Seemingly to outdo itself from two years ago, Google today announced the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in an early teaser well ahead of the formal launch later this year. While Google is keeping some specifics close to its chest, we’re getting a pretty good idea of what the Pixel 6 specs will bring to the table.
Google Tensor chip
To kick things off, let’s talk about the biggest thing these phones have in common. Under the hood, they’re both using the “Google Tensor” chipset that was formerly known as “Whitechapel.” The chip is designed by Google and is rumored to be produced by Samsung.
Google is not offering up much as far as performance metrics right now, but there are some hints. Speaking to the Verge, Rick Osterloh said that the CPU and GPU in Tensor should be “market-leading.” He further points to the chip’s improvements that are specific to Google’s own phones, saying.
The standard stuff people look at will be very competitive and the AI stuff will be totally differentiated.
In a description on the Google Store, the company further teases:
It’s the brand new chip designed by Google, custom-made for Pixel. It helps make Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro the fastest, smartest, and most secure Pixel phones yet.
Pixel 6 specs
Google will be releasing two phones, the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. Starting with the “smaller” model, this device will offer a 6.4-inch display. That panel will be 1080p in resolution, offer a 90Hz refresh rate, and have a “perfectly flat” panel of glass on top. There will also be an under-display fingerprint sensor.
As far as the hardware goes, the phone will have metal rails that are coated in a matte texture similar to the Pixel 4 series. The phone will also have three colorways that include Red/Sand, Blue/Green, and Grey/Black (color names have not been announced). Rick Osterloh also confirmed that the battery life target is “all day.”
- Display: 6.4-inch FHD+ 90Hz display
- Chip: Google “Tensor,” Titan M2
- Biometrics: Under-display fingerprint sensor
- Colors: Red/Sand, Blue/Green, and Gray/Black
- Cameras: Standard 50MP, Ultrawide
- Battery: “All-day”
When it comes to the camera situation, Google’s “smaller” Pixel 6 will have just two rear cameras, a standard wide lens and an ultrawide. While that means zoom will not be ideal, the 50MP sensor may appear according to the latest Android 12 Beta.
Pixel 6 Pro specs
The Pixel 6 Pro, meanwhile, supercharges a couple of key areas.
Starting with the display, the panel here is larger at 6.7 inches. It also carries a faster 120Hz refresh rate, a higher resolution, and has curved glass along the top. The curve is described as “very slight” into the aluminum rails. As with the smaller model, an under-display fingerprint sensor is being used.
The hardware will see the metal rails along the side polished instead of a matte texture and the colorways are also more subdued. This includes Grey/Black, Sand/Yellow, and Gray/Light Gray (color names have not been announced).
- Display: 6.7-inch QHD+ 120Hz display
- Chip: Google “Tensor,” Titan M2
- Biometrics: Under-display fingerprint sensor
- Colors: Gray/Black, Sand/Yellow, and Gray/Light Gray
- Cameras: Standard 50MP, Ultrawide, 4x Telephoto
- Battery: “All-day”
The Pixel 6 Pro will add a camera compared to the smaller device with a 4x telephoto lens. We don’t know the resolution of that sensor, but we do know the main camera will be a 50MP sensor.
What else do we know about Pixel 6?
Beyond these confirmed specs, Google has mentioned some other details about the Pixel 6 and reports/rumors have also hinted at further details. For one, it’s rumored that the Pixel 6 will start at 128GB of storage while offering 256GB. Meanwhile, the Pro model would have 256GB and 512GB tiers. That same rumor claims battery sizes around 4,600 and 5,000 mAh respectively and a 12MP camera for the ultrawide sensor.
A recent report also confirmed the phone is being built in China, and it seems that Google will not be using a modem from Qualcomm as well based on the evidence we’ve found. There are also rumors that the phone will support charging speeds up to 33W but no charging brick will be included. Recently, too,a retail leak seemingly proves that the Pixel 6 series will support faster wireless charging speeds. Where previous Pixels topped out at around 10W, the Pixel 6 could hit up to 23W on a new Pixel Stand wireless charger. This would make Google’s phone one of the fastest for wireless charging, as Samsung tops out around 15W and the iPhone at a mere 7.5W.
A release date is still unknown at this point, despite a likely-false rumor claiming it will be in mid-September. At this point, an October launch seems more likely as that is usually Google’s pattern. Currently, the company is telling suppliers to prepare for the highest demand the Pixel line has ever seen.
This article will be continuously updated as more information on Pixel 6 specs come out.
Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:
