Pixel (smartphone)

Pixel
Pixel XL
Codename Sailfish (Pixel), Marlin (Pixel XL)
Developer Google
Manufacturer HTC
(contract manufacturer)
Series Pixel
First released October 20, 2016 (2016-10-20)
Availability by country
Predecessor Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P[1]
Type Smartphone
Form factor Slate
Dimensions

Pixel:
H 143.8 mm (5.66 in)
W 69.5 mm (2.74 in)
D 8.5 mm (0.33 in)

Pixel XL:
H 154.7 mm (6.09 in)
W 75.7 mm (2.98 in)
D 8.5 mm (0.33 in)
Weight Pixel: 143 g (5.04 oz)
Pixel XL: 168 g (5.93 oz)
Operating system Android 7.1 "Nougat"
System on chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (MSM8996 Pro)
CPU 2.15 GHz + 1.6 GHz quad core 64-bit ARMv8-A "Kryo" Cores
GPU Adreno 530
Memory 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage 32 GB or 128 GB, UFS 2.0
Battery Pixel: 2,770 mAh 100 min charge[2]
Pixel XL: 3,450 mAh 121 min charge[3]
Display Pixel: 5 in (130 mm) FHD AMOLED (441ppi)
Pixel XL: 5.5 in (140 mm) QHD AMOLED (534ppi)
All models:
2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4
100% NTSC Color Space
100000:1 contrast ratio
24-bit depth/16.77 million colours
Rear camera 12.3 MP
Sony Exmor IMX378
1.55 µm pixel size
f/2.0 aperture
Phase-detection Autofocus + Laser Autofocus
HDR+ Processing
HD 720p (up to 240fps)
FHD 1080p video (Up to 120 FPS)
4K 2160p video (Up to 30 FPS)
Electronic Image Stabilization (Sampling gyroscope at 200 Hz)
Front camera 8 MP
Sony Exmor IMX179
1.4 µm pixel size
f/2.4 aperture
HD 720p video (Up to 30 FPS)
Connectivity North America:
GSM: Quad-band GSM
UMTS/WCDMA: B 1/2/4/5/8
CDMA2000: BC0/BC1/BC10
TDS-CDMA: N/A
FDD LTE: B 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/20/25/26/28/29/30
TDD LTE: B 41
Rest of the World:
GSM: Quad-band GSM
UMTS/WCDMA: B 1/2/4/5/6/8/9/19
CDMA2000: BC0
TDS-CDMA: B 34/39
FDD LTE: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/17/18/19/20/21/26/28/32/
TDD LTE: B 38/39/40/41
Other IP53
Proximity/ALS
Accelerometer+Gyrometer
Magnetometer
Pixel Imprint (fingerprint sensor)
Barometer
Hall effect sensor
Android Sensor Hub
Website madeby.google.com/phone/

Pixel and Pixel XL are Android smartphones designed and marketed by Google. They were announced during a press event on October 4, 2016,[4] and serve as Google's launch devices for Android 7.1 Nougat.[5] The Pixel and Pixel XL are the first smartphones as part of the Google Pixel line.

Development

Google previously co-developed flagship Android devices through the Nexus program, which were designed to be "reference" devices for the Android platform for other OEMs to use as a guide for their own, but retained internal similarities to other devices made by their respective partners. Under new hardware head Rick Osterloh, formerly of Motorola Mobility, Google initiated development of an ecosystem of in-house products and platforms, including the Google Home ecosystem, Google Assistant, and Google Daydream. Osterloh stated that "a lot of the innovation that we want to do now ends up requiring controlling the end-to-end user experience".

As such, unlike the Nexus devices, the Pixel was designed by and is marketed as being a Google product; although the company used HTC as a contract manufacturer, Google has stated that the Pixel is not based on any existing HTC device.[6] Google offered Huawei the contract to manufacture the Google Pixel smartphone, but after Google refused to dual-brand the phone with credit to the manufacturer, Huawei declined the offer.[7]

Specifications

Hardware

Pixel uses an aluminum chassis, with a glass panel on the portion of the rear housing the camera and "imprint" fingerprint sensor. The phones have a USB Type-C connector supporting USB 3.0, for power and data exchange. The industry standard 3.5mm headphone jack is included,[8] which allows standard headphones or audio output without the need for an adapter.[9] They both use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 system-on-chip, with 4 GB of RAM.[10] The two models are differentiated by screen and battery size; the standard and XL versions feature 5 in (130 mm) 1080p AMOLED and 5.5 in (140 mm) 1440p AMOLED displays respectively and the XL's battery has over 20% more capacity. Both models are offered with either 32 GB or 128 GB of UFS 2.0 internal storage.[4]

