel (telelphoto, x5 zoom) + 12-megapixel (ultrawide)

Front Facing Camera

Pixel 7

10.8-megapixel

Pixel 7 Pro

10.8-megapixel (ultrawide)

OS

Pixel 7

Android 13

Pixel 7 Pro

Android 13

Battery

Pixel 7

4,355mAh

Pixel 7 Pro

5,000mAh

Network Connectivity

Pixel 7

LTE/ 5G

Pixel 7 Pro

LTE/ 5G

Sensors

Pixel 7

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

Pixel 7 Pro

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

SIM Type

Pixel 7

Nano SIM

Pixel 7 Pro

Nano SIM

Launch Date

Pixel 7

October 13, 2022

Pixel 7 Pro

October 13, 2022

Misc

Pixel 7

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Lemongrass

Pixel 7 Pro

Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Hazel

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 get super detailed shots. Furthermore, with the power of the Tensor G2 chip, Google says the phone can also get stellar shots at 2x, 10x and 30x zoom as well.

At 2x-4x zoom, the phone takes a picture with its 50-megapixel shooter and then crops in to enable that crisp shot. At 10x zoom, the phone utilizes both the 50-megapixel primary and 48-megapixel telephoto, then crops in to get another detailed shot. At 30x zoom, the handset uses its two cameras once again; with the bonus of cropping and using the Tensor G2 chip, the phone takes distance photos better than ever. The Pixel 7 also benefits from the new sensor-cropping zoom, but still lacks a dedicated telephoto camera for zoom shots.

Alongside the new telephoto, the Pixel 7 Pro has ‘Face Unlock,’ allowing users to unlock their devices with their faces. An interesting caveat is that Face Unlock will just be for unlocking the phone, and users still need to use their PIN code or fingerprint to enable things like mobile payments.

The handset also features macro photos allowing close-up pictures from 3cm away. This might sound cool to many, but it is oddly a feature available on many budget and midrange phones. It’ll be interesting if the quality of these macro shots is as good as, say, on the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G as it offers a dedicated camera for macro pictures.

On the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, you can also expect quicker night mode capturing, photo unblur (even if you took the picture years ago on a different phone) and a more up-to-date Real Tone. Google updated its Real Tone by adding thousands of new images to tune the camera. The feature also is improved at night. You can also find 10-bit HDR that works with an assortment of apps like Snapchat.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro also have an improved recorder app with speaker labels, as well as an audio transcription feature for voice messages. Battery-wise, both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro boast 72 hours of battery with Extreme Battery Saver turned on. I’m not someone who ever keeps that feature on, so I’ll see how well it does with its standard mode turned on.

Keep following MobileSyrup for more details about the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

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Google aims to achieve net-zero emissions across its businesses by 2030

Google is on its way to making its products as environmentally friendly as possible and reaching its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. At its ‘Made by Google’ Pixel launch event today, the Mountain View, California-based company announced that its new products are “Designed for Impact.”

Google said that every new product that it revealed today, or recently, including the Nest Wifi Pro, the Pixel 7 lineup, the Pixel Tablet and the Pixel Watch are made of recycled materials.

Starting off with the Pixel Tablet, Google used a nano-ceramic coating infused into the tablet’s body’s coating, which it says is made up of 100 percent recycled aluminum. The nano-ceramic coating is meant to give the tablet a “soft-matte-ic-textured” feel while not compromising on durability.

The aluminum in the Pixel 7 series’ phone enclosure is made of 100 percent recycled content, reducing the enclosure’s overall carbon footprint by over 35 percent.

The Pixel watch case, on the other hand, is made of 80 percent recycled stainless steel, while the fabric on the watch’s stretch band is made of yarn that is 100 percent recycled.

“We have a deep responsibility to create sustainable technologies, and I’m so proud to be a part of a team of designers, product engineers, and operation specialists who are doing impactful work to help our planet,” said Isabelle Olsson, Senior industrial designer for Google.

For emissions associated with powering Google’s data centres and campuses, the company’s goal is to operate on carbon-free energy throughout the day by 2030, though the company didn’t expand on its roadmap.