Made By Google Event Roundup: The New Nexus is a Pixel, Chromecast Gets 4K and More!
By Simon Hung
October 4, 2016While you were enjoying lunch on a lovely Tuesday afternoon, Google was busy holding their #MadeByGoogle Event, introducing a number of products designed by Google and releasing in the near-future.
While this particular keynote was marred by several leaks leading up the event, Google officially unveiled their new products and couldn't help but take a few swipes at their rivals in Cupertino along the way. We've listed all of the announcements from the keynote below in the order in which they were presented.
Google Assistant
Originally announced during the Google I/O Event in May, Google showcased more of its smart assistant, capable of holding natural conversations and understanding context while integrating with Google’s new line of products, allowing it to be wherever you are.
Google’s efforts with machine learning was also highlighted, specifically their artificial intelligence initiatives -- including natural language processing, voice recognition and image recognition -- that have improved as a result of Google’s Knowledge Graph.
Pixel
Google’s much-anticipated, highly-leaked new smartphone was the next highlight of the keynote, as Google officially announced the Pixel and Pixel XL.
Abandoning the Nexus branding, these new phones take on the Pixel moniker that Google has previously used for Chromebooks, with the company taking an approach similar to Apple by directly designing the hardware and software for the new flagships.
The phones feature a seamless aluminum and glass design with a 5” 1080p (Pixel) or 5.5” Quad HD (Pixel XL) display, a rear fingerprint reader, 4GB of RAM, 32 or 128GB of non-expandable storage, a 12.3MP camera with no unsightly camera bump, 8MP selfie cam and 3.5mm headphone jack. Aside from screen-size, both phones feature identical internal specs.
A significant amount of time was also spent praising the camera, which Google calls the best smartphone camera ever, featuring a best-ever 89 DxOMark Mobile score, optical image stabilization and free unlimited photo and video storage via Google Drive. Like Nexus phones, these Pixels are loaded with Android without any skins or bloatware and will receive the latest Android updates as soon as they’re available. Battery-wise, Google touts an all-day battery with the ability to fast-charge to up to seven hours of use from 15 minutes of charging.
The Pixel and Pixel XL are available for pre-order now and come in Quite Black, Very Silver and limited-edition Really Blue colours, starting at $899.00 for the Pixel and $1049.00 for the Pixel XL.
Daydream
Daydream -- Google’s entrant into the virtual reality market -- was the next to be featured, with the announcement of Daydream View, a VR headset made of soft fabric instead of hard plastic. Daydream View is compatible with any phone that meets Google’s Daydream-ready specification, including the new Pixel phones.
Available in three stylish textiles (Snow, Slate and Crimson), Daydream View will release in November for $99.00.
Google Wifi
The next product to be unveiled was Google Wifi -- a router that’s designed to simplify home networking. Sold as a single device or pack of three, these white hockey puck-styled routers work with an accompanying Google Wifi app, which allows owners to manage devices easily and change settings such as device priority and parental controls. If purchased in a pack of three, the routers work together seamlessly to act as range extenders to provide Wi-Fi access throughout your home.
Google Wifi will available in Canada in 2017. Canadian prices are unknown, but at launch in the United States, they will cost $129.00 USD for one and $299.00 USD for a pack of three -- click here to learn more.
Chromecast Ultra
The popular Chromecast streamer was the next to receive the spotlight with the announcement of the Chromecast Ultra, which supports 4K streaming, HDR colour and Dolby Vision. The new streamer is also 1.8 times faster and features an integrated Ethernet port in the power adapter for wired networking. Google also announced the availability of 4K content on Google Play coming in November.
The Chromecast Ultra will be available in November for $90.00.
Google Home
The final product to be featured was Google Home, the smart hub that was introduced at Google I/O and meant to compete with similar hubs like the Amazon Echo. With a design “inspired by wine glasses and candles,” the device features a touchpad top and voice recognition to allow you to speak to it and control media or smart devices. Services including Spotify, Google Play Music, Nest, Philips Hue lighting and more will be integrated with the device at launch. Google Assistant is also built-in, allowing you to speak to it naturally and ask any weird, abstract questions you have on your mind.
Like Google Wifi, Google Home will be available in Canada in 2017 and Canadian pricing is unknown. There are seven colour options and will cost $129.00 USD at launch in the United States -- click here to learn more.
What are you looking forward to the most? Happy that the Pixel includes a headphone jack? Disappointed that the pricing is more exorbitant than the previous Nexus phones? Afraid of the robot revolution with the new Google Assistant-enabled devices? Stick around and join the conversation by leaving your thoughts in the comments!
