Google has unveiled the second generation of its Pixel smartphones, promising all-day battery life, a more responsive assistant, and the best camera yet.
The devices, revealed today at a presentation in San Francisco, come in two versions: the 5-inch $649 Pixel 2 and the 6-inch $849 Pixel 2 XL – and, in a move mirroring Apple’s recent designs, the new phones do not have a headphone jack.
Google’s latest Pixel handsets are also equipped with ‘always-on’ display, so you can check your notifications without tapping the power button to wake the screen, and a new ‘squeezable’ feature to activate Google’s AI assistant.
Google has unveiled the second generation of its Pixel smartphones, promising all-day battery life, a more responsive assistant, and the best camera yet. Pixel 2 will come in three colors: Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue. The XL will be available in Just Black and Black & White
The new devices are now available for pre-order, with shipping expected to follow in the next 3-4 weeks.
The second generation of Google’s Pixel phones unveiled Wednesday feature larger, brighter screens that take up more of the phone’s front, with ‘cinematic’ OLED displays.
Pixel 2 will come in three colors: Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue.
The larger handset will be available in Just Black and Black & White.
Both the Pixel XL and the 5-inch Pixel will have built-in stereo speakers, and lack the headphone jack.
In lieu of traditional headphones, the firm has introduced new wireless Pixel Buds, which come with a short cord so you can drape them around your neck.
Google also souped up the already highly rated camera on the Pixel, boasting that it will take even better photos than the iPhone.
GOOGLE’S PIXEL 2 SPECS
It has two LEDs in the camera flash and will feature front and rear cameras with optical image stabilisation
New camera will have portrait mode similar to Apple’s – but Google says it has better AI algorithms for creating the effect
Portrait mode will also work on the front ‘selfie’ camera
Will come with a free Google Home Mini speaker
Has ‘squeezable’ sides like the HTC U11 that activate Google’s assistant
Google revealed a new homescreen Google has developed for Android phones
Google has ditched the headphone jack for the device, instead relying on wireless or USB-C headphones.
Will have google’s Lens AI software
Will run Google’s new augmented reality software ARCore
The next generation flagship handset will be officially unveiled in just a few hours. Google is hosting launch events at 9am in San Francisco, 12pm in New York, 5pm in London and 6pm in Paris (all local times)
The smaller Pixel 2 will be available in Kinda Blue, Just Black, and Clearly White, and will be sold with 64GB and 128GB of storage and in the US will be priced at $649 and $749, respectively
The larger LG-made Pixel 2 XL will come in a Black & White and Just Black and will be available with 64GB or 128GB storage.
The new phones have an ‘always on display’ that will display the time, notifications and even what song is playing
The camera will allow for better-quality portrait shots, according to Google, and the new ‘motion photos’ will be able to capture a few second of video, much like Apple’s Live photos.
It uses computational photography and machine learning to optimize photos, along with optical and electronic video stabilization for smoother videos.
Sabrina Ellis, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, speaks into a Pixel 2 phone at the event. Users can trigger the firm’s smart assistant by speech, or by squeezing it.
The phones will also come with Google’s new AI ‘lens’ that allows the phone’s camera to analyse images to look for text and other information.
The phones also tout improved battery life, and resistance to water and dust.
Just 15 minutes of charging will give you up to seven hours of usage, according to Google.
With the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2L, users can access Google Assistant just by squeezing the sides of the phone using a new feature called Active Edge.
The feature will even work when the phone is in a case.
The assistant will be able to help manage settings, apps, and tasks.
By saying ‘goodnight’, for example, you can prompt your Assistant to silence your phone, turn off the lights, and even set your alarm.
The firm has overhauled its Android software, and the new Pixel phones are powered by Android 8.0 Oreo.
At the presentation, Mario Queiroz, who revealed the new handset, took aim at Apple, saying ‘we don’t keep features for the bigger device.’
The firm’s new $159 PixelBuds wireless headphones can even work with Google’s AI to translate 40 languages in real time.
GOOGLE UPDATES THE DAYDREAM VIEW VR HEADSET
Google has unveiled a new update to its Daydream View VR headset.
The $99 headset is available in a slew of colors – Charcoal, Fog, and Coral – and is compatible with a number of different phones, including Google Pixel 2, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ & Note 8, Moto Z & Z2.
Google’s Juston Payne speaks about the Google Daydream View at a Google event at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, Wednesday
Users can slip their compatible smartphone into the headset, which works with a small controller that stores on the back of the head strap.
According to Google, the new headset has custom-designed lenses for the widest field of view yet.
It measures 6.6 in (167.8 mm) by 4.6 in (117.1 mm), and weighs just 9.2 oz.
Along with the always-on display, the phones will also be equipped with a ‘Now Playing’ feature.
This will show you what song is playing around you, by matching the music to a database of thousands of songs stored on your device.
The smaller Pixel will sell for almost $650, $50 less than the iPhone 8.
The Pixel XL will sell for almost $850, or $50 more than the iPhone 8 Plus. Prices for the iPhone X start at $1,000.