Google showed off its new Pixel 6 in a video for the first time, revealing how it might look in real-world usage, being handled by various people and tucked into pockets. Google usually isn't known for product previews but the company is treating this phone release a little differently, teasing images and spilling some of the specifications last month. The purpose is clearly to build excitement ahead of the upcoming launch.
Google first teased its Pixel 6 and 6 Pro early in August showing several images and some journalists were graced with hands-on time to glean a few more details. There are a few things that jumped out immediately. The design is quite unique and dramatic, with a camera bar that covers the full width of the phone near the top. This houses two or three cameras, depending on which model is chosen, with a four times telephoto coming to the Pixel 6 Pro. The other big change, potentially industry-shaking, is that the phone will be powered by a Google Tensor chip, the company's first mobile processor.
The latest teaser reveals a bit more about the Pixel 6, with the video providing examples of how it looks in the hand and fits in a pocket. The images used in the video might represent actual screenshots and photographs, however, that can't be known for certain. Large corporations tend to use professional quality cameras for shooting video even if their own devices can do a wonderful job as well. The message that appears a word at a time in the YouTube video, say "What if smartphones weren't just smart. What if your phone saw you for who you are, learning, evolving, and adapting to you." That sums up Google's approach to the Pixel line. It is meant to know the user well and anticipate their needs.
More Hints About Pixel 6 & 6 Pro
Google also posted to its Instagram channel, sharing twelve tiny images of what is presumably the face of the Pixel 6, showing the center punch-hole selfie camera, thin bezels, and a variety of colorful Android 12 Home Screens with the new minimalist clock widget. The clock widget itself might provide a clue about the launch date, although it is quite difficult to read since the text is pixelated. Android Police suggest the date might be indicating that the device will be officially announced on October 19, 2021. This is pure guesswork and it could just as easily be argued that the '09 30' that appears in the video suggests a September 30th launch. Monday, the 13th also appears in the video and that could mean September 13, 2021, which lands on that day of the week.
Regardless of when the new Pixel phones do arrive, Google has already given away quite a bit of detail to ensure this product launch will be highly anticipated. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are exciting smartphones that are certain to shake up the industry and continue the trend of tech companies designing custom silicon to differentiate themselves from the pack. While nothing huge is revealed in this latest teaser, it does serve to remind us that Google's Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will be very different from the earlier generations, yet holding the same core principles of adapting to best meet the user's needs.
Source: Google/YouTube, Google/Instagram