8 more things to love about the new Pixel phones
Last week we unveiled the new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro — and we unveiled a lot. Aside from the two new phones themselves, there was also Google Tensor, our custom system on a chip (SoC) that takes advantage of our machine learning research. Then there’s Magic Eraser, which will take unwanted people and objects out of your photos — plus Pixel Pass, a new way to buy, and a ton of new features packed into Android 12.
Amid all the new, you may have missed a thing or two. But don’t worry, we went ahead and collected everything you might have missed, and some extras, too.
- One of the key differences between Pixel 6 and previous editions is the radical redesign of the hardware encased in aluminum and glass.
2. Real Tone is a significant advancement, making the Pixel 6 camera more equitable, and that’s not all: It also improves Google Photos' auto enhance feature on Android and iOS with better face detection, auto white balance and auto exposure, so that it works well across skin tones.
3. Speech recognition has been updated to take advantage of Google Tensor so you can do more with voice. We’ve added automatic punctuation while dictating and support for voice commands like “send” and “clear” to send a message or edit it. With new emoji support, I can just say ‘‘pasta emoji” while dictating. (Which, I admit, is going to get a lot of use.)
4. We’ve partnered with Snap to bring exclusive Snapchat features to the Pixel. For example, you can set it up so when you tap the back of your Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro twice, it will launch the Snapchat selfie camera.
5. When you're flipping through your photos on a Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, Google Photos can proactively suggest using Magic Eraser to remove photobombers in the background.
6. The camera bar is a major new hardware design feature in the Pixel 6, and part of the reason it’s there is to fit a much bigger sensor, which captures more light so photos look sharper — in fact, the new sensor lets in 150% more light than that of the Pixel 5. The Pixel Pro 6’s Telephoto camera also uses a prism inside the camera to bend the light so the lens can fit inside the camera bar.
7. The Pixel 6 comes in Kinda Coral, Sorta Seafoam and Stormy Black, and the Pixel 6 Pro comes in Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny and the same Stormy Black. These shades are stunning on their own, but you can customize them even more with the new translucent cases: Combine the Sorta Seafoam Pixel 6 with the Light Rain case for an icy new look.
8. New in Android 12 and exclusive to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Gboard now features Grammar Correction. Not only will it make communication easier, but it will also work entirely on-device to preserve privacy. You can learn more over on the Google AI blog.
