And with Android updates not being the killer feature they once were (witness the casual pace at which Android N is being rolled out to different devices), this leaves the Pixel without any real weapons against some very formidable opposition. They have plenty of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. The handset is 5.6 inches tall, 2.7 inches wide and 0.3 inches thick. The Pixel XL has a larger sized battery with a superior resolution to the Pixel, sporting a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display at 2560 x 1440 resolution and 534 pixel density with Gorilla Glass 4.
Advertisement
Pixel’s launch comes at a time when Samsung is facing a major setback world over after it was forced to recall its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones with batteries that have been found to be fire-prone. Google also took special care to mention that there is no camera bump on the Pixel (nor is there any dual-camera trickery).
On the heels of the release of Apple’s iPhone 7, Google offers up a smartphone of its own, dubbed the Pixel. A new virtual reality headset called Daydream View will work with the new Pixel phones and other devices based on Google’s Android software.
Google says it has created a sort of Chinese wall within Google’s headquarters to prevent information about devices from its partners like Samsung leaking into the Pixel phone division, which is now being run by David Foster, a former IBM and Apple employee who most recently brought Amazon’s Kindle to market. Another big rival, Apple, has built its own services, such as online maps and its own Siri personal assistant, to replace Google’s apps on the iPhone.
The headset is inspired by clothing and features soft, breathable fabric claims that the new device is comfortable to wear and 30 percent lighter than competing devices.
The recent presentation showed how Google Assistant was integrated and worked across multiple Google-branded devices.
The majority of these applications are supported by the Google Play Store (and naturally this is included on the device) and some may be uninstalled, but most can be disabled. More than 50 partners will bring additional content before the end of year.
Lastly, Google has chose to use a single elastic strap when securing the Daydream View headset in your head, making it a lot more convenient to tighten or loosen when fitting. The device will be up for pre-orders starting October 13. Daydream View headsets will be available in the color Slate when it launches in November, while Snow and Crimson will be available later in 2016.
Google recently hosted an event for presenting the new Pixel smartphones, as well as multiple other Google-branded devices that work together with the two phones. However there is a slight problem, and that is most of the Pixel phones have been sold out via pre-order on the Google Store. So is the Pixel XL worthy of an upgrade?
Advertisement
The Smartphone and the headset will feature an auto-alignment system. There is no doubt that current generation Nexus smartphone owners would have kept a close envious watch at the exclusive content introduced on the more powerful Pixel smartphones.
