Google Event: The much pre-announced phones are here

After a flurry of leaks, pre-announcements, advertising, and more leaks, Google has finally announced the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. A lot of information has already been revealed, including the unique Tensor processor that powers it, the colors and many of the specifications, and even some of the software features.

This year, the corporation is seeking to appeal to two distinct groups. The midrange and the high-end market.

So, what did Google launch today?

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

The Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch FHD+ OLED display with 411 ppi, which is in line with mid-range features. The Pro improves it to a 6.7-inch QHD+ display with 512 ppi. Those displays, which feature refresh rates of 90 and 120 Hz, are protected by a Gorilla Glass Victus cover with curved edges.

The Pixel 6 has a 1,080 x 2,400-pixel resolution and a 90-Hz screen refresh rate, much like last year’s Pixel 5. The Tensor chip is paired with 8 gigabytes of RAM, according to Google, and promises up to 80% quicker performance than its Qualcomm-powered predecessor. It contains a 4,524-mAh battery cell that should last more than a day, according to Google. Both lack a MicroSD card port (as well as a headphone jack), although the Pixel 6 offers 128 or 256 GB storage options.

On the Pixel 6 Pro, you get a greater 1,440 x 3,120-pixel resolution and a 120-Hz screen refresh rate, which Google claims may go as low as 10-Hz when there isn’t much going on to preserve battery life. The larger size means a higher capacity of 4,905 mAh, as well as 12 gigabytes of RAM. There’s also a 512-gigabyte storage option if you record a lot of video. The Pro contains an ultra wideband (UWB) processor that can help it locate other UWB devices. Google says “many features” that use UWB will be released in the coming months, but we don’t know what they will be.

Both phones will run Android 12 with the Material You design, which allows you to customize the look of your homescreen even further. It’s more expressive than prior Android versions, with options for coordinating colors across app icons, pull-down menus, widgets, and other areas. Many widgets have been changed to reflect the new style, and Google announced today that it aims to have over a dozen new or refreshed widgets ready for its first-party apps by the end of October.

The phones are powered by the Google Tensor chip which they say is 80% faster than the Pixel 5’s CPU.

The main camera on both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is the same 50-megapixel 1/1.31-inch sensor that can capture up to 150 percent more light than the Pixel 5. Pixel binning is a technique used by the camera to combine pixels in order to absorb more light, resulting in a 12.5-megapixel image.

Both include a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, while the Pixel 6 Pro sports a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with a 4x optical zoom. It’s not the first Pixel phone to include a zoom sensor, but it is the first to include a triple-camera setup. The Pixel 6 only boasts optical image stabilization in its main camera, whereas the Pro has it in every lens.

Google says the phones charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes.

The phones will retail at $599 for the Pixel 6 and $899 for the Pixel 6 Pro.