It was only a matter of time. Google have been dipping their increasingly gigantic toes into the ever-widening smartphone pool for years now, but it's only now, when the market is arguably at its peak, that the tech giants have finally decided to create their own device; the surprisingly subtle Google Pixel. Of course, Google has lent its name to phones in the past, but the decision to branch out from the established Nexus name was obviously done in order to drive home the point that this isn't just a phone made for Google, buy by Google.
“Pixel has always represented the best of hardware and software designed by Google. I really love how this phone looks and feels” Google SVP of Hardware, Rick Osterloh
Differentiated primarily by the size and resolution of their screens, the Pixel, like the iPhone before it, comes in two primary iterations; the standard Pixel and the Pixel XL, with the standard phone sporting a 5-inch, 1080p display and the XL boasting a 5.5-inch Quad HD panel. Both devices, which were announced at the Made by Google event yesterday (October 4), are being built by smartphone veterans HTC, but Google themselves are responsible for the design and marketing of the product, something made explicitly clear by the “Phone by Google” branding. Both models are powered by the latest Snapdragon 821 processor and run a specialised version of Google's own Android software, which includes support for the Daydream Virtual Reality platform that was announced at Google I/O earlier this year.
“Just ask Google for what you want, and it will find out how to do it” Google VP of Engineering, Scott Huffman
Hardware is reliably hefty, with both phones built from aluminium with a glass back surrounding the camera, flash and fingerprint sensor. The Pixel XL has a 3,450mAh battery and the Pixel has a 2,770mAh battery. Both displays are AMOLED, both devices have 4GB of RAM, USB-C, a choice of 32GB or 128GB of storage, Bluetooth 4.2, a 12.3 megapixel camera and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Yes, a headphone jack. Take THAT Apple! Google is also bringing back the swappable Live Cases it introduced with last year's Nexus devices. Not particularly exciting from a technological standpoint, but they are pretty neat. This phones will hit store shelves on October 20 for £599 (Pixel) and £719 (Pixel XL), which puts them in direct competition with Apple, which I'm guessing is probably the point.
“The assistant will be universal, available when the users need it and our goal is to build a personal Google for each user” Google CEO, Sundar Pichai
So that's the basics out of the way, so what can this baby really do? Honestly, not much more than any other comparably priced smartphone, but it's the Swiss army knife approach that really sets it apart. Both smartphones allow users to trigger Google Assistant by pressing the home button (like Siri) and its the Google Assistant that's being heralded as the real heart of the devices. The key advantages the assistant has over Siri is that is is actually able to hold a conversation, with each question building on the last, and that it draws its information from Google's Knowledge Graph database, which links together information about more than 70 billion facts. That's a LOT of facts! A lot was also made, during the event, of the phone's in-built compatibility with Daydream VR, which Google appears to be positioning as the affordable face of virtual reality compared to the technically superior, but significantly more expensive likes of the PSVR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
“The Google Assistant will be Google’s next thriving, open ecosystem” Google VP of Engineering, Scott Huffman
Speaking of Daydream, Google also used the event as a platform from which to unveil its Daydream View VR headset, which looks to be a sort of middle ground, quality and price wise, between the Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard. The affordable Daydream View retails for just a shade under £70 and is designed with Pixel very much at the heart of its architecture, though that's not to say it won't be compatible with other phones. Google also unveiled a new version of their popular Chromecast media streamer that's capable of streaming 4K and the Google Home, a 'smart speaker' which looks, acts and even sounds like the Amazon Echo. An actually really cool looking Wifi hub, simply called Google Wifi, was also announced, but it's just another wifi router. A really pretty wifi router, but a wifi router nonetheless. Basically, Google are shamelessly ripping off the competition, but that's modern technology for you in a nutshell. They're all at it, so it's pointless pointing fingers, and Google appear to be undercutting the competition in terms of price (the Home and Chromecast Ultra are both retailing for just over £100), which is always a smart move if you can afford it.
“We’re committed to building hardware, and this is only the beginning” Google SVP of Hardware, Rick Osterloh
Honestly, on first inspection it all looks rather vanilla, but then, Apple's latest products announcements haven't exactly blow my socks off either, and they've all managed to sell like hot cakes on the back of its company's reputation. There's no reason the Google Pixel won't do likewise, and it has the added bonus this generation of being the “New kid on the block,” which is not an advantage to be overlooked in a society that values the big, the new and the shiny over substance and staying power. Of course, if you want to make your own mind up, the entire stream can be watched right here (below). You'll also find all of the launch videos featured throughout the two hour stream (in case you've got more important things to be getting on with). I'd love to hear your thoughts too, so don't be afraid to sound off in the comments! Oh and I forgot to mention; Adele appeared onstage at one point. But we don't really care about that. Do we?
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK.
