Today is the one-year anniversary of the original Google Pixel and Pixel XL. And what better way to celebrate Google’s first smartphones than with some great follow-ups? Google brought us quite a few goodies today, chief among them the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL.
Without further ado, here are the key announcements from the Google event today:
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL formally announced!
The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are Google’s new flagships. On the inside, the two models are essentially identical, with the same Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB RAM. Here are the key takeways you need to know about Google’s latest flagships:
- The Pixel has a 5-inch 1080p OLED display, while the Pixel XL 2 has a larger 6-inch QHD OLED display. As rumors anticipated, the XL also offers an 18:9 display ratio, following the same ‘tall display’ trend we’ve seen from LG, Samsung, and Apple.
- Both Pixels have ditched the headphone jack, though a dongle is included.
- Google Assistant is still a core part of the experience, and even includes smart features for the camera.
- Pixel 2 comes in three colors: Just Black, Kinda Blue, and Clearly White. The Pixel 2 XL comes in black or a white/black option. Both phones have dual front facing speakers.
- Both phones are Daydream ready — and there’s even a new model. Cosmetically, the new Daydream View isn’t a massive departure though it is offered in a new color. The headset is $20 more expensive this time, retailing for $99. Why the price hike? One of the new changes is a wider field of view, which should provide better immersion than its predecessor.
- Fast charging makes a return, with Google saying you can get 7 hours of charge in just 15 minutes.
- The Pixel 2 scored a 98 on the DxOMark test, the highest rating ever given. It uses a 12MP sensor with a ton of AI and machine learning features to improve the photo, reduce blur, and better low light conditions. It also has a Portrait Mode that adds bokeh to the background to make the foreground pop. OIS and EIS is available on the Pixel 2 for smoother video. They’re calling it Fused Video Stabilization. They also include a feature called Motion Photo. It takes video up to 3 seconds before the shot and then tries to make it look even more excellent.
- Some software improvements make their way to the Pixel 2 family, including Active Edge (basically the same as the HTC U11 Edge Sense feature). They also moved the Google Search bar to the bottom. And o course Android Oreo is onboard. Even better, the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will get 3 years of OS platform updates.
- Pixel 2 starts at $649 for the 64GB version. The Pixel 2 XL starts at $849 for the 64GB variant. Australia, Canada, Germany, India, UK, and the US are the available countries. You can buy on Verizon, Project Fi, and unlocked. Italy, Singapore, and Spain will get releases later this year.
Other tidbits from the event
Obviously there was a lot said today. In order to help you recap, here’s a summary of some of the other things Google talked about during the event:- Google is going to continue with its AI-first philosophy. That includes better conversational, sensory, multi-device, contextual input that learns and adapts as you go. The key combination is AI, hardware, and software all working together.
- AutoML is Google’s automated machine learning program. It is more resource efficient and accurate than pretty much anything for tasks like object detection in images. Sundar shows an example using two kids at a baseball game. One is from the Dominican Republic and the other from South Dakota, USA. They’re communicating using Google Translate. It’s adorable.
- Google talked briefly about bringing over 2,000 HTC engineers and some IP to Google to help beef up their products.
- There are now 55 million Chromecasts around the world. Google Assistant received 100 million new answers to the search. Google WiFi is the highest selling mesh Internet product on the market. The Google Pixel did okay too.
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