Pixel XL: Specifications of the secret Google smartphone



10/03/2016 3:40 PM


October 4, Google will introduce smartphones under its own brand. According to Financial Times, the devices will be the first products of Google’s hardware production unit. Design of new gadgets is developed directly by Google. A couple of images of the smartphones, to be named Pixel and Pixel XL, have already leaked on the Internet.



Previously, Google used to release devices with only purpose to demonstrate new software, including Android. The company attempted to enter the mobile phone market after acquisition of Motorola. Together with other manufacturers, the corporation launches Nexus smartphone. Nowadays, it is considered the flagship for Android operating system.

It was British retailer Carphone Warehouse that took the wraps off the new device (apparently mistakenly). Now, there’s only price and date of the market launch that is left to know.

Design of the new products with atypical glass pane, which occupies a significant portion of the metal rear panel, has been known for a quite long time. Official images of the smartphone look a little less strange than "spy" photo appearing before. Their front is similar to latest models of iPhone, devoid of mechanical button "Home". Judging by the photos, the device will be available in two colors: black and white.

In addition, it is possible to order personalized covers with images taken from Google Earth or Google Trends. Along to the cover, users can install related "live" wallpaper.

The smartphones’ specification are also interesting. Size of 5-inch Google Pixel is similar to Nexus 5, released in 2013. The only difference is that the smartphone is a little bit longer (143.8 mm). Apparently, the developers had to find a room to a more advanced camera and a 2770 mAh battery. The device weighs 143 grams.

Google Pixel uses the AMOLED-panel with FullHD resolution, 12-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front, as well as system-on-chip (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 821. The main processor is a quad, with a maximum frequency of 2.15 GHz, RAM - 4GB. The smartphone will be available with an integrated drive 32 or 128 GB, and, according to Carphone Warehouse, also supports microSD cards up to 256GB. The smartphone is equipped with USB-C, fast charging, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Model Pixel Xl with a 5.5-inch screen has a higher resolution of the AMOLED-panel (QuadHD, 2560 x 1440 pixels). In addition, the smartphone battery’s is 3450 mAh, which is more than that of its counterpart. Dimensions of the device are 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.6 mm, which is 4 mm shorter, 2 mm more narrow and 1.3 mm thicker than iPhone 7 Plus.

Judging by promo pictures from the retailer's website, Google decided to put the main emphasis not on the hardware.  It’s not a surprise since nowadays flagships of any manufacturer are about the same. Software capabilities are in the limelight now. In particular, the retailer advertised in-built "Google Assistant", a function evolved from Google Now.

In addition, it highlights an ability to store unlimited number of images and videos in Google Photos. It is not clear whether it is about a special bonus for owners of Pixel, or just about the service’s standard function. Finally, the promo images show a new instant messenger Allo and video chat Duo. 

According to previously appeared unofficial information, the cheapest Google Pixel - with a 5-inch screen and 32 GB of internal memory – will get a price tag of 649 dollars in the US. This is on a par with iPhone 7 and $ 20 cheaper than Samsung Galaxy S7.

Officially, price of the device and the market launch are likely to be announced on 4 October. Apart from the new smartphone, Google is expected to introduce Google Home, a voice-activated home product with in-built Assistant, and a new version of Chromecast HDMI-player with support for HDR-Video and 4K resolution. Mass media also wrote about the corporation’s plans to announce a new OS Andromeda, which is a hybrid of Android and Chrome OS, and is designed for laptops and tablets.

source: ft.com


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