On Tuesday Google announced the release of its newest smartphone, the Google Pixel. The Google Pixel line consists of a 5-inch Pixel and a 5.5-inch Pixel XL.Google has previously released phones under the Nexus brand with various hardware partners. The overall look of the Pixel is very similar to Apple’s iPhone 7, lines. The construction is very sleek with a few minor changes. There is no “home” button across the bottom bezel of the phone while the camera lens sits flush with the body, a noticeable improvement over the “iPhone bump.” The Pixel comes in three colors: Very Silver, Quite Black, and limited edition Really Blue.
Both phones in the Pixel line have 4GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, fingerprint scanner and a 12MB rear-facing camera. Both phones also run on Android 7.1 Nougat, the most recent operating system. A built-in AI, Google Assistant, is also included. Users will also get free unlimited storage of photos and videos via Google Drive with both 32GB and 128GB models available. There is a USB-c connection at the bottom of the device, and yes, before you ask, there is indeed a headphone jack.
Pricing on the Google Pixel ($649) and Pixel XL ($769) matches up with Apple’s iPhone 7. The Pixel is clearly a major player in the smartphone market with these specs. While for a flagship phone it may not be as robust as some would like, it hits all the tic marks for most smartphone users. The ripple in the smartphone world won’t be just as competition for the iPhone though; with Android devices split across different manufacturers upgrades to the OS are not always easy, or viable leading to a lack of adoption. The Pixel offers up a direct piece of hardware to run the latest operating system releases, allowing for better control over security and performance.
Users can pick up the Pixel unlocked through Google’s site or tied to Verizon, the phone’s exclusive carrier US. Pre-orders for Google Pixel are being taken now via the Pixel website.
