Google recently revealed the successors to the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, but these are named Pixel and Pixel XL, representing the company’s shift in how it handles its hardware business.
The two phones are actually Google’s efforts to fight back Apple, which recently released the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. According to the search engine giant, the Pixel and Pixel XL are the first phones to be built by Google, right from the inside to the outside, with G logo stamped on the handsets to confirm this claim. Like Apple does with its iPhones, the company controlled both software and hardware of the Google Pixels.
Specs and features
From a distance, you will notice that the Google Pixel and Pixel XL have some design similarities with the Apple iPhone 6 handsets. However, the phones keep the fingerprint scanner on the back, just like with the case of the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Like the 2015 models, this year’s Pixel phones will come with support for USB Type-C and 4G LTE connectivity. However, the RAM has been bumped to 4GB for both handsets alongside a camera setup that includes 12MP on the back and 8MP on the front. The many photos you capture with these great lenses will have unlimited room (free) to be stored thanks to Google Photos app.
The base storage option is 32GB for both Google Pixel and Pixel XL. The two also share the same storage option at the top, which is 128GB. As usual, there is no microSD card storage, but unlike the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Google kept the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Both phones are equipped with the latest Snapdragon 821 chipset from Qualcomm, which is touted to offer faster and enhanced performance than the Snapdragon 820. However, you still come across the same Adreno 530 GPU used on the latter chipset. The Google Pixel has a Full HD screen of 5 inches in size. The AMOLED panel boasts a 1920 x 1080 pixels’ resolution, which is lower than 2560 x 1440 pixels’ resolution found on the 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED screen of the Google Pixel XL.
The differences in size can also be seen when it comes to battery capacity. There is a 2770mAh unit on the Pixel while the Pixel XL has a 3450mAh unit. Still, you will enjoy fast charging capabilities on both handsets.
There is Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box on both handsets alongside Google Allo and Duo apps for messaging and video calling services, respectively. You also get a chance to interact with the latest smart addition to Google’s portfolio – the Google Assistant.
Release date, price and where to buy the Pixel phones
Google announced the Pixel and Pixel XL at an October 4th event. The two phones went live for preorders back then, with major regions including the U.S., Canada, UK, Germany and Australia being among the first markets to be covered.
However, shipping of the Google Pixel and Pixel XL will begin on October 20, with availability in stores happening on the same date. In the U.S., the Pixel phones will be sold through the official Google Store, Verizon Wireless or Best Buy. Keep in mind that the latter appears to be stocking units that are locked to Verizon Wireless, but if you are out for an unlocked variant, better check out the Google Store version. Pricing of the Google Pixel starts at $649 for the base model while the Pixel XL is priced at $769 for the base model.
As for the fellows in the UK, the Pixel phones will be sold via EE carrier, Carphone Warehouse or the Google Store. The smaller Pixel starts at £599 while the larger Pixel XL has a price tag of £719.
So, will you be buying the Google Pixel or Pixel XL phone? Please share your thoughts on this via the comments.