Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are important phones for a few reasons, but one of the biggest is how they support apps. As it turns out, the Pixel 7 series delivers the first Android phones that block support for apps that aren’t 64-bit. What does that mean for you? Let’s discuss.
It’s been no secret that Google has been working toward a future where Android is a 64-bit operating system, as opposed to one that still supports 32-bit software. What’s the difference between the two? In short, a 64-bit operating system can access drastically more memory addresses, which leads to improvements on both performance and security. Google boasted speed improvements to Chrome for Android, for instance, when it moved to a 64-bit build.
Android made the move to support 64-bit apps in 2011 with the launch of Android 5.0, but the platform has always supported 32-bit apps in the years since. It was in 2019 that Google moved to make 64-bit support a requirement for all apps distributed through the Google Play Store, Android’s primary source of apps, with the Play Store later ending serving apps that either didn’t support 64-bit or didn’t have a 64-bit version.
Now, Google is taking the next step by releasing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro with 64-bit only support for apps, but not through a firm block.
As Mishaal Rahman confirmed, the Pixel 7 series only supports 64-bit apps. The devices are not running on a 64-bit only version of Android, though, instead only blocking the installation of 32-bit apps with a message “app not installed as app isn’t compatible with your phone” appearing when a user attempts to install a 32-bit app.
What does this mean for you?
In theory, Google’s change to supporting exclusively 64-bit apps on the Pixel 7 series should have no noticeable impact on your experience.
This is largely because of the groundwork Google has laid out over the past decade on building up support for 64-bit in Android. One of the only apps that comes to mind as a 32-bit only app is the flash-in-the-pan hit Flappy Bird, which hasn’t been updated since the game’s monumental success and still-shocking closure. Rahman also points out that a version of the Pebble smartwatch app doesn’t support 64-bit, which means that the older smartwatches, which are technically still functional, though unsupported, can’t be paired to Google’s latest Pixel phones.
Notably too, there’s also a potential positive from this. Rahman claims that benchmarks for power efficiency and performance on devices with more than 4GB of RAM jump by 5-10%.
Meanwhile, Google’s Pixel Tablet is expected to be the first Android device that is truly 64-bit only, as Android 14 may make that move further for other devices.
Most devices have some sort of battery saver mode, while Google’s Pixel lineup comes with an “Extreme Battery Saver.” So what is it, and what makes it extreme? This guide will take you through it.
On most Android devices, battery saver works in a very similar way. Unnecessary processes are turned off in the background, your screen’s refresh rate slows down (even to the point of turning off variable refresh rate entirely), and your phone switches to a dark theme to save energy. You might also experience the lack of certain features, such as the always-on display.
All of these limitations combined significantly improve your batter’s efficiency, and battery saver mode can mean the difference between a dead phone in two minutes or an extra 25 minutes of power, roughly speaking.
So what is the Pixel’s Extreme Battery Saver?
Beyond the regular battery saver, the Pixel’s Extreme Battery Saver is an added layer of battery efficiency. In fact, in order to use the latter, you need to initially have battery saver active.
Once it is, you can access the extreme version, which goes beyond turning off a couple of features. Rather, Extreme Battery Saver turns off most of your apps and completely pauses notifications from them. In essence, most nonessential apps completely halt background usage.
This feature is used for pretty dire circumstances and can get you even more battery life when you really need it. While you can’t access most apps during Extreme Battery Saver mode on the Pixel, you can choose to classify some apps as essential. After doing so, those apps become usable while the limitation is turned on.
How to turn it on
Before turning it on, you need to adjust a couple of settings that specify how you use it.
On your Pixel, head to your settings by swiping down twice and hitting the settings cog.
Tap Battery.
Hit Battery Saver.
Select Extreme Battery Saver.
Choose when to use it – you can choose to have it turn on automatically with regular battery saver or you can have your Pixel ask you first.
Choose your essential apps.
Note: Don’t go wild. The fewer apps you choose, the better your battery life will be.
Once you configure these settings, you can choose to have the extreme mode turn on after battery saver is initiated. The best way to turn the battery saver on is to access your Quick Settings on your Pixel and turn it on from there. We have a great guide on doing just that.
You Cannot Unsee The Crack! Google Pixel 6 Pro Camera Replacement Sydney CBD Repair Centre
2022.09.25
Technician 00:00
Hello guys this land from Sydney cbd or Parer center.
And today we have a Google pixel 6 pro with a broken camera that’s the main camera at the back.
And David his here for us to do the service.
Let’s go
Technician 00:27
also here. We’re going to replace the camera array at the back of this Google pixel 6 pro.
Because as you can see here there’s a crack on one of the lenses.
You can see that on the other camera modes.
