Google Pixel 7 Hands-On: New look and camera, same $599 price

Google’s Pixel 7, which was unveiled Thursday is the company’s next major phone designed to rival Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy range. The Pixel 7 features Google’s new Tensor G2 processor, camera with improved zoom, face unlock and a slightly updated design – for the same $599 (£599, AU$999) as last year Pixel 6.

The Pixel 7 will launch on October 13, with preorders available now.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro represent Google’s latest effort to gain a foothold in the global smartphone market, which Samsung and Apple largely dominate. The Pixel 7 is a modest upgrade, unlike last year’s Pixel 6, which was the first phone to feature Google’s Tensor processor and a revamped design.

The Pixel 7’s debut follows the September launch of Apple’s iPhone 14which, like the Pixel 7, features only minor improvements over its predecessor.

Google’s latest flagship phones are now available for pre-order. Pixel 7 starts at $599 and will be released on October 13. Get up to $750 off with trade-in and $200 in Google Store credit.

Read our Pixel 7 first take.

Google Pixel 7’s new camera

The Pixel 7’s camera may look like Pixel 6 on paper, but there are a few behind-the-scenes changes that Google says should make a difference. This is especially true when it comes to zoom quality.

When zoomed to 2x, the Pixel 7’s main 50-megapixel sensor jumps to 12.5-megapixels in the middle, which Google says should provide a sharp image similar to the quality of a 2x optical lens. The Pixel 7 can also zoom up to 8x digitally, a slightly higher magnification than the Pixel 6’s 7x zoom. impossible to say for sure on such a small screen.

However, only the Pixel 7 Pro has a 48-megapixel telephoto camera that can zoom up to 5x optically and 30x digitally. The Pixel 7 Pro also gets a new macro photography mode that won’t be present on the standard Pixel 7.

Night Sight is also said to work faster on both phones, which should make it easier to capture photos in dark environments without blurring from shaky hands. Google also said its update your realthe camera feature designed to capture more accurate skin tones, further reduce noise and improve images taken in low light.

the new from google Pixel Phones will also have a new camera mode aimed at helping people who are blind or visually impaired take selfies more easily. The feature, called Guided Frame, audibly tells the user how to position the phone in order to properly frame a selfie. Google said this feature will be available for all phones with Tensor.

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Watch Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro reveal themselves

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Photo Unblur, meanwhile, can sharpen old photos to make them look sharper, building on the Face Unblur feature that Google introduced last year. It’s a new tool that you’ll be able to access from the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro’s edit menu, and it’s exclusive to Google’s new phones as it’s based on the company’s new Tensor G2 processor. .

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro also get video enhancements, such as Cinematic Blur, which is basically Portrait mode for videos. It’s a lot like Apple’s Cinematic Mode, which it introduced last year on the iPhone 13.

These upgrades appear to be enhancements to features that Google has already introduced rather than entirely new features except for Cinematic Mode, Photo Blur, and Guided Frame. But taken together, they should make Google’s already impressive camera stand out even more.

Google Pixel 7: unlocking by facial recognition, screen size, design and other details

In terms of size, the Pixel 7’s 6.3-inch screen makes it slightly smaller than the 6.4-inch Pixel 6 but larger than the 6.1-inch. Pixel 6A. I only spent a few minutes using the Pixel 7, but it seems pretty easy to use with one hand so far. Not much else has changed here; The Pixel 7’s screen has the same 2,400 x 1,080 pixel resolution as the Pixel 6, but with slightly more pixels per inch (416 versus 411ppi) given its smaller size. Like its predecessor, the OLED display can also boost up to 90Hz for smoother scrolling.

But there’s another significant difference on the front of the Pixel 7. The selfie camera, which has had a resolution upgrade up to 10.8 megapixels from the Pixel 6’s 8 megapixels, now supports the face unlock. Google warns, however, that face unlock is less secure than the Pixel’s in-screen fingerprint sensor or a PIN. As such, it positions face unlock as a more convenient way to unlock your phone rather than an authentication method for payments and other sensitive tasks.

The back of the phone has also been refreshed. While the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro generally retain the same design language as their older siblings, each has a new, more pronounced metal camera bar than those found in the Pixel 6 line. The Pixel 7 will be available in black , white and soft yellow, which Google calls obsidian, snow and lemongrass.

The Snow Pixel 7 has a metallic, matte silver camera bar and matching edges that pair well with its glossy white exterior. The new look of the camera bar also makes it pop and draws more attention to the camera lenses. On the Pixel 6, the lenses seem to blend into the camera bar itself.

Both phones support 5G, but super-fast (but space-limited) access 5G millimeter wave connectivity varies by carrier. Unlocked versions, AT&T and Verizon will support mmWave 5G, while only the Pixel 7 Pro will support it on T-Mobile’s network. Google said both Pixel phones should last over 24 hours on a single charge and up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver mode enabled. Both phones also support wireless charging and can charge up to 50% of their batteries in 30 minutes with Google’s 30-watt charger, sold separately.

Google is promising five years of security upgrades and three years of general Android OS upgrades for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, just like the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Samsung, on the other hand, supports four years of Android OS upgrades for its latest Galaxy phones.

Google also discussed some of the new features it will bring to Pixel phones later this year. He will offer VPN service of his Google One service to Pixel 7 and 7 Pro for free. Audio messages will also soon show transcripts, so you don’t have to listen to messages out loud.

The Voice Recorder app is also getting an update that will add speaker labels to make it easier to distinguish between speakers in a conversation. And Direct My Call, which transcribes automated phone menus, will immediately display the menu in text form so you don’t have to wait for the operator to verbally speak through all the options. This feature will be available at launch.

First thoughts on Google Pixel 7

The Pixel 7 is a minor upgrade over last year’s Pixel 6, but it underscores Google’s approach to smartphones. It’s another sign that Google hopes to compete with Apple and Samsung by cutting prices, launching exclusive software features and focusing on camera quality.

The fact that Google managed to keep the Pixel 7 price in the US is also significant. While Apple hasn’t technically raised the price of the iPhone 14 over the iPhone 13, it’s no longer offering a cheaper “Mini” version of the iPhone 14 like it had for the past two years. years. That means the barrier to entry for Apple’s new iPhones is slightly higher than it has been for the past two years.

We’ll know more once we’ve had a chance to test the Pixel 7 and see what an upgrade it really is over the Pixel 6.