The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro from last year boldly utilized Google’s glass and metal design, intentionally emphasizing the rear cameras. It was clear that Pixel was focusing on the photographic technology it has long been identified with because of how much of their body-spanning camera bar protruded. Add some elegant glass panels, and you have a striking pair of phones that may cause some controversy.
SlashGear/Chris Davies Google has improved that for 2022. The camera bar is still present, but it is less overt and more fared-in. Additionally, the black glass is reduced in size and most of it is replaced with metal, leaving a considerably smaller screen for the sensors to see through. The end look feels more upscale and unquestionably is less bulky.
I like the Google Pixel 7’s matte-finish metal, which is a good contrast to the (as usual) sensible selection of color options: Then, Lemongrass on the Pixel 7 and Hazel on the Pixel 7 Pro, followed by Obsidian and Snow on both. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro’s crisp sides can demand you suffer for their style if you prefer to balance the bottom of the phone on your little finger when you hold it, but the softer edges should be a touch kinder on your fingertips.
Pixel 7 by Chris Davies/SlashGear
Pixel 7 Pro, Chris Davies/SlashGear
SlashGear/Chris Davies In the meanwhile, turning them over reveals the hardware that most people are probably most interested in. The 50-megapixel wide camera on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro is joined by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a nearly 126-degree field of view, as well as an f/1.85 aperture with laser-detect autofocus (LDAF). A 48-megapixel, 5x optical zoom is included with the Pixel 7 Pro.
Of course, hardware is just one aspect of this story, and as usual, Google is utilizing the capabilities of its second-generation Tensor G2 processor to give a long list of tech. Google says that both new capabilities like motion blur in video capture and old favorites like magic Eraser and Night Sight will function faster than before.
SlashGear/Chris Davies To find out how well the two phones’ cameras perform in use, we’ll have to wait till reviewers have had some experience with them. Expectations are high this time around because many people believe that the Pixel 6 Pro is the best smartphone camera currently available. The iPhone 14 Pro, which was on display across the aisle at Apple, changed things up with a much larger primary sensor than usual. However, at 48 megapixels, it still has a slightly lower resolution than what Google is offering here, and opinions are still divided as to whether it is utilizing all of those megapixels to their full potential. After all, software plays a big part.
SlashGear/Chris Davies
SlashGear/Chris Davies
SlashGear/Chris Davies Overall, this is an interesting blend of the old and the new. The reviews will be able to tell us how the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro hold up to daily use and whether they’re sufficient to improve Google’s profile beyond its core group of ardent supporters, so keep an eye out for those.
This is a major problem because Google has shown that it can be brutal in letting go of failed ventures, even those that have received significant funding. It’s concerning that Google only decided to discontinue Stadia this month. Although it doesn’t seem possible that the company will do the same with Pixel right away, there are definitely project managers keeping a close eye on sales to determine if the investment is paying off.
It has been announced that the Pixel 7 will cost $599 and the Pixel 7 Pro $899. The biggest story here may be be that Apple is literally charging hundreds of dollars more for its comparably-sized devices, making the Pixel 7 much simpler to justify. Sales begin today, and phones will ship the next week.