Pixel features a 12.3-megapixel rear-facing camera, which uses an f/2.0 aperture, and a Sony IMX378 sensor with 1.55 μm pixels.[11] The camera uses a digital image stabilization system tied to the phone's gyroscope and motion sensors at a sampling rate of 200 Hz.[1] To improve capture speed, 30 frames are continuously captured per second while the camera is active. When a photo is taken, up to 10 of these frames are composed to form a single image.[12]

Software

The device ships with Android 7.1 "Nougat".[5] It integrates with Google Assistant, and provides live technical support services integrated into the OS. Similarly to Nexus devices, it receives Android updates directly from Google.[4][13] Pixel also supports the Google Daydream virtual reality system.[4] All Pixel smartphones include unlimited full-resolution Google Photos backup for the life of the device.[4][12] A November 2016 update added double-tap and raise-to-wake functionality; double-tap on the device's display to see alerts, and raise the phone to wake the screen and see notifications.[14][15]

Release

In the United States, Pixel is exclusive to Verizon Wireless and Project Fi, but also available direct-to-consumer via Google's online store [16][6] or from Best Buy.[17] In the United Kingdom, they are available direct-to-consumer via Google's online store, and through EE, and Carphone Warehouse.[18] In India, they are available for preorder from October 13 from Flipkart, Reliance Digital, and Cromā.[19]

Variants

Pixel

Model FCC id Carriers/Regions CDMA2000 bands GSM bands UMTS bands LTE bands
G-2PW4100[20] NM8G-2PW4100[21] US 800/1900 Penta 850/900/1700/1900/2100 FDD 1-5/7-8/12-13/17/20/25-26/28-30 TDD 41
G-2PW4200[22] N/A International N/A Penta 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 FDD 1-5/7-8/12-13/17-21/26/28/32 TDD 38-41

Pixel XL

Model FCC id Carriers/Regions CDMA2000 bands GSM bands UMTS bands LTE bands
G-2PW2100[23] NM8G-2PW2100[24] US 800/1900 Penta 850/900/1700/1900/2100 FDD 1-5/7-8/12-13/17/20/25-26/28-30 TDD 41
G-2PW2200[25] N/A International N/A Penta 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 FDD 1-5/7-8/12-13/17-21/26/28/32 TDD 38-41

Reception

The Pixel and Pixel XL received generally positive reviews. Dieter Bohn of The Verge said the Pixel smartphones are "...easily the best Android phones you can buy" and gave the product a 9 out of 10, praising its long battery life and Google Assistant integration. However, Bohn did not like its pedestrian design and lack of waterproofing.[26] Matt Humrick of Anandtech praised the camera being flush with the body, but was critical of the price since Nexus fans assumed there would be a more affordable option.[27] Chris Velazco of Engadget praised the build quality, camera, and performance, but criticized the expensive price, and lack of proper water-resistance present in rivals, such as the iPhone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7.[28] Writing for Ars Technica, Ron Amadeo said of the phone, "[it has] unbeatable software and support with a great camera, wrapped in a familiar exterior."[29]

Known issues

The rear camera produces excessive flare, Google plans to mitigate the problem using an update that will mitigate the flare using a software algorithm.[30]

Some users are reporting another issue with the camera app, where it freezes up with pink/purple vertical lines.[31][32]

Some devices have their microphone stop working right from the start or after some usage.[33]

Some users experience problems pairing the phone with car entertainment systems through Bluetooth. Google has reportedly acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix. Tasneem Akolawala of Gadgets360 speculates that the issue lies with the Android 7.1 Nougat software, drawing reference to a prior similar issue with Nexus devices when Android Marshmallow was rolled out.[34]

Some users have reported issues with LTE band 4. Google is reportedly aware of the issue and are working on a fix.[35]

At PwnFest, a hacking competition in Seoul, South Korea, a Chinese team of white-hat hackers from Qihoo 360 demonstrated a zero-day exploit that allows for remote code execution by malicious websites to have full access to the phone, including contacts, photos, messages, and phone calls, on the Google Pixel. The team won $120,000, and Google is working to fix the issue.[36][37]

Some users have complained of overheating issues when using the Pixel or Pixel XL with the Google Daydream View virtual reality (VR) headset.[38]

