Google has announced a series of new products as it appears to be competing with Apple for tablets and smartwatches. He introduced a lower-priced smartphone, high-end headphones and a watch to be expected later this year, as well as Android updates.
During the main note, which launched the IO Developers Conference, Google outlined its intention to build a wider collection of proprietary devices instead of relying on third parties like Samsung using its software.
“We’re aiming for the ecosystem,” said Rick Osterlo, head of consumer hardware at Google. “We want people to know where Google is heading with devices as an organization over the next few years.”
Pixel 6a
The Pixel 6a is Google’s smaller and cheaper smartphone, but shares the same chips and design as its best phones. Photo: Google
The Pixel 6a is Google’s new, smaller mid-range Android phone, priced at £ 399 ($ 449 / A $ 749) and shipped on July 28. It has a 6.1-inch screen and the same recycled aluminum body, two-tone colors and a camera strip on the back as the company’s high-end phones.
It features Google’s highest-end Tensor processor, 5G, and the Pixel 6 Titan M2 security chip, with 6 GB of memory and 128 GB of memory. It will be maintained with software updates for at least five years, making it one of the most durable Android phones.
The 6a has a pair of wide and ultra-wide 12-megapixel cameras on the back that support the same improved skin tone and magic tire features as Google’s best models.
Pixel Buds Pro
Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s high-end noise-canceling headphones. Photo: Google
Google has announced its first noise-canceling Bluetooth headset, called the Pixel Buds Pro, which will ship on July 28 for £ 179 ($ 199 / A $ 299).
The headset uses chips, algorithms and speakers designed by Google, competing directly with Apple’s more expensive AirPods Pro. They have IPX4 persistence and the same smart features as Google’s previous headphones, such as hands-free voice assistant, walking directions and instant translation capabilities.
Buds Pro can connect to two Bluetooth devices at once, such as a phone for talking and a laptop for music, including iPhone, Mac and personal computers. They last up to seven hours with noise reduction and up to 20 hours with the charging case.
Pixel Watch
Pixel Watch is Google’s long-awaited WearOS smartwatch and a direct challenge to the Apple Watch, but for Android. Photo: Google
Google has unveiled its first branded WearOS smartwatch, called the Pixel Watch, which will ship in the fall. It has a round, domed design, is made of recycled stainless steel and has the option of 4G connectivity. It includes various Google applications and services, including Assistant, Maps and Pay, and the Play Store for third-party applications.
It will also include a package of services for health and tracking of Fitbit’s activity after Google’s purchase of the company, which ended last year. The watch will work with most Android phones, not just Pixels.
Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Tablet
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are the upcoming top smartphones of Google, which should be expected in the summer. Photo: Google
Google unveiled its upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro smartphones later this year. These will include premium polished aluminum and glass bodies and the company’s next-generation Tensor processor, which will ship with Android 13 in the fall.
Google has also announced its intention to return to the production of Android tablets in 2023 as companions to its Pixel phones. The premium Pixel Tablet will have Google’s Tensor chip and will benefit from Android 13 with additions for better split-screen multitasking and tablet space usage, including updates to 20 of Google’s apps, with third-party apps like TikTok. Zoom, Facebook and others are getting new designs optimized for tablets.
Android 13, Maps, Search and Assistant
Google’s Maps environmental guidelines, which show the most economical routes, are expanding in Europe. Photo: Google
Google has unveiled some new software features coming later this year, including the ability to request removal of search results containing your contact information, automatic aggregation of key points in Google Docs and chat, and the ability to talk to Google Assistant only as look at the Nest Hub Max smart display.
Later this year, Google Maps will acquire a new immersive view that combines street and aerial imagery to create digital models of cities, including London, Los Angeles and New York. Users will be able to virtually walk around the cities at different times of the day with superimposed information, such as weather conditions, traffic and how busy the place is.
Android 13 will also be released this summer as a free update, bringing with it more customization and privacy options, including the ability to force apps to ask if they can send you notifications before doing so, like iOS, and additional application location restrictions.
Google’s Google 12 color theme will be expanded into more of the interface, including custom application icons. Now more than one language can be used on the phone at the same time, as English in a social media app, but Spanish in a banking app. The new Google Wallet will be able to bring together payment cards, loyalty cards, transportation tickets and boarding passes with various types of identification, such as student documents and driver’s licenses in the United States later this year.
Users who want to try out the new features can test the software in beta on phones from Google Pixel and other third-party vendors.
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