We already knew what the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro looked like, and we had a really good idea of what kind of features either phone would offer thanks to both Google pre-announcing things like the switch to its own Google Tensor processor, and a series of leaks leading up to the launch. But as with all leaks and rumors leading up to any device launch, until the company makes the announcement, anything can change. Here’s everything we know about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The display on the Pixel 6 stops at the edge, while the Pixel 6 Pro has a similar look as older Samsung Galaxy Edge devices with the screen wrapping around both sides of the phone. The most notable design element of both devices is the camera bump on the back of the phones. Instead of vertically stacking the cameras, or even doing a square array of lenses in the top corner of the phone as was the case on previous Pixel phones, Google put a horizontal line across that spans the width of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro near the top of both devices. Inside the bump is the respective camera modules for each model, laser detect auto focus and the flash. The bump itself sticks out from the back of the phone, preventing it from laying flat on a surface, but because it goes across the entire device neither phone rocks when you press on it while it’s sitting on a desk. The hardware, so far, is the true star of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Android 12 has a drastically new design and look thanks to what Google is calling the Material You design. Material You uses your phone’s wallpaper to determine the highlight colors for the rest of the operating system, and can even create app icons or alter widgets to match your wallpaper. There are also new privacy features in Android 12, including the ability to see when an app is accessing your phone’s camera or microphone (and block them from doing so) as well as a privacy dashboard that details when and how often apps are accessing your personal information. The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are both getting several new camera features. The Magic Eraser tool can remove unwanted items (or people and animals) that distract from your original photo subject. There is also a new Motion Mode in the camera app that makes it possible to take long exposure shots or add a blurry background to objects that are moving. As far as Google Assistant is concerned, the Pixel 6 lineup are receiving some handy new features. The speed of Assistant voice typing has been improved, and there’s a new feature that helps you decide when to call a toll- free number by showing the wait times, broken down hour by hour, for the respective business you’re attempting to call.
