Despite being a developer conference, Google unveils three exciting new devices at the start of I/O. The Pixel Fold is the company’s first folding smartphone, the Pixel Tablet comes with a unique charging dock, and the Pixel 7a is a phone with a solid price-performance ratio.
With the Pixel 7 smartphones, Google introduced two powerful smartphones last October that are worthy competitors for the iPhone 13 trio, among others. Now the company completes its hardware portfolio with the price-performance fighter phone Pixel 7a, the foldable smartphone Pixel Fold and the steadfast Pixel Tablet.
The IP 67 dust and water-protected Pixel 7a look similar to the Pixel 7 but also equivalent on paper. However, it is considerably cheaper at 509 Euros. Its OLED screen is “only” 6.1 inches, which makes it attractive for users looking for a compact but powerful smartphone.
Like the two more extensive devices, the Pixel 7a is powered by Google’s in-house Tensor G2 chip. It can access 8 gigabytes (GB) of working memory (LPDDR5), and the flash memory is 128 GB. The display offers a refresh rate of up to 90 hertz (Hz) and is very sharp, with a pixel density of 429 ppi. The battery has a capacity of 4385 milliamperes hours (mAh), which should quickly get the device through the day. The battery can be charged inductively.
The camera equipment is also promising. The optically stabilized primary camera has a higher resolution of 64 megapixels (MP) than the Pixel 7, and its aperture is f/1.89. Next to it sits a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle camera on the back with an aperture of f/2.2. The front camera also resolves at 13 MP and has an aperture of f/2.2.
The Pixel 7a is available for pre-order now and should ship quickly. Early buyers will also get the Pixel Buds earphones.
Google’s first folding smartphone was highly anticipated, but that was quite a while ago. The Pixel Fold has been speculated and reported about for a long time. It was leaked recently, and finally, Google itself previewed the device in a video on May 4. How the device will fare in a market where Samsung has been leading the way with the Galaxy Fold for a few years now, and other manufacturers also have a clear lead remains exciting.
The device’s OLED main screen is 7.6 inches in size when opened, has a pixel density of 380 ppi, and offers a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The OLED outdoor display is 5.8 inches and also handles 120 Hz. With 408 ppi, it is even slightly sharper than the main screen. The Pixel Fold weighs 283 grams and measures 14 x 7.9 x 1.27 cm when folded.
The device is IPX8 waterproof, but like other folders, it is not protected against dust. However, the device is apparently very robust if you pay attention to that. According to Google, its stainless steel hinge is the most durable in a folding smartphone. The external display is supposed to be particularly well protected against scratches with Gorilla Glass Victus.
Google’s Tensor G2 chip is inside, with 12 GB of working memory on the side. The flash memory is 256 GB. The “thinnest foldable smartphone” battery seems to be a bit tight, with 4821 mAh. However, Google promises a “battery for a full day of work and entertainment.”
The Pixel Fold’s primary camera resolves with 48 megapixels (MP), is optically stabilized, and is said to have an f/1.7 aperture. An ultra-wide-angle camera joins it with 10.8 MP and f/2.2 aperture, and a telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom and f/3.0 aperture. The front-facing camera on the outside shoots images at 9.6 MP and f/2.2 aperture, while the inner selfie camera offers 8 MP and f/2.0.
The Pixel Fold is initially only available for pre-order. It will not sell until June 28 for a hefty 1900 Euros. Pre-orderers will get a Pixel Watch for free.
Pixel Tablet
Google also took a long run-up for the Pixel Tablet and, as with the Fold smartphone, could not keep the secret to itself: Over the weekend, it showed up in the Japanese Amazon store long enough to spoil the surprise.
The 493 g tablet has a roughly 11-inch LCD in 16:10 format, which is sufficiently sharp with a pixel density of 276 ppi. It can shine brightly up to 500 nits, and the touchscreen supports pen inputs (USI 2.0). As in the other new Pixel devices, the tablet’s brain is a Google Tensor G2. The working memory is 8 GB, and the flash memory is 256 GB. With 27 watt hours (Wh), the battery should endure enough for up to twelve hours of video enjoyment.
The Pixel Tablet has an 8 MP camera with f/2.0 aperture on the front and back. Four speakers in the frame are responsible for the sound.
The device is exciting due to an included charging dock with 43.5-millimeter speakers, to which it attaches magnetically. Thus, the tablet-stand combo resembles a Nest Hub butt and an intelligent Google speaker. Among other things, the combo can retrieve information via voice command or control other devices in the networked household.
The Pixel Tablet is also available for pre-order now and will hit the market for 530 Euros on June 21.
- source: ntv.de/picture: google.com
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