During his event Made by Google 2022 today in New York, the company officially announced its Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, the Pixel Watch, and more. Here’s what to take away from competitors of the iPhone 14 powered by the custom G2 Tensor chip and other new features.
The Pixel 7 with a 50 megapixel camera
The Google Pixel 7 has just been made official as the Google mid-range for 2022. In the news department, we find the Tensor G2 chip, an updated camera, and more, but all for the same price of 649 euros.
On paper, the Google Pixel 7 shares a lot with the Pixel 6. It has a 6.3-inch FHD display with a faster 90Hz refresh rate, an under-display fingerprint sensor as well. than a peak brightness of 1,400 nits.
You’ll also find the same charging speed at 21W wired and 20W wireless on the latest Pixel Stand. But, interestingly, the battery capacity has dropped to 4,355mAh, down from a 4,600mAh cell in the previous Pixel 6. Google also ships this model with 128 or 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
The changes are on the inside with the Tensor G2 chip that powers the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The Tensor G2 processor is built on a 4nm manufacturing process, it uses three core clusters (2+2+4), the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) for machine learning, and the Titan security coprocessor M2. Software face unlock is also available in tandem with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.
Google isn’t making any bold claims, but it should translate to moderate battery savings and slightly better performance too.
You’ll also find support for Wi-Fi 6E+ on the Pixel 7, just in time for the new Nest Wifi Pro. Google is also adding support for an in-app VPN powered by Google One for the Pixel 7, but it won’t be available at launch.
The other main change you’ll see on the spec sheet is to the cameras. The rear camera setup still consists of a 50MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, with no telephoto (zoom) capability to speak of. The camera is also updated with support for “cinematic blur” in videos and support for 10-bit HDR video, which the iPhone has had for a while. Google says zoom is “improved” this year, too, but the Pixel 7 still has 2x “optical” zoom when cropping on its 50MP main camera and can go up to 7x with digital zoom.
The front camera is revamped with a new 10.8MP sensor capable of using face unlock. This feature uses software rather than additional sensors like the Pixel 4 at the time, and how the iPhone and its “Face ID”.
The Google Pixel 7 is being sold on Google’s site and will ship with Android 13 and, like the Pixel 6, it’s slated to have three years of major Android updates and five years of security updates.
The Pixel 7 is slightly more compact than its predecessor and will be available in three colors: snow, volcanic black and lime. It’s also considerably lighter, at 197 grams.
Google Pixel 7 Features:
- 6.3 inch FHD display with 90Hz refresh rate.
- Custom G2 Tensor chip built on the 4nm process.
- 128 or 256 GB of storage
- 8 GB RAM
- WiFi 6E+ (Built-in VPN powered by Google One coming soon)
- 4355mAh battery
- 50MP primary camera
- 12MP ultra-wide camera
- Improved zoom but still at 2x optical
- New Photo Blur Removal Feature
- New 10.8MP front sensor with face unlock.
- Price: from 649 euros
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4twxzWh4dyc
The Pixel 7 Pro has a 48-megapixel x5 telephoto lens
The highlight of the show is obviously called Pixel 7 Pro. After numerous leaks, here is Google’s flagship device in 2022.
Coming with a 6.7-inch QHD+ display, the Pixel 7 Pro takes on the iPhone 14 Pro Max head-on with notably a 120Hz LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) refresh that can dip to 10Hz in scenarios specific (compared to 1 Hz for the Apple phone). A less pronounced curve on the edges of the screen also helps to diminish the frame from a visual point of view. Google claims the display has a 20% higher peak brightness, which will make viewing easier in brightly lit environments. The OLED retains Gorilla Glass Victus glass protection which is the same material used on the Pixel 6 Pro and iPhone 14 for example.
Google has made changes to the “Camera bar” design that was introduced with the Pixel 6 series last year. A polished anodized aluminum frame now encapsulates the camera with cutouts for the triple sensor setup found on the back of the Pixel 7 Pro. An IP68 water and dust resistance rating is also present to provide protection against ingress. Measuring 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm, the Pixel 7 Pro weighs 212g.
Updated “camera bar” features 50-megapixel main sensor (82° FOV, f/1.85), 12-megapixel ultra-wide (114°, f/2.2) and zoom Improved 48-megapixel (f/3.5) 5x telephoto lens. An LED flash complements the on-board rear camera system. The front-centered camera is rated at 10.8 megapixel f (f/2.2). Impressively, with an extended telephoto zoom range, the Pixel 7 Pro is capable of up to 30x “Super Res Zoom” with electronic and optical image stabilization included. Laser detection autofocus (LDAF) is also present on all three lenses.
The camera software includes a number of familiar features, including ‘Magic Eraser’, ‘Face Wash’ and ‘Real Tone’. The new “Macro Focus” feature allows you to get closer to subjects and reveal details without the need for a dedicated macro camera on board. A “macro” function seen on the iPhone 13 Pro last year.
Video-wise, you can record up to 4K60 on the rear camera, while 4K30 (and 1080p60) is available when using the selfie camera. New camera features include “cinematic blur”, which applies software bokeh effects and mimics Apple’s Cinematic mode and Samsung’s Live Focus.
The second generation Tensor G2 processor is at the heart of the Pixel 7 Pro, see above on the Pixel 7.
Alongside the updated Tensor G2, the Pixel 7 Pro includes 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM with 128 or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage also available. It also benefits from free access to Google One’s VPN service.
A 5,000mAh battery powers the device with 23W wired fast charging available when using USB-C chargers of sufficient power. Wireless charging is also available at 21W speeds with compatible Qi wireless chargers, including the second-generation Pixel Stand. Reverse wireless charging is also available with battery sharing for accessories like Pixel Buds and other AirPods.
Android 13 comes preloaded with updates from Material You and of Dynamic Color theming, which was introduced with Android 12 last year. Improvements include a combined “Security & Privacy” menu that merges device and account settings. Other highlights include an improved photo picker, per-app language controls, and more. The Pixel 7 Pro is guaranteed for five years of security updates, with three OS upgrades planned to be offered.
The Pixel 7 Pro is available on Google’s site in Volcanic Black, Snow, and Wild Green. Pre-orders open today on the Google Store in 17 countries including France, with devices shipping from October 13. Note that the price of 899 dollars is converted into 899 euros with us, an excellent point compared to Apple’s price increase on the iPhone 14.
The Google Pixel 7 Pro comes with:
- A 6.7-inch QHD+ OLED display with a refresh rate of 10 to 120 Hz.
- 20% higher maximum brightness.
- Custom G2 Tensor chip built on the 4nm process.
- 128 or 256 GB of storage
- 12 GB RAM
- WiFi 6E+ (Built-in VPN powered by Google One coming soon)
- 5000mAh battery
- Up to 72 hours of battery life with “Extreme Battery Saver”.
- Improved 50 MP primary camera
- 12 MP ultra-wide camera
- Improved 48 Mpx telephoto lens (with “Super Res Zoom” up to 30x)
- 11.1 MP front camera
- New Photo Blur Removal Feature
- Price from 899 euros