In this week’s top news: Pixel Buds Pro and Pixel 6a arrive in customers’ hands, Google Camera 8.6 update arrives, and more.
Two new Made by Google products launched this week, starting with the Pixel 6a, powered by the same Tensor chip as the Pixel 6 Pro. In our review, we found that the mid-range phone should make a significant upgrade for those looking to upgrade from the Pixel 3a this year.
In terms of size, the Pixel 6a is roughly the same size as the standard Pixel 3a, just with smaller bezels. It also comes with the addition of an ultra-wide camera, a much better display and, most importantly, the major chip upgrade that is Google Tensor. Compared to the Snapdragon 670 found in this 2019 phone, the Tensor is a huge upgrade. It’s even a huge upgrade over what was found on the Pixel 4a and 5a, if you’re looking to switch from either of those devices.
The Pixel Buds Pro — which we shared our initial review of — arrived the same day and brought noise cancellation to Google’s headphone lineup, a long-awaited addition. The Pixel Buds Pro come in four colors, but it looks like Google was considering as many as eight different options at one point.
At least in my opinion, Google nailed the sound quality. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to sound, but the Buds Pro really do a great job of creating an overall enjoyable listen.
Just before the Pixel 6a arrives for customers, an update has arrived for the series’ Google Camera app. At first glance, the update brought “Speech Enhancement” for the rear camera and some UI tweaks. Digging a little deeper, our team also uncovered a new mode specifically designed for the foldable Pixel Notepad.
The main visual change today is in the Modes tab at the bottom of the carousel. The pan, photosphere, and lens buttons are now placed in a rounded rectangular container instead of directly overlaying the live preview.
Elsewhere in Google Camera news, a researcher found information about the camera hardware in the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, the Pixel tablet, and more. While the Pixel 7 series is set to see a few minor improvements, the Pixel tablet seems to be aiming for the low end of the market.
These lower-end camera sensors point to ways Google may be planning to make the Pixel tablet affordable, albeit at the cost of losing the premium photography the Pixel series has become known for. Kuba’s findings confirm our report that the Pixel tablet will likely lack quite a few Google Camera features, such as 4K recording, Audio Zoom, and Slow Motion.
The folks at OnePlus have taken the wraps off their next flagship phone, the OnePlus 10T. The new phone is set to feature 150W fast charging, but will ditch the series’ signature design element, the notification slider.
OnePlus chief designer Hope Liu explains that the move is “necessary” for other key components of the device, including a larger battery, even faster charging and a better antenna. The warning slider takes up about 30mm² of the motherboard, which has a “relatively large impact” on the build of the device. The alternative to removing the notification slider on the OnePlus 10T would be to stack the motherboard, making the phone thicker.
Here are the rest of this week’s top stories:
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Apps and Updates |
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