Tag: Pixel

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Computers

Google Pixel 8A: News, Specs, Features, Price, Release Date

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The Pixel 8A is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 chipset with 8 GB of RAM, just like the Pixel 8 series. That means it’ll be capable of much of the same software wizardry Google showed off last year with the debut of its flagship, including Audio Magic Eraser, which lets you erase unwanted sounds in video clips (like sirens); Magic Editor, where you can move subjects around and have the software generate a background to fill in the space; and Best Take, which can replace a person’s face in a photo by clipping it from a similar photo, which is useful in case someone blinked and ruined an otherwise perfect shot.

This phone will also be able to tap into Google’s Gemini Nano large language model. To enable Gemini Nano, you’ll have to go into the Pixel’s developer settings and check a box that says you agree to run experimental features that may or may not work perfectly yet. When enabled, Gemini Nano lets you access specific on-device AI features, like summarize in Google’s Recorder app and Smart Reply in Gboard. Gemini Nano will be available in a future software update, but Google confirmed that while the default assistant in this handset remains Google Assistant, you can replace it with its Gemini assistant easily out of the box, just like you can on most other Android phones today.

Speaking of, just like the Pixel 8 series, Google is promising seven years of software updates on this phone. That makes the Pixel 8A one of the only sub-$500 devices to get such a long software support window. Google’s also offering the same built-in VPN function too. The device comes with 128 GB of storage, and there’s now a 256-GB option, though that’s restricted to the Obsidian color. The Pixel 8A’s other colors include Bay, Porcelain, and a lovely new Aloe.

Overhead view of 4 mobile phones all face down on a wooden surface with a variety of case colors

The Pixel 8A comes in Bay, Obsidian, Porcelain, and Aloe.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

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Featured

Google Pixel 9 case leak shows we may get three models

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The Google Pixel 8 launched on October 4, 2023, and so we’d expect the Google Pixel 9 to appear on or around that date this year – but some five months ahead of time, we’ve already got a look at our first Pixel 9 case.

This comes from accessory maker Thinborne and the team at Android Central, and the suggestion is that the design and dimensions of the Google Pixel 9 have been confirmed as far as the supply chain and industry partners are concerned.

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Featured

Huge Google Pixel 8a leak includes all the predicted specs – and a price

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The Google Pixel 8a could be with us as early as May 14, when Google I/O 2024 gets underway, and a fresh leak potentially gives us all the specs of the device – as well as pricing for the mid-range phone in Europe.

This comes from @MysteryLupin (via Android Police), and while some of this information has been leaked before, we haven’t previously seen such a comprehensive list of every spec the Pixel 8a is going to bring along with it.



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Business Industry

Google’s merger of Android and Pixel teams maybe good news for Samsung

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Google recently underwent a major internal reorganization. The company merged its Android and Hardware (Pixel) teams as part of this reorganization. If you don’t know already, the Android team was responsible for developing the Android OS and related platforms, while the Hardware team was responsible for Pixel smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and other hardware products.

This could be good or bad news for Samsung and other Android OEMs, depending on what Google does next.

Google claims merger of Android and Hardware teams will help it bring better features faster

This new team within Alphabet is now called Platforms and Devices and is headed by Rick Osterloh. It will now develop software for the Android ecosystem and Google’s hardware products. Earlier, Google maintained a distance between Android and Pixel products so that Android could be seen as a neutral provider for all brands, including Pixel. This meant that Google’s Pixel team wouldn’t have the upper hand compared to other smartphone OEMs. That distance is no longer present, with Android and Hardware teams being merged.

So, should Samsung be worried? Apparently not.

Samsung One UI 6.0 Android 14 Logo

Google says its partner brands (like Honor, OnePlus, OPPO, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi) shouldn’t worry. The company says the merger should be seen as a positive, as the Android ecosystem can now develop things faster. Rick Osterloh met with Samsung MX CEO TM Roh recently and claimed the companies’ relationship has never been stronger.

In an interview with TheVerge, Rick Osterloh and Hiroshi Lockheimer (the previous head of Android, Chrome, and ChromeOS) revealed that they have been discussing this merger with Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai for over two years. He said consolidating teams “helps us to be able to do full-stack innovation when that’s necessary.” He also said that with this merger, it can now bring AI to all its products faster.

