2021 is a big year for Google’s Pixel smartphone, as it sees the chipset switch from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon to Google’s own Tensor chips. So, what will 2022 bring to the Pixel world? We’ve rounded up all the news and rumors about the new device, so check it out below!
When is the Google Pixel 7 release date?
Google officially confirmed the upcoming Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro during its opening keynote at its 2022 I/O developer conference on May 11. Despite promising that both will “arrive this fall” and showing some official images, however, we still don’t know what the pair will offer.
Over the past few generations, Google has decided to release the main Pixel devices in October, while cheaper versions like the Pixel 4a and Pixel 5a 5G will follow in August. There’s also the Pixel 4a 5G coming in November 2020.
So if Google sticks to this model, you should expect the new Pixel 7 phones to debut in October 2022 along with the new Android 13 software.
What are the specs and features of the Pixel 7?
Obviously, with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro releases still relatively new, there’s little solid word on what you can expect to see in their successors, but details are slowly starting to flow out – some official word from Google .
design
With the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, Google introduced a new design language for its smartphones. Gone are the plastic chassis and more generic aesthetic of the Pixel 5, replaced by premium construction and a bold look with a raised strip on the back that serves as a housing for the camera.
Unsurprisingly, both phones feature a similar design, though the camera module has been tweaked slightly, now wrapped directly into the phone’s frame and accentuating the individual sensors in a more prominent way. The standard Pixel 7 measures 155.6 x 73.1 x 8.7mm, making it slightly smaller in every dimension — a welcome change from the chunky Pixel 6. The rough dimensions of the 7 Pro are 163 x 76.6 x 8.7mm, making it very close to the size of the 6 Pro, albeit slightly thinner.
monitor
The current Pixel 6 and 6 Pro feature 6.4-inch AMOLED and 6.71 LTPO AMOLED displays, respectively. Both support HDR10+, but the Pro version has a 120Hz refresh rate and a higher resolution than its more budget-friendly sibling.
The report from OnLeaks predicts that the 7 may shrink the screen size to 6.2 inches, while the 7 Pro will stay the same or jump slightly to 6.8 inches. We don’t expect to see too many other display changes.
Display industry expert Ross Young reports something similar: The 7’s display dropped to 6.3 inches, while the Pro stayed the same 6.7 inches.
9to5Google dug through some Android open source project code and found display drivers for the new Pixel models.
They revealed that the Pixel 7 will feature a 1080 x 2400 display with up to 90Hz, while the Pixel 7 Pro will feature a 1440 x 3120 display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Those specs are exactly the same as the 6-series models, and the code even hints that Google will use the exact same Samsung panels. So don’t expect any year-over-year changes in the display, other than the 7’s screen is a little smaller.
Subsequent leaks suggested that the 7 Pro might get more upgrades, but not too many. Inspection of the code revealed that there is an option to increase the maximum brightness a bit higher than the 6 Pro can handle.
We know that Google is designing an under-screen selfie camera. So far, the company has applied for at least two patents, the most recent of which we have listed here. Spotted by Lets Go Digital, it showcases roughly the same tech we’ve seen in similar cameras like the ZTE Axon 30 5G and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.
We don’t expect Google to use this technology in the Pixel 7 series, and it’s more likely to be seen in the rumored Pixel Fold or future phones.
camera
Both the leaked and subsequent official renders corroborate a report we’ve seen from Mishaal Rahman on the XDA Developers site that the Pixel 7 only has two rear cameras installed. The code he analyzed for the Google Camera app ahead of the Pixel 6 device’s launch suggests that 2022 Pixel phones are likely to feature an ultra-wide camera, like the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, but doesn’t indicate the existence of a telephoto camera.
That’s the same as the Pixel 6, with the telephoto reserved for the Pro model only, but in 2022, it feels a little underwhelming compared to many potential rivals.
There’s some reason to think that Rahman’s code dive might not actually be referring to the Pixel 7. For one thing, while the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have their respective codenames (Oriole and Raven), this phone only lists one (Pipit). This is the name other sources associate with the rumored Pixel foldable phone rather than the 7, so this may instead be a hint at the phone’s camera specs.
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