Google Previews Upcoming Pixel 6 With Custom Tensor SoC, Rear Camera Bar, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor and More

[Thrutheroofnunderground]

While the back kinda looks like the older Samsungs, I'm excited about this phone. While Google is obtrusive in many data gathering aspects, the data gets put the use. Google Assistant is probably 5 years ahead of Siri now if not more. That's the one of the things I miss owning an iPhone, and their still images are going to be insane with I would assume applying super res zoom to the abilities of the periscope zoom. That's the other thing I wish Apple would do...but I have a year old Apple Watch, so I'm in a "sell it and get a Garmin or something" situation, or just stick with Apple a little while longer hoping they finally get zoom that doesn't suck, years after everyone else...

 

[Thrutheroofnunderground]

I think the custom SoC is mostly marketing BS to make it sound like they have their own processor, just like Apple. The number of phones they sell wouldn’t justify anything more than tweaking someone else’s job.
Also that helps them justifying the camera software features’ exclusivity: before it looked like they just kept them for themselves for no reason, now it will look like there’s hardware reason. Just like Apple did not to give some features to older iPhones owners.
Let’s be clear, I think the phone and especially the camera will be great but the custom SoC is probably mostly marketing.

You realize that the majority of the reason they formulated their own, and it is somewhat their own, is because a) Qualcomm wouldn't support the drivers to updates phones to compete with the updates that Apple gets and b) they can focus on the phone being fast/most efficient in areas they care about, like machine learning and AI.

 

[HALE101]

Non symmetrical bezels EWWWWWW! Pixel 5 will be the last phone to have em . (Excluding folding phones)

 

[MikeAK]

Different strokes for different folks. I'm personally not a fan of the new look but it's a different look compared to today's phones. For that I give them credit. Some people will dig this new design.

 

[buklauu]

I think the custom SoC is mostly marketing BS to make it sound like they have their own processor, just like Apple. The number of phones they sell wouldn’t justify anything more than tweaking someone else’s job.
Also that helps them justifying the camera software features’ exclusivity: before it looked like they just kept them for themselves for no reason, now it will look like there’s hardware reason. Just like Apple did not to give some features to older iPhones owners.
Let’s be clear, I think the phone and especially the camera will be great but the custom SoC is probably mostly marketing.

From Anandtech:

The one thing that had been assumed and has been confirmed today is that Google is employing their own AI/ML/NPU IP in the new chip, basically leveraging the company’s experience off their datacentre TPU hardware designs and IP, and integrating it into an SoC.

...it’s generally to be assumed that the chip would feature the same generation IP blocks in terms of CPU and GPU as other 2021 SoCs such as the Exynos 2100.

So not as extensive as what Apple does, but not just marketing.

 

[poematik13]

Who was first to use the “Pro” designation for larger devices?

Apple's been using "Pro" for larger/more powerful products aimed at working creatives and power users since like the early 00's at least

 

[Mousse]

Hilarious how so many people call this ugly, while they’ve been dealing with a NOTCH for years

Clever use of wallpaper can hide the notch. All they need to do is have a wall paper that blacks out the screen on either side of the notch. Or a wallpaper that incorporates the notch into it's design. Sure you can't have funny wall paper like you can with a punchout, but the notch shouldn't be a deal breaker.

 

[thefelix84]

I have been a life-long Apple fan, and I find it quite humorous to see fellow fanboys poking fun at Google. Hey, at least they're attempting/making changes. While we haven't seen anything amazing from Apple in years. Only subpar changes, with no real innovation.

 

[jmgregory1]

I have to say that these new Pixel phones look like they could have come out of the movie Her - they have that same kind of stylized look to them that some of the tech in the movie had, modern yet retro. I like the look, and guess the good thing is that the camera band will provide a wobble-free base and a slight angle to the screen which helps when the phone is placed flat on a table, unlike most other off-set camera module designs.

 

[gammamonk]

Isn't "Tensor" what nvidia has called their RTX/ML/whatever cores for the last few years? This is a different CPU from a different company also called Tensor?

 

[magicman32]

So is Google going to catch hell for the camera bump the way Apple always did?

Why should they? It’s a little outside the box, which is good. It’s symmetrical, which is also good. And it unapologetically makes it’s presence felt when you see the back of the phone. And my finger won’t constantly hit it like some vertical arrangements I’ve used. Taste differ and people like different things obviously, but I kinda dig it as far as camera bumps go and they don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[LFC2020]

good that google are finally trying…

This is google we’re talking about, can see them discontinuing the pro range after a few month, then announce they’re going back to mid range phones. 😂

They have a great track record at cancelling and not seeing things through. 🤦‍♂️

 

[magicman32]

Kinda bummed a couple of those nice colors don’t come on the Pro variant. Need to see the price but it’ll probably be my next phone. Stock Android, Google smarts, finally top-tier camera hardware combined with Google computational photography? Yeah, this’ll work for me. At least until Apple finally gets on-board the periscope zoom train. I use it a lot and can no longer go back to a phone without one.

 

[AND411]

Wow the back looks ugly. Looks like classic robo cop visor.

F…ugly, very fugly.

 

[Kkspire]

Designed by Google. Not made by…

 

[donguevas]

Designed by Google. Not made by…

You are not making a good argument here. Apple gear for marketing purposes says "Designed in California" but it is all made in a China by third parties.

 

[GregJohn]

Pixel pro max soon?

 

[jackietreeh0rn]

hahahah google products

Not sure what’s so funny… they may have struggled with pixel/nexus sales, but they definitely were the leaders of the pack with respect to computational photography. They pretty much set the standards for low light/night mode photography in smartphones. I’ve personally always used iPhones but have always been curious about what google comes up with.

 

[LeeW]

Google using their own SoC like Apple opens up new opportunities. One of them will be the ability to extend the updates, will they do it? I think they will.

 

[smoking monkey]

I don't love it but if you are going to have a bump at the back go all in, which is what they appear to be doing.

It won't rock when sitting on the desk like my iPhone without a cover. And that looks like it will not need a very thick case to even it all out.

with you on how it will sit without a case, but if you think about a case, that bump goes all the way across. So that could be a little complicated for case makers. Dunno.

And the bump looks deep. Is it deeper than an iphone or Sammy? Again, dunno, but it certainly looks deep from the photos.

Competition is good though. It looks interesting. And if I used Android and didn't care about privacy then I'd be interested in this.

 

[buklauu]

Isn't "Tensor" what nvidia has called their RTX/ML/whatever cores for the last few years? This is a different CPU from a different company also called Tensor?

Tensors are just a math concept, like matrices and vectors. They're heavily used in machine learning so that's why you're seeing the term all over the place.

 

[LeeW]

So that could be a little complicated for case makers. Dunno.

Agree, it looks like an awkward design for the case makers. I think a case may make it look pretty bad but what do I know about design apart from nothing

 

[snipr125]

Will be interesting to see the benchmarks on their Tensor SoC. If google have custom developed this for the Pixel 6, then it should be heavily optimised like the Apple A chips.

I like the Pixel phones a lot, my older OG Pixel is still in my draw as the mic stopped working, but well built and designed. Images taken with the single lens just amazing though, with Apple only able to match this level of computational photography within the last couple of years.

 

[Santiago]

I do see the value of a back that allows the phone to rest on a table without rocking, which corner-bump designs are prone to, but it does seem like a rather large chunk of extra space sticking out.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I’m rooting for Google. The more competition, the better.

Why not someone other than Apple Google or MSFT?

Google isnt strggling to survive in the smartphone market. They are the largest player by userbase. 🤷🏾‍♂️😂

Imagine saying rooting for a trillion dollar company because “competition”.