Google Gemini

Can we trust Google to follow through, though?

Google recently brought some of its features (Circle to Search and Wear OS) to Samsung first and then to Pixel devices. This move could be a way for Google to stop OEMs from worrying. However, we must wait and watch Google’s moves longer to know if it will stick to its promise. We know how many good products Google has killed over the years (check Google Graveyard), including the nifty little Chromecast.

Quick Share (Nearby Share)

If Google follows through with its promise, the Android ecosystem will improve greatly. The company has streamlined many of its platforms and services over the past few years. In collaboration with Samsung, it improved Google Home, Nearby Share, and Wear OS. However, it has also ruined many products, including Fitbit and Nest. Many of us know how quickly sometimes Google decides to throw in the towel (looking at you, Stadia).

If Google doesn’t follow through, it would be disastrous for Samsung and all other Android OEMs. Hopefully, Samsung is keeping a close eye on Google and how it is approaching Android and Wear OS.



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Featured

Major Google Pixel 8a leak reveals promo pictures and hints at pricing

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There’s a good chance the Google Pixel 8 will be unveiled at Google I/O 2024 on May 14, so it’s perhaps no surprise the pace of the associated leaks is picking up – and the latest major leak we’ve seen covers Pixel 8a promo images and pricing.

This is via the usually reliable @OnLeaks and Smartprix, and to start with the pricing, it looks as though worries about a price hike may have been unfounded: the Pixel 8a pricing is said to be $499 ( with 128GB of storage), and $559 (with 256GB) in the US.



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Featured

The latest Google Pixel 8a leaks hint at its design, software updates, and AI features

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It’s a pretty good bet that the Google Pixel 8a is going to break cover at Google I/O 2024 on May 14, and as the day approaches, we’ve seen a pile of new leaks turn up that give us a better idea of what we can expect from this mid-ranger.

First up is well-known tipster Evan Blass, who has posted an extensive set of pictures of the Pixel 8a. You can see the phone from the front and the back, and at an angle, and in its  four rumored colors: Obsidian (black), Porcelain (white-ish), Bay (blue), and Mint (green).



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Entertainment

The Google Pixel Buds Pro are back on sale for $135

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Google’s Pixel Buds Pro remain one of our favorite pairs of true wireless earbuds, offering robust active noise cancellation (ANC), punchy bass, reliable touch controls and a host of convenient features for Android users in particular. That said, given how competitive the wireless market is these days, they aren’t the greatest value at their standard list price of $200.

Today, though, Wellbots is running a sale that brings the pair down to a more palatable $135 with the checkout code ENGPIX65. This isn’t an all-time low — the buds fell as low as $117 in a similar deal last October and went for $119 for much of the holiday season — but it’s the best price we’ve tracked in 2024. For reference, the device dropped to $139 last month. This offer applies to each of the set’s colorways.

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

This is the lowest price we’ve seen this year for Google’s highest-end wireless earbuds.

Save $65 with code

$135 at Wellbots

Engadget’s audio expert Billy Steele gave the Pixel Buds Pro a review score of 87 back in 2022. By default, they have a sculpted, hyped-up sound with thumpy bass and elevated treble. It’s the kind of signature that won’t suit audio purists but should work well with modern pop music. As with many pairs, though, you can tweak the sound with a graphic EQ. The earbuds themselves have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, so they should be able to withstand typical workouts. Battery life is solid at roughly seven hours with ANC on or 11 hours with it off, while the case supports wireless charging. You can connect to two devices at once, and the pair supports in-ear detection, so it’ll automatically pause when you remove an earbud.

Maybe the biggest reason to consider the Pixel Buds Pro is how tightly they integrate with Android. It’s somewhat similar to how Apple’s AirPods work with iOS: You can call on the Google Assistant hands-free, quickly swap between paired devices, utilize adaptive and spatial audio modes, ring the earbuds remotely and access Google Translate, among other OS-specific features. Last fall, Google also added a “conversation detection” mode that automatically pauses your music and turns off ANC when you start talking to someone. All of this functionality is natively available on Google’s Pixel phones; with other Android devices, you can access most of the same tricks through a separate Pixel Buds app.