But in the main one x camera mode you can see that there’s really a crack on the glass.
That’s
Technician 00:49
it’s going to be a problem because it’s going to be registered by the sensor in the image is saved in the gallery.
So we’re going to shut it down for now.
And David has already removed the display so we’re just going to pry it open.
And
Technician 01:09
you can see that there’s no more adhesives so David has already cleaned up too.
We’re going to remove this perfectly good screen.
And you can see that the tape on this one is really crumble.
So there’s a big chance that this has been fixed before this particular six pro
Technician 01:30
nso. The way we do this is re remove this shroud on the board at side of the battery.
So Google pixel 6 pro replacement for displays very very easy.
Technician 01:42
But the camera is not a straightforward as that.
So we’re going to remove this first because there’s a flex cable that’s going over the battery and the camera array.
So directly above the battery that’s the camera that’s preprotruding at the back.
Those are the internal components of it.
Technician 02:01
So as you can see here we’re going to detach the bat some connectors and as you can see here it’s going over the camera array.
So we’re just going to clear that off and unsee the camera from the main chase there’s a lot of connectors.
So each lense
Technician 02:23
your camera sensor is connected to the main board where you know detach that another screw to be undone and then you’re just going to lift it off the device.
So fairly easy. And this is the replacement camera.
So you can see that’s the identical component for the part that we’re going to replace.
Technician 02:51
And it’s protected by this plastic covers.
So this is how the seller is shipping it to us here the shop.
So this is good because the camera has the lens is very very expensive to fix.
So this one once you damage one camera lense or one sensor you have to replace the entire assembly
Technician 03:18
unless you can’t disolder these parts one by one.
Which is kind of very very tricky because we’re dealing here with optics.
So that’s glass and electronics.
So we have installed it and we’re just going to reverse what we have done.
Technician 03:37
So if you have a problem with your Google pixel six proe camera or any other smartphone for that matter especially Android whenever you have those problems and you can’t really fix it even if you reboot restart or refresh your device
Technician 03:55
then it’s got to be a hardware problem.
So the main sensor or some flex cable or the lands itself is not anywhere working properly so you have to replace it.
So if you have one of those problems then hadn’t your local repair service mission or here a cdn cbd reparison or so you can see your right
Technician 04:17
a before your eyes how David fixes things here in the shop.
So this is a very quick repair.
Once David has the parts for your a specific smartphone model and this is now ready for the clients its just that easy.
So we’re just gingi
Technician 04:34
re attached. The display test blew everything together and we’re done
Technician 04:45
to dab. Here is can a rain stalled display.
Very very easy when it comes to pixel smartphones.
Technician 04:55
We’re going to try to test.
So if you have any questions guys don’t hesitate to leave a comment like a subscribe or channel.
Follow us. On facebook.
Message est in our webpage.
Cdn cbd a prepair we have special offers for all our clients.
Technician 05:16
Prince David here is your friend le pairman.
So next time guy is cheers.
Technician 05:23
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We also provide male and repaired services for customers outside of Australia or city.
Just message us so we can arrange the shipping of your device.
My Google Pixel 4a refuses to charge! Here’s how to fix it.
My phone seems to be dying all the time these days, but that’s nothing a quick charge can’t fix. However, when I plug it in, it does not charge! I’ll explain why your Google Pixel 4a won’t charge and how to fix it in this article.
Restart Your Pixel 4a Manually
There could be several reasons why your Pixel isn’t charging. A software crash, for example, could cause your screen to appear black or to appear to be charging when it is not. The solution is straightforward: we’ll perform a forced restart to eliminate any minor software glitches.
Follow these steps to restart your Pixel 4a:
Press the power button to turn on your phone’s display.
Once the display is turned on, press and hold the power button.
After a few seconds, you’ll see the options Power Off, Restart, or Enable Emergency Mode on your screen. Choose the Restart option.
After you’ve completed these steps, your device will restart automatically. Hopefully, the problem will be resolved once you turn it back on. While it’s great that your Pixel is charging again, it doesn’t mean that we’ve resolved the software issue that caused the crash in the first place.
Continue reading if your Pixel is still not charging!
Follow these steps to restart your Pixel 4a:
Press the power button to turn on your phone’s display.
Once the display is turned on, press and hold the power button.
After a few seconds, you’ll see the options Power Off, Restart, or Enable Emergency Mode on your screen. Choose the Restart option.
After you’ve completed these steps, your device will restart automatically. Hopefully, the problem will be resolved once you turn it back on. While it’s great that your Pixel is charging again, it doesn’t mean that we’ve resolved the software issue that caused the crash in the first place.
Continue reading if your Pixel is still not charging!