Showing 40 Most Recent Comments
View allHowever, I wouldn't be surprised Pixel, even 6P, outperforms S7 in stills image quality with HDR+ turned on. Google's HDR+ algorithm is truly magical, the dynamic range and low light performance is unbeatable (in terms of final image quality only; the overall experience may not be as good). Many youtube comparison videos have already showed that 6P outperforms S7 easily in low light and high contrast environments. While HDR+ images sometimes turn out a bit darker, most details are actually preserved, unlike S7 where black and highlight clipping occur often even with HDR turned on.
After all, I'm very glad that I got the S7 and didn't wait for the Pixel. I'm happy that I can pull the S7 out of my pocket and snap a picture, all in about 1 second, and the picture will still be perfectly focused and well exposed, even in low light conditions. I doubt Pixel will be able to do that. However, if the Pixel was a lot cheaper than the S7, I think I will be happy to pick one up and be satisfied with the camera performance.
Now Pixel XL starts at a whopping $1049.
For the Pixel you pretty much paying for the stock android.
I don't see that phone doing too well in sales.
-S7 has a proven camera to be one of, if not, the best camera on the market
-The Exynos process is rated something like 30% or so quicker than the SD820/821
-The GPU is better on the Pixel, but the S7 handles games like a champ anyway (not that I play that much games so I don't care about this anyway)
-Battery life SHOULD be better on the S7, since the processor is much more battery-efficient (similar to iPhone's efficiency)
I was ready to pay 8 or 9 bills for the Pixel, maybe even 1K, as I'm due for an upgrade anyways, but just ran a quote on a 128GB regular and it's around 1300 after tax and I was considering the XL too...
It's same reason why Sony phones have great camera optics and specs but actual pictures don't come out good..
The pixel camera is a big improvement because it's got a much better processor...hdr+ is now done on chip
https://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles/Pixel-s ... At-the-top
"For those of us with the Nexus 6P/5X, this is a huge detail:
To assess the Pixel’s HDR+ capabilities, we did a comparison of the Pixel and the Nexus 6P using a very simple test:
We took a shot every second for more than 10 seconds and compared the level of image quality provided for each shot. If image quality went down significantly, it meant that the smartphone didn’t have enough processing power to provide an HDR+ picture and instead provided a traditional single-frame image. The Nexus 6P was unable to keep up, but the Pixel could capture as many as 9 HDR+ frames before falling back to a single-frame image.
If we slowed down to one image every 3 seconds, the Pixel was able to provide HDR+ pictures indefinitely, while the Nexus 6P failed to use HDR+ after 4 images, meaning that the Pixel has more consistent image quality when shooting multiple images."
Also 120fps @1080p which the s7 can't do
Also it has different sensor and lens than 6p along with different processor
You seem to totally disregard the processing which is most important or how fast and consistent a phone can take the pictures
I can see the $899 being $699 by Christmas or shortly after. For a 2016 phone the Oneplus 3 is the premium phone at a good price winner or a lightly used G5. Almost half the price.
One thing I'm annoyed at is why Google made the top and bottom bezels so big. There's nothing on the bottom bezel, but it's huge!
let me explain, what apple user buy actually is not only a phone, but a very restricted and controlled system. Apple user and samsung love the way their phone is configured and the user experience these phone bring to their user.
thats not the case with the google line of phone. thats why they will never be able to have the same amount of user base. thats my theory. But, if the "assistant" work flawless like in the press conference, it might change...BUT seriously, WHO like to talk to a phone? not me.
Also, as I said in my previous comment, it's not only that, but also lack of OIS (this actually is a dealbreaker for many, basically camera without OIS is a half-crippled camera) in addition to numerous other shortcomings like absence of SD card that Google now is trying to cover by playing "unlimited" photo storage card (cloud based Google App lol)
P.S. Again, hey man, I'm not trying to offend future Pixel owners, it's just the price tag Google decided to put on it - demands much better hardware and design on the level of real flagships like Note 7 or iPhone 7 plus. Let's be honest - Pixel looks like Samsung Google Nexus One phone - the very first one or like Samsung S1, S2 phones - it looks like garbage IMHO, like it's already outdated for at least 2-3 years. I just can't see who will be buying Pixel after such price tag? At this point you are better off with OP3 or Axon 7 or any other mid-range Chinese phone. Actually Pixel may even lose to some of those phones in comparison depending what options owner gives more weight. It's not a surprise that every thread and review is basically telling WTF Google with that price?
