After months of rumors and leaks, Google officially has revealed the next phones in its Pixel lineup, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Unlike past Pixel devices, the new smartphones will feature a Google-made processor called Google Tensor. While Google has yet to share any exact specs about the device, the series of tweets it shared as part of the announcement mention better performance and processing power compared to previous chips used in Pixel phones. If Google can deliver flagship quality performance on its latest Pixel devices, then it could finally break through the mold it set for itself in the past. In fact, if the new Google-powered smartphones turn out to be as good as Google claims, it could finally get me to abandon my iPhone in favor of Android once more.
For the Love of Pixel
For years, Google has struggled to make headway against the more premium smartphones, including Samsung-manufactured Android phones and the iPhone. While past iterations of the Pixel lineup have focused more on offering mid and budget-range phones, something it has done fairly well with in the past, the Pixel 6 could take a swing at flagship devices once more. Especially with the new exterior design. Despite seeing growth in 2019 Pixel sales, the Pixel lineup as a whole had started to stagnate. It became increasingly difficult to tell the new models apart from the old, making it less enticing to pick up a new device each time Google released one. Additionally, past Pixel phones have failed to successfully combine performance and price that other budget phones have. Even with 5G and other improvements coming around, Pixel phones just felt and performed like cheap, generic budget phones, something you wouldn’t expect from Google. With the Pixel 6, though, it finally seems to be breaking out of that mold. The new Pixel looks sleek and very different from past iterations, too. Google looks to be embracing the new design well, and it has completely replaced the usual camera bump with a camera bar spanning the entire width of the device. The external design works together with the device’s Material You software, which makes the entire experience feel more fluid and connected.
Perfect Pairing
Of course, the real shining star of the Pixel 6 isn’t the way it looks on the outside. It’s what’s inside that really counts. The aforementioned Google Tensor—referred to as “Whitechapel” in past rumors and leaks—is the first-ever Google-made system on a chip (SoC). It completely replaces the need for a processor from an outside company like MediaTek or Qualcomm, meaning Google can pump it up as much as it wants, without worrying about budget constraints. Google claims Tensor will allow for better processing directly on the Pixel. This includes processing for the camera, the phone’s speech recognition, and other features like running games and general performance. Essentially, Google is trying to replicate Apple’s success from its custom iPhone processors, and it could be the break that it has been waiting for to finally release a device that can stand up to the mainstream appeal of brands like Samsung. The biggest detail we’re missing right now, though, is whether or not Google will embrace flagship-level pricing for the Pixel 6. While the device itself looks great, and Google Tensor is exciting, Pixels aren’t known for being “flagship killers.” Instead, the Pixel line has become so well known—and even beloved—because of its more cost-effective options compared to other Android devices. With Google controlling every aspect of the phone, from design to internals and performance, it has a unique opportunity to change how consumers feel about the Pixel line. We’ll just have to wait and see what it does. Either way, this first bit of news about the Pixel 6 has pushed the device to the top of my list, and it won’t be easy to stick to my iPhone when Google drops the new device later this year.
