Everything We Know About Google Pixel Smartphone
Search engine giant Google has announced a new line of in-house developed smartphone they're calling Pixel. What's it about? Has it got that thing-wot-I-like? When's it coming?
Why Pixel?
Google has opted to break from the past when it comes to this new smartphone and the name Pixel helps signify that this Android-powered bit of tech is of their own in-house design, but made by HTC. The Nexus line is developed by third-party manufacturers.
How Do They Look?
Google will be offering the Pixel in two forms: a 5in (12.7cm) Pixel or 5.5in (14cm) Pixel XL with an OLED screen, but are otherwise virtually indistinguishable. It sports a 12.3 megapixel camera on the rear of the phone which they claim is the best available on the market today. There's no "unsightly camera bump" either.
The Pixel is comprised of a glass-aluminium body that's easy-to-grip and has curved edges. It's available in Quite Black and Very Silver, with an exclusive 'true blue' for Verizon.
Oh yeah, the Pixel also rocks a headphone jack, which is increasingly becoming extinct after Apple and Motorola have starting phasing them out of their latest designs. The Pixel is powered by the latest Snapdragon 821 processor.
Clouds And Connectivity
Endless cloud storage is offered with the Google Pixel phones supporting full resolution snaps (including 4K video) to be stored in the great ether of the Internet.
Both the Pixel and Pixel XL models will automatically update to the latest OS versions and security fixes as soon as they're released by Google. Currently Android phones are at the mercy of their respective manufacturers as to when they get the latest Android releases.
Google are also including fast charging where 15 minutes of battery charge is worth 7 hours of power. They also feature total integration with a 24-hour live phone support where an operator can see exactly what's on the Pixel screen to offer help.
For full technical specs for Pixel check out the official Google website.
A Virtual Reality Daydream
The Pixel phone is also the first Daydream-compatible phone - Google's own just announced Daydream View headset for virtual reality experiences.
'Okay Google'
Aside from offering the usual smartphone wizardry, the biggest feature for Pixel is the fact it incorporates the Google Assistant by pressing the home buttons much like Apple's Siri with iPhones. They want a closer bond with this new phone and the assistant.
To facilitate this future Skynet overlord, Google has revised how the virtual assistant works. For one thing it can hold something of a conversation with the user where questions and commands can 'build up' instead of having to be said in isolation.
"It goes one step further than tapping on the microphone in the Google Search app and getting a bunch of responses - it gives a conversational feel to what you are doing," Google's Mario Queiroz told the BBC.
It also uses Google's Knowledge Graph database that strings together around approximately 70 billion facts, which will be available to the virtual assistant and has been in use for a number of years.
Price And Date?
The Pixel 5" model will cost around $649/ £600 while the Pixel XL 5.5" runs at $749 / £720. The price will vary depending on the internal storage chosen: 32GB or 128GB.
Pixel is available to pre-order now and will be releasing October 20th, 2016.