The pixel pic looks too satured while the S7 pics looks more on the pale side, but which ones is closest to the real scene?
https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/co ... l_edition/
The Google Store support you're okay with is fine for a Nexus device, but doesn't cut it for premium brand. Customers want to talk with real people, not an overseas agent, especially if they bought AppleCare+. People want to have their glass or battery replaced on the same day or their defective unit swapped out.
However, I want to set some things straight. Camera in Pixel is not the best and it simply can't be the best. First of all just going by specs alone, they have the largest sensor 1/2.3, but slower lens F2.0 vs Samsung smaller sensor 1/2.5 but faster F1.7 lens. After some not so difficult calculations we can see that Pixel has crop factor of 5.6 vs 6.03 for Samsung. Looks like Pixel is winning, but count in lens differences and calculate camera performance all together including crop factor AND lens - and we will get that actually due to a faster lens in Samsung camera it's roughly 9% better/faster in low light! Moreover, I highly doubt that there is ANY tech currently on market with faster focusing than Samsung dual pixel tech. So let's sum it up: arguably faster AF (we'll still wait for reviews and comparisons) for Samsung, faster/better low light performance (not by much 9%, but still) for Samsung and finally OIS vs no OIS - another win for Samsung. So is it a bad camera? No. Is it really the best one out there as Google claims? Of course not AFAIK S7/Note 7 camera is still the king in AF speed and low light
Here's something from DXO, notice how sensor/lens combination becomes apparent here, notice loss of details in shadow, Pixel camera just can't pull out the level of S7 camera can, that same 9% difference nicely shows here:
P.S. also, IMHO Pixel is still far behind on design, I mean put Note 7 or even iPhone 7 plus side by side with Pixel Xl and it clearly shows. Another bad thing for me is "unlimited" storage - which is simply cloud storage from Google photos lol. Yes it has some benefits, but I would rather prefer Pixel to have a SD card slot lol
P.P.S. No offence to Google Pixel future owners, it's just that literally everything that Google advertises as a strong points are in reality not as good, but apart from that it's a nice phone, just not for the money they are asking IMHO it should be offered for $400-500 then it will be an interesting offer, but for prices close to Note 7 and iPhone 7 plus - lol #noway
With Google I can be on toilet at 2am and order a replacement device that arrives in two days.. takes a few mins
You don't have to ship phone to google for service..what are you talking about? Ever since even the Nexus 4 days they send out advance replacement
I've dealt with Apple and Google and Google is way way ahead of Apple for service....24/7 and email or chat or phone . When I send back my device hold is released when it's at origin scan..they don't even need to wait for receipt
Samsung has slowly but surely built up their flagship note and galaxy series and their continual improvements in screen technologies has created tons of loyal customers who will also fork out tons of money every year or too to have the latest device.
I'm not sure why Google thinks they can just leap over Samsung and compete head to with Apple in terms or their pricing model and marketing. Other than tech geeks (sorry guys I include myself with all of you!) nobody will have an idea of what this phone is. They will see the price and scoff as for the same amount they could buy a new iPhone or get a new Samsung at hundreds of dollars cheaper.
Google should have set the price point at something more reasonable and set a three year plan to slowly increase the feature set, brand recognition and ultimately pricing. But at this current state...I feel bad for anybody that pays full price for this sucker as I can guarantee in 6 months or less the price will be slashed drastically.
Google or any other company realized if Apple can charge this much for their iPhone why can't they.
Thus the mistake companies are making, greed. They're not Apple and BlackBerry continues to make this mistake.
I'm on Android Nougat, so the Pixel just has a faster CPU and GPU other than that I don't see a difference justifying the price differences other than a phone released last year.
if there's anyone have bought nexus phones from playstore we all know how easy to communicate and get your problem solved
Unless you live next to Samsung service centre in Missisasuga,
dealing with Samsung is just nightmare comparing to Apple / Google especially when you had to pay more than $900 for a phone
I bought my note 7 and waited more than 4 weeks to get my replacement
had to call 2 times / chatted with support for more than 5 times and they just have no clue other than telling me the same thing over and over
'we will escalate it and someone will contact you in two days lol' so I just got tired and got my refund instead
Unless Samsung step up with their service, they will not have my money for sure (not at their MSRP price)
If I just wanted a phone with higher spec, I could just go and get Oneplus 3
This nexus pixel will be on firesale soon. No way it can keep prices up same as Apple.
- Wireless Charging
- SD Card
- Optical Zoom
- Optical Image Stabilization
- Water Resistance
- Stereo Speakers