There are still issues to note. While we didn’t have any comfort issues in testing, the fit may be tricky for those with smaller ears. Call quality isn’t great, nor is the included transparency mode. For more discerning listeners, there’s no support for higher-quality Bluetooth codecs like aptX or LDAC. And again, this is a busy market: Other pairs like the Sony WF-1000XM5, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 or Anker Soundcore Space A40 can provide better noise isolation, sound quality or overall value in a vacuum. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if we saw a new model at Google’s I/O conference next month, either. Still, the current model remains a well-rounded choice for Android fans today, and this discount brings them down to a more appropriate price.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.



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Featured

A mystery Wear OS watch has just surfaced as the Pixel Watch 3 gets closer

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An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) listing was recently spotted indicating that a new WearOS smartwatch by Google is currently in the works with the model number G4SKY. The post itself doesn’t specifically say it’s a smartwatch. However, discovered instructions on viewing the “FCC E-label” strongly suggest that it is indeed a wearable. Don’t get too excited because it’s most likely not the Pixel Watch 3. 9To5Google in their coverage points out a couple of clues hinting at what it could possibly be.

The timing of the post is strange, notes 9To5Google. The Pixel Watch 3 is scheduled to come out in October. The FCC listing for the next-gen wearable should, at the very earliest, come out in the summer. Second, it lacks support for ultra-wideband (UWB), a connectivity protocol that’ll allow “for a faster and more precise unlocking experience”. 

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Google’s next foldable could be the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and finally get flagship specs

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Google may be shaking things up with the launch of the Pixel 9 series later this year because we could see four individual models, including a renamed Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This nugget of information comes from a “Google insider” who spoke to Android Authority. According to their source, the quartet consists of the base Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, a new Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the aforementioned foldable. Not much is known about the individual devices. Neither specs nor features were mentioned in the leak. However, all four together in the same lineup suggests they deliver similar performance, which will be a big deal for Pixel Fold fans in particular. 

You see, the original Pixel Fold was a bit of a disappointments. It’s still a solid smartphone, but the Tensor G2 chipset in the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7 series proved to be a dud. Performance is decent but not amazing, and phones with the Tensor G2 tend to have poor battery life. Plus, in our experience, those devices can run unusually hot. Remember, when it launched the Fold cost $1,800 in the US. You can’t fault people for wanting more.

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Entertainment

The Google Pixel 7a is on sale for a new low of $349

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Google is expected to launch a new Pixel 8a phone at its I/O conference next month, but if you’re willing to buy last year’s model, a new sale has dropped the Pixel 7a down to the lowest price we’ve tracked. The handset is now available for $349, which is $150 less than Google’s list price and $25 below the prior low we’ve seen in recent months. The only better deals we’ve found for an unlocked model have required you to trade in another device. This discount applies to the black, light blue and white colorways and is available at several retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Google’s online store. Google says the offer will run through May 4.

Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

This is a new low for the unlocked version of Google’s midrange smartphone.

$349 at Amazon

The Pixel 7a is the top budget pick in our guide to the best Android phones, and Engadget’s Sam Rutherford gave it a score of 90 in our review last May. When it’s discounted to this extent, it remains a good value. Its cameras still outshine just about everything else in this price range, and it still provides a largely bloat-free version of Android. Its Tensor G2 can sometimes run hot but is still plenty quick for everyday tasks. Though it won’t be kept up to date for as long as the flagship Pixel 8, it’ll still receive OS updates through May 2026 and security updates through May 2028.

The mostly plastic design and 6.1-inch OLED display are both a step down from more expensive devices, but they should be more than acceptable at this price. The latter can run at a 90Hz refresh rate, which again isn’t on the level of top-tier models but makes scrolling feel smoother than it’d be on many cheap Android phones. Along those lines, while the Pixel 7a’s wireless charging tops out at a relatively slow 7.5W, the fact that it supports wireless charging at all is welcome. Battery life is solid but not class-leading in general, though wired charging also isn’t the fastest at 18W.

If you don’t need a new phone right this second, it still makes sense to see if Google follows tradition and releases a new A-series phone in a few weeks. There’s been a spate of Pixel 8a leaks over the past several months, all of which suggest a device that’ll fall more closely in line with the current Pixel 8. Exactly how much the new phone will cost is unclear, however. If you want upgrade today and must stay on a tighter budget, we’d expect this deal to stay worthwhile after I/O has passed. It’s also worth noting that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are on sale for $549 and $799, respectively, though neither of those are all-time lows.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.



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