During today’s Google I/O event, the company gave us a quick teaser of what we can expect from its next revolutionary smartphone: The Pixel 7.
Although the focus was primarily on the Pixel products that are coming now — the Pixel 6a, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Buds Pro — Google also wants to make sure it’s whetting our appetites for the next big entry in its smartphone lineup.
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While it’s not launching until later this year, we’d already heard enough to know not to expect any significant design changes, so today’s teaser didn’t include any real surprises. The Pixel 7 that Google showed off looks nearly indistinguishable from the Pixel 6, suggesting that Google has settled on this design as the look for its smartphones.
However, that doesn’t mean that Google isn’t enhancing the design in some exciting ways. At today’s event, it shared that the rear of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will move to a 100% recycled aluminum finish across the entire rear casing, including the camera bar. The polished and aluminum glass design promises to deliver an even classier look for Google’s flagship smartphone.
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As expected, the Pixel 7 will be powered by Google’s next-generation Tensor chip, the second version of Google’s own silicon that builds on the original Tensorintroduced with the Pixel 6. While this is being referred to as the “Tensor 2,” Google hasn’t announced its name just yet. The company did offer up that the Pixel 7 Pro will set a new standard for photography, performance, and design thanks to the powerful new chip that will power more heavy artificial intelligence processing for photography and video.
There have also been some indications that the Google Pixel 7 could adopt an under-display selfie camera for the first time, but the leaked renders we’ve seen have cast some doubt on that. Google didn’t mention this when it teased the new Pixel 7 at today’s event, and it conspicuously avoided showing us any images of the front of the Pixel 7.
The new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will ship with Android 13 standard. Google confirmed that it will arrive this fall, but hasn’t shared any pricing or other details on it just yet, so we’ll have to wait and see what else it has up its sleeve for its next major smartphone release.
I did a Pixel 7a camera test — and it’s bad news for Samsung
Every smartphone manufacturer updates its flagship lineup annually, packing in all of the best components that are available. For Google, this is the Pixel 7 lineup, and Samsung has the Galaxy S23 series.
However, not everyone wants to — or can afford — to pay flagship prices all the time. Thankfully, both Google and Samsung have more budget-friendly options with the Pixel A-series and Galaxy A-series devices. If you want a good smartphone without paying too much, then these are both pretty good phones to check out.
Don’t buy the Pixel 7a — this is the best cheap Pixel of 2023
Last month, Google held its annual developer conference, Google I/O 2023. The event gave us a peek at some exciting new hardware coming soon, including the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet. But Google also dropped the latest in the Pixel 7 lineup, the budget-friendly Pixel 7a. For just $499, you get a 64MP camera, a 6.1-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, the Tensor G2 processor, and wireless charging capabilities.
However, in an interesting move, Google decided to keep the Pixel 6a around, as it is still available to purchase. But it also got a big price cut, bringing it down to a mere $349.
I put the iPhone’s Dynamic Island on my Pixel 7 Pro — and I can’t go back
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro got a big refresh last year, and key to that was a new selfie camera design with a pill-shaped cutout. Only, this is no normal hole -- it's the home of a new feature, the oddly-named "Dynamic Island." It's a notification bubble that lives behind the selfie camera that displays information like music tracks, timers, and anything else you need to know, but don't need a full screen for. If you're playing music on Spotify, it'll display the track name and controls. If someone calls you, it'll show the person's contact information. Waiting for an Uber? It'll show you how far away it is. It's even tied into the Face ID unlock process. It's a great use of the selfie camera — and one with a bright future.
At least, that's what we thought. The Dynamic Island has had a tough start, as app support was extremely limited, meaning it didn't live up to Apple's promises. This persisted for a number of months before the Dynamic Island finally got what it needed to live up to its hype.
