Overnight Google had their big ‘Made by Google‘ event where they officially announced what had already leaked, the new Pixel phones. There’s the 5″ version and a 5.5″ XL model. Available with either 32GB or 128GB of storage, the phone starts at A$1,079, but runs all the way up to a mega A$1,419.
Google’s new strategy with phones and devices is almost polar opposite to years gone by. Previously Google engaged the services of hardware manufacturers to produce affordable, reference designs to showcase what Android could really offer, while delivering a pure Google experience on the software side.
It seems Google has a lot of Apple and Samsung envy and are now turning to make phones branded with their own name. These are flagship phones now, with what Google claims is the best camera on the market. While the hardware specs listed as 12.3 MP and f/2.0 aperture, there’s a lot of magic happening on the software side to deliver on that claim.
Something you do need to take into consideration when buying (or pre-ordering) this phone is that you get unlimited Google storage for photos and video. This means you get to avoid the ‘storage is full’ message with the cloud offering the ultimate SD card for storage.
The phone also feature fast charging, offering an amazing 7 hours of charge with just 15 minutes. The phone features a USB Type-C connector and yes, that familiar 3.5mm headphones jack is still there.
The Pixel is available for pre-order today from Telstra, JB HiFi, and direct from the Google Store.
Inside the pixel’s body is 4GB of RAM, which helps it become the first Daydream VR-ready device. This is a very familiar-looking headset form factor, in other terms, its a clone of Samsung’s GearVR, where you slot your phone into the front and can enjoy VR experiences. Google have gone a little harder on design and styling.
The verge has a great summary of the event, if you missed it, you can catch the highlights in a 10 minute video.
