Tag: Google Phones

Google Phones: A Look At The Pixel Line

Pixel phones are the official flagship Android devices from Google. Unlike other Android phones, which are designed by a variety of phone manufacturers, Pixels are designed by Google to showcase the capabilities of Android. Verizon is the only carrier selling the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL in the U.S., but you can buy it directly from Google. The phone is unlocked, so it will work with all major U.S. carriers and Project Fi, which is Google’s own cellular phone service.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

  • Manufacturer: HTC (Pixel 2) / LG (Pixel 2 XL)
  • Display: 5 in AMOLED (Pixel 2) / 6 in pOLED (Pixel 2 XL)
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080 @ 441ppi (Pixel 2) / 2880 x 1440 @ 538ppi (Pixel 2 XL)
  • Front camera: 8 MP
  • Rear camera: 12.2 MP
  • Initial Android version: 8.0 “Oreo”

Like the original Pixel, the Pixel 2 features metal unibody construction with a glass panel on the rear. Unlike the originals, the Pixel 2 boasts IP67 dust and water resistance, which means that they can survive being submerged in up to three feet of water for 30 minutes.

The Pixel 2 processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, is 27 percent faster and consumes 40 percent less energy than the processor in the original Pixel.

Unlike the original Pixel, Google went with two different manufacturers for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. That led to rumors that the Pixel 2 XL, manufactured by LG, may feature a bezel-less design.

That didn’t happen. Despite being manufactured by different companies (HTC and LG), the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL look very similar, and they both continue to sport fairly chunky bezels.

Like the original phones in the line, the Pixel 2 XL differs from the Pixel 2 only in terms of screen size and battery capacity. The Pixel 2 has a 5 inch screen and a 2,700 mAH battery, while its larger sibling has a 6 inch screen and a 3,520 mAH battery.

The only real cosmetic difference between the two, other than size, is that the Pixel 2 comes in blue, white and black, while the Pixel 2 XL is available in black and a two-tone black and white scheme.

The Pixel 2 includes a USB-C port, but it doesn’t have a headphone jack. The USB port supports compatible headphones, and there is also a USB-to-3.5mm adapter available.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL New Features

  1. Active Edge: Squeeze the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL to launch Google Assistant.
  2. Google Lens: Point the camera at objects, like landmarks or the text on a movie poster, to pull up relevant information.
  3. Now Playing: Listens for music and displays the song and artist without sending or receiving any data.
  4. Always-On Display: An always-on features shows the time, notifications, and other information.
  5. Highly rated camera: The rear camera received a rating of 98 from DxOMark, the highest yet for a smartphone.
  6. Free Google Home Mini: Early adopters receive a free Google Home Mini smart speaker.