Google last night took the wraps off of the new Pixel 6 smartphone powered by its home-grown Tensor chip and will be launched this fall. Here is our roundup of 6 unique features on the new Pixel 6. So let’s get cracking!
The home-grown Tensor chip
Google has been playing around with the idea of having its own chipset inside its devices for a really long time now. Finally, we can visualise what it would be like in the form of the Tensor chip. The Tensor chip, in reality, is a toned-down version of the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) that’s deployed in Google’s massive data centres.
As kind folks from the Verge point it out, the Tensor is a full-blown SoC, featuring many components, out of which only two has seen the daylight so far. A mobile TPU for AI operations and a new Titan M2 chip for security – are the only two things that we know of, but a whole host of items such as CPU, GPU and 5G modem still is unknown.
“the AI stuff will be totally differentiated,” said Rick Osterloh to the verge
Rick Osterloh is the hardware top boss at Google.
Google has a lot riding on the Tensor chip’s shoulder. Being primarily a software company, Google wants to crunch its hurdles essentially by munching on data rather than having to depend on borrowed state-of-the-art engineering technologies.
Google’s expertise in the field of AI and ML will be seen in the form of computational photography on much larger and more complex optics in the camera. Google also aims to score big in the videography department this time around.
New image sensors and support for up to 4X optical zoom
The ageing sensors on the Pixel have finally been dropped. A new array of sensors that are much more advanced have been brought into play. Google claims that the new sensors let as much as up to 150% more light when compared to a Pixel 5. Not much else is known about the specifications of the hardware.
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There also is an inclusion of a 4X optical zoom lens. It’s structured in a way to open like a periscope and fits into the horizontal glass bump. This new zoom lens will be restricted to the ‘Pro‘ models.
Some new Pixel-y colour options
For the first time, Pixel has gone all out in design. After the first two generations of Pixel devices, it seemed as if Google was running backwards, creating mid-range devices that looked and felt low-cost. But the Pixel 6 has a great job in grabbing our eyeballs.
The metal and glass construction shouts premium, and the finishes too are beautiful.
The vanilla model will come in Matte Black, Pale Green and Peach. The Pro will get Matte Black, Golden and White. The smaller one will get matter black accents, while the Pro models will get a shiny and glossy accent.
The new Pixel understands your speech better
The speech recognition on the new Pixel will bank heavily on the new Tensor chip. Google wants to enable speech recognition without even using the Assistant. The entire processing will be bypassed onboard, making the process much quicker and more effective. ‘Live Translation of Captions’ is something to look forward to when it comes out.
Google wants to show off its AI and ML abilities, and we’re sure they’ll be pretty darn good.
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Material You
Android 12’s Material You design will go full steam on the new Pixel’s interface. The Pixel will benefit from a whole new accented look and might be tailor-fitted to suit the hardware on the new flagship line-up from Google.
Since the new Pixel 6 devices are slated to go on sale in the fall, Android 12 stable officially should be announced alongside.
Future possibilities of an ecosystem
Google’s Tensor chip strategy showcases the possibilities of the native chipset that has the adaptability to suit into place in various applications. A flagship ecosystem with an array of premium products running on Google’s own hardware can become the gold standard of what Android is capable of.
While these highlights caught our eye, we also dug up specs on both the devices that can be interesting. Here are the facts.
Some more stats
| Pixel 6 | Pixel 6 Pro |
| 6.4-inch display | 6.7-inch display |
| Wide, Ultra-wide camera setup | Wide, Ultra-wide, Zoom |
| Tensor SoC | Tensor SoC |
| 90Hz refresh rate | 120Hz refresh rate |
| In-display fingerprint sensor | In-display fingerprint sensor |
The Pixel 6 unveil has blown away our minds and we look forward to its launch in the fall. Let us know in the comments, what you think of the new Pixel family.