Google launches new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones

Thứ Năm, 05/10/2017, 09:48
In direct challenge to Apple, Google’s new high-end smartphones have 64GB of storage, front-facing speakers and 12-megapixel cameras supported by machine-learning

The firm is using the new high-end smartphones and Android Oreo operating system to demonstrate its prowess in combining hardware and software, using exclusive features to attempt things other manufacturers including Apple cannot.

The two phones both have the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 64GB of storage as standard, front-facing speakers, water-resistance to IP67 standards, and new 12-megapixel cameras on the back, but with different sized OLED screens – and, following the iPhone’s lead, no headphone socket. The Pixel 2 has a traditional 5in screen with large bezels at the top and bottom and costs from £629, while the Pixel 2 XL has a modern design similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG’s G6, with an elongated 6in screen and small bezels, costing from £799.

In a direct swipe at Apple, Google’s vice president product manager Mario Queiroz said: “We don’t save cool features just for the large device. You get all the goodness with both phones, so the only choice you have to make is what size you want.”

The Pixel 2 and 2 XL also have pressure-sensitive sides that can be squeezed to launch the company’s Google Assistant. A similar feature debuted in HTC’s U11 smartphone, but Google appears to be using it as a way to get around the stigma of using the voice assistant’s wake phrase “OK, Google” in public, launching the Assistant without having to power on the device and hold the home button.

Google says the phones also have 10% longer battery life and faster charging than the 2016 Pixel smartphones. “We’ve focused on super-fast charging, so you can get around seven hours of use out of a 15-minute charge. And we supply the fast charger in the box,” said Christiaan Prins, product manager at Google – another jab at Apple, which does not include a fast charger in the box with the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus.

To take the iPhone on, Google has focused on fine-tuning the combination of hardware and software, from intelligent features to super-smooth operation. The camera is the most obvious element.

The depth information is used to create a portrait mode, which identifies what’s in the foreground to artificially blur the background simulating the look of a high-end digital SLR camera – a feature that has proved popular for dual-camera phones such as Apple’s iPhone 8 Plus.

Google is also using the depth information for augmented-reality experiences, similar to that offered by Apple, calibrating each camera at the factory before shipping it for greater accuracy. There is also a new smart-camera feature called Lens, intended as a demonstration of what Google’s AI can do when integrated into a camera, detecting landmarks and book covers.

The Guardian