Follow these steps to restart your Pixel 4a:
Press the power button to turn on your phone’s display.
Once the display is turned on, press and hold the power button.
After a few seconds, you’ll see the options Power Off, Restart, or Enable Emergency Mode on your screen. Choose the Restart option.
After you’ve completed these steps, your device will restart automatically. Hopefully, the problem will be resolved once you turn it back on. While it’s great that your Pixel is charging again, it doesn’t mean that we’ve resolved the software issue that caused the crash in the first place.
Continue reading if your Pixel is still not charging!
Clear the Charging Port on Your Pixel
Lint, dirt, and debris are common in the charging port of your Pixel, even if you aren’t aware of it. This can prevent your device from charging, which we can resolve by cleaning out the charging port.
Examine the charging port of your device with a flashlight. If you see something stuck inside, clean it out with a new toothbrush or an anti-static brush.
Google Pixel 4a Factory Reset
This is the final step in ruling out a software issue with your Google Pixel. If your phone still won’t charge after performing a factory restore, you’ll need to seek additional assistance. It’s critical that you back up your device before proceeding, as your Pixel will be reset to factory settings.
Follow these steps to perform a factory restore on your Google Pixel 4a:
Launch the Settings app.
Choose Backup and Reset.
Select Factory Data Reset.
Scroll down and press the Reset button. If your device has a password, you’ll be asked to enter it here to confirm the action.
Select Delete All.
After that, your device will power down and the factory restore will be completed. When it’s finished, you’ll go through the same steps you did when you first received your Pixel. Try plugging it in to see if it charges.
Repairing Your Pixel
Repairing Your Pixel If you’ve tried all of the fixes above and nothing seems to be working, it’s time to ask Google for help and get your Pixel repaired. You can contact them https://support.google.com/store/gethelp. They’ll walk you through the steps and place you in contact with a service member who can help.
Still have issues with your Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a 5G phone?
Please Back Up Data if possible and Bring it To Sydney CBD Repair Centre. The Team Could Help You Out. Please visit the website https://SydneyCBD.repair/ for a Human Live Chat.
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For the past three years Google has attempted to repackage its flagships phones into A Series phones that capture the Pixel essence at a far more attractive price point. The Google Pixel 6a even got the same custom Tensor chipset as the more expensive Pixels, further sweetening the deal.
The Pixel 6a is notably compact with its 6.1-inch OLED screen and far lighter at 178g (vs 207g for the Pixel 6). It perfectly captures the design, look, and feel of the more expensive Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro while strategically shaving costs down in places that doesn’t have a big impact on usability.
The Pixel 6a doesn’t have a charger in the box – a change that came with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Google also axed the headphone jack in a first for the Pixel A Series.
Google Pixel 6a specs at a glance:
Body: 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 mm, 178g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic dual-tone back with horizontal camera bar, aluminum frame; IP67 water and dust resistant.
The Pixel 6a‘s camera is the tried-and-true Sony IMX 363 sensor, the same one that’s been used since the Google Pixel 2. Google only stopped using it on its premium Pixels this year, so we probably shouldn’t be surprised that the 6a didn’t get a different sensor. And we might still see the aging sensor up its performance when paired with the Google Tensor.
Pixel A Series have had excellent battery endurance historically. This time Google slightly reduced the battery size, but with a smaller screen and the Tensor chip we might be in for another solid run. We are also hoping that the 6a has addressed thermal performance weakness we saw with the 6 and 6 Pro. But let’s start with the unboxing.
Unboxing the Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6a comes in a slim package that we can’t really say covers even the essentials. You’ll no longer find a power adapter in the package, so the Pixel 6a comes with a SIM eject tool and 1-meter USB-C to C cable. We’re glad to also see the USB-C (male) to USB-C (female) “Quick Switch Adapter” for bringing data from another Android device or iPhone over a cable.
Now let’s dive into the testing, starting with the phone’s design, looks, and build. We’re excited for this one, so grab an icy beverage and enjoy the ride.
The competition
The Google Pixel 6a costs $449 in the US, £399 in the UK, and €459 across major EU markets. It is also available in India for Rs 43,999, where the markup caused by import costs is by far the highest.
There is plenty to choose from in this price range. One competitor selling for less is the Nothing phone (1), which is cheaper than the Pixel 6a. It has a higher refresh rate screen, respectable camera performance, and the unique Glyph design that is sure to stand out even amongst flagships.
If you’re after a small flagship device, the iPhone 12 mini is still available from Apple, though it is pricier than the 6a at $599. There’s also this year’s iPhone SE, which we’d avoid unless you really insist on getting an iPhone and it’s the only one you can afford (but then you probably wouldn’t be reading this).
Nothing Phