Berlin.
Google unveils exciting mobile devices at the start of its developer conference – and wants to dethrone Samsung with the Pixel Fold.
A handy smartphone for the masses, a thin folding cell phone for the well-heeled and a tablet with a charging station as a smart home center: Google opened its annual developer conference on Wednesday evening German time – and as expected, in addition to many software and AI innovations quite a product firework burned off. The Pixel family, Google’s device division, will be growing all over the next few weeks and months.
With the affordable Google Pixel 7a a possible price-performance surprise with a good camera could stir up the smartphone mid-range. The group sends it into the race with the Google Pixel Fold also its first foldable smartphone from the summer. The planned foldable starts with a lavish price, but should stand up to the previous top dog Samsung in the field of folding cell phones. And with that Google Pixel Tablet the manufacturer is returning to the tablet business after several years. However, the flat computer is only offered in combination with a charging station, which also acts as a speaker and turns the tablet into a kind of smart display.
In addition, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and his team at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California (Silicon Valley) already gave a first glimpse of what the upcoming Android 14 will look like on Google devices from autumn.
Google Pixel 7a: compact budget smartphone with a pixel look
With the Pixel 7a, Google has, as expected, introduced the successor to the Pixel 6a. This had only come onto the market at the end of July last year. Like its predecessor, the newcomer is intended to appeal to buyers who want a particularly handy Smartphone with mid-range equipment at an affordable price. The 7a rounds off the current Pixel series, which brought out two convincing models in the autumn with the Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.
At 509 euros, the Pixel 7a costs 50 euros more than its predecessor. In comparison, however, Google has given the 7a some improvements:
- Die refresh rate increases from 60 to now 90 frames per second (Hertz), which should make scrolling, swiping and gaming on the screen appear a little smoother.
- In addition, the 7a can now also be activated by means of a face recognition unlock.
- Another new feature is the option of charging the cell phone wirelessly.
- The main camera can now 4K-Videos record at up to 60 frames per second. In night mode, the trigger should react twice as fast as before.
Overall, the performance should increase significantly. Because the 7a gets with the Tensor G2 now the same processor chip as the two current top models Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. This also involves improvements in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), for example in speech recognition, translation, dictation and image processing.
With a size of 6.1 inches (15.5 centimeters diagonal), the 7a is more compact in the hand than the two Pixel siblings. The resolution of OLED screen is Full HD Plus (1080 × 2400, 429 ppi). The screen is flat like the Pixel 7. The wider screen edges are striking. The camera equipment, in combination with Google’s usual strong AI, promises good to very good pictures: In addition to the 64-megapixel main camera (aperture: ƒ/1.9) with double zoom, there is an ultra-wide-angle camera with 13 megapixels (MP) that Front camera shoots selfie shots with 13 MP (each aperture: ƒ/2.2).
The equipment is rounded off by 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, which cannot be expanded. The battery pack has a capacity of 4300 milliamp hours (mAh) and should last for a day with normal use. The cover glass is made of scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3, the back is made of plastic. The device is protected against dust and water according to IP67.
Google offers the Pixel 7a in four Colors: Charcoal (grey), Snow (white), the new Sea (light blue) and, exclusively in the Google Store, also in Coral (red). Like all mobile devices presented, it comes with Google’s Android 13 operating system. It should be possible to buy it immediately.
The equipment of the handy Pixel 7a sounds promising. It remains to be seen whether the buyer will find the 509 euros worth it, or whether many will immediately go for the slightly larger Pixel 7 (6.3 inches). This is even better equipped and is now available for around 550 euros.
Google Pixel Fold: Thin folding smartphone at a high price
The introduction of the Pixel Fold – Google’s first ever – was eagerly awaited Fallen Smartphone. The range of mobile phones with flexible screens in Germany is still quite limited and is clearly dominated by Samsung’s Z Flip and Z Fold models. Huawei is losing importance in Germany, Honor recently announced a model with the Magic Vs.
Google’s Fold follows the principle of the Samsung Z Fold: When folded, it is a compact cell phone with a 5.8 inch (14.7 centimeter) screen. When opened, a 7.6-inch (19.2 centimeter) screen offers plenty of space for surfing, watching videos and multitasking in landscape format, just like on a tablet.
In terms of price, Google, like Samsung, is also on the top shelf with the Z Fold: the standard version with 256 GB of memory costs 1899 euros, and there will also be a 512 GB version. In return, Google promises the “thinnest foldable on the market”. When unfolded, the fold actually only measures 6 millimeters, and twice that when folded. There is also talk of the most durable hinge on the market to date – the Achilles’ heel of most folding cell phones due to hundreds of folding processes and the risk of dust. The fold is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus and water-resistant according to IPX8 – but not waterproof.
Both screens score with a smooth 120 Hertz refresh rate. When unfolded, the comparatively wide ones fall on the first pictures and videos of the Google event screen edges on. The typical fold in the middle of the display can also be seen. It remains to be seen whether this looks up-to-date in practice. On the other hand, the manufacturer wants to use the tablet-like screen with all its advantages: over 50 Google apps have been specially optimized for the large format, they say.
A whole range of well-known partners also want to present their apps in a customized way, including Tiktok, WhatsApp, Spotify, Evernote and Disney+. How Samsung The Google Fold offers a “tabletop” mode, which means: the smartphone can be opened 90 degrees and placed in a stable position, whereby the upper and lower screens can be used differently. This tripod function can also be useful for taking very high-resolution selfie photos and videos with the main camera on the back.
In general, Google speaks of the supposedly best camera system in a foldable smartphone – that too remains to be seen. With the excellent camera system of the Pixel series, the signs are good. As in the Pixel 7 Pro, the 48MP main camera has a 5x optical zoom. In addition, recordings with 20x zoom should still work well.
The Tensor G2 chip should also ensure a decent speed and useful AI functions. The device is unlocked via face recognition (outer screen only) or fingerprint sensor on the side power button – there is no such sensor under the screen. At around 4800 mAh, the Fold’s battery is just below that of the Pixel 7 Pro and should easily last a day with normal use.
The fold comes in two color variants, carbon (grey) and porcelain (beige). It can be ordered now and will be delivered around the end of June.
The Pixel Fold should definitely stimulate the still manageable folding cell phone market. However, the very high starting price should only persuade technology enthusiasts and professional users to buy at the beginning. As soon as the Preis decreases over time, things could look different. It will be exciting to see how mature Google’s first folding device is. With Samsung’s Z-Fold series, it took a few years of experience to eliminate weaknesses.
Market researchers predict that foldable and clamshell cellphones will remain niche devices for the foreseeable future. The analysis company IDC is assuming growth to 21.4 million folding smartphones this year – but with a total of more than 1.2 billion smartphones sold.
Google Pixel Tablet: sofa calculator and smart home center
Almost exactly a year ago, Google showed the first pictures – now the Pixel Tablet has also been officially presented in all details. The device will also be available in stores from June. The manufacturer demands at least 679 euros for the almost 11 inch large Tablet. The price already includes a charging station that holds the tablet magnetically and supplies it with power when you are not holding it in your hands. The Pixel Tablet is not sold without a station. The charging dock costs 149 euros individually.
The Pixel Tablet is intended as a family device in the networked home. Users can switch to their own user profile in a flash. On the charging station pinned, the tablet serves as a kind of smart display, known from Google’s Nest Hub. It can be used for the central control of home smart home devices, show photos and videos, serve as a language assistant thanks to Google Home or read out cooking recipes. Also play music and podcasts – the built-in speakers are said to give the tablet (four speakers integrated) four times more bass than on its own.
When removed, the device turns into a handy sofa calculator weighing 493 grams. It is protected by a so-called Nano Ceramic case. A metallic bracket can be folded out on the back, which puts the tablet down and shouldn’t interfere with charging. The LCD screen has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. There is an 8-megapixel camera at the front and at the back. The Tensor G2 chip is supposed to ensure the working speed, flanked by 8 GB of RAM and either 128 GB or 256 GB of device memory.
The tablet with Android 13 can be ordered now and will be delivered from June. There are three color variants to choose from: Porcelain, Hazel (green-grey) and Rose. Like the Pixel-Smartphones Google promises five years of Android security updates. An attachable keyboard as an accessory – as known from the competition – is not initially planned according to the manufacturer.
At 679 euros, the price of the Pixel Tablet – when it is then delivered in mid-June – lies exactly between Apple’s iPad Air (649 euros) and the Samsung Tab S8 (699 euros). Whether the newcomer can keep up there will only be seen in the everyday test.
More articles from this category can be found here: Life