Some users have reported issues when receiving screenshots from iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Google has reportedly been made aware of the issue.[39]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Smith, Ryan; Humrick, Matt (October 4, 2016). "Google Announces Pixel and Pixel XL Phones: Snapdragon 821, 5" & 5.5" Screens, $649, Preorders Start Today". AnandTech. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  2. ↑ Google Pixel review: Battery life and camera | TechRadar
  3. ↑ OnePlus 3T destroys Pixel XL in a charging showdown
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Savov, Vlad (October 4, 2016). "Pixel 'phone by Google' announced". The Verge. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Seifert, Dan (October 4, 2016). "Google's new Pixel phones come with Android 7.1 Nougat". The Verge. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Bohn, Dieter. "The Google Phone: The inside story of Google's bold bet on hardware". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ Huawei confirms turning down Google for Pixel manufacturing because it wouldn't be co-branded
  8. ↑ Thier, Dave. "Google's New Pixel Phone Is Perfect For People Abandoning iPhone, Headphone Jack And All". Forbes. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  9. ↑ Stern, Joanna (October 12, 2016). "Adapter or Die: Must-Have Dongles for Your iPhone 7, Android and Laptop". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Google Pixel phone specifications". SpecTell. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ Zimmerman, Steven (October 12, 2016). "Sony IMX378: Comprehensive Breakdown of the Google Pixel's Sensor and its Features". XDA Developers. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "How Google hopes its Pixel camera will win over iPhone fans". CNET. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Google Pixel phones and Home speaker take on Siri and Echo". BBC. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  14. ↑ Statt, Nick (November 22, 2016). "Google is updating Pixel phones with double-tap and raise-to-wake features". The Verge. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ Kellex (November 22, 2016). "Pixel Update Rolling Out With Double-Tap and Lift-To-Wake". DroidLife. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  16. ↑ O'Kane, Sean (October 4, 2016). "Verizon is the exclusive carrier for Google's Pixel phones in US". The Verge. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Google Pixel: Google Phone - Best Buy". www.bestbuy.com. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
  18. ↑ "How much will the Google Pixel and Pixel XL phones cost? Best UK deals and where to find them". Mirror. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Google Pixel India availability". madeby.google.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  20. ↑ G-2PW4100 - Details, GCF, G-2PW4100
  21. ↑ OET Exhibits List, FCC, NM8G-2PW4100
  22. ↑ G-2PW4200 - Details, GCF, G-2PW4200
  23. ↑ G-2PW2100 - Details, GCF, G-2PW2100
  24. ↑ OET Exhibits List, FCC, NM8G-2PW2100
  25. ↑ G-2PW2200 - Details, GCF, G-2PW2200
  26. ↑ Bohn, Dieter. "Google Pixel review: Home run". The Verge. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  27. ↑ Frumusanu, Andrei. "The Google Nexus 6P Review". Anandtech. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  28. ↑ Velazco, Chris (October 18, 2016). "Pixel and Pixel XL review: What happens when Google designs phones?". Engadget. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  29. ↑ Ron Amadeo (October 18, 2016). "Google Pixel review: The best Android phone, even if it is a little pricey". Ars Technica. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Google tries to resolve Pixel camera flare issue". BBC. October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Some Google Pixel users reporting a major camera issue". GSMArena. November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  32. ↑ Bonifacic, Igor (November 30, 2016). "Some Google Pixels are locking up when users launch the camera app". MobileSyrup. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  33. ↑ Ungureanu, Horia (October 23, 2016). "Some Users Report Google Pixel, Pixel XL Microphone Problems". Tech Times. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  34. ↑ Akolawala, Tasneem (October 28, 2016). "Pixel Phone Users Report Bluetooth Pairing Issues With Cars". Gadgets360. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  35. ↑ Anon, John (November 8, 2016). "Google Pixel Reportedly Suffering From LTE Band 4 Issues". Android Headlines. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  36. ↑ Clark, Bryan (November 12, 2016). "Google Pixel hacked in under 60 seconds by Chinese team". The Next Web. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  37. ↑ Sachdeva, Anmol (November 12, 2016). "Google's new Pixel smartphones hacked under 60 seconds at PwnFest 2016". The Tech Portal. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  38. ↑ Buntinx, JP (November 12, 2016). "Using Google Pixel Smartphones In DayDream VR Causes Overheating Issues". The Merkle. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  39. ↑ Ghosh, Agamoni (November 28, 2016). "Google Pixel users complain of image bug in screenshots sent from iPhone 7 and 7 Plus". International Business Times. Retrieved November 28, 2016.

External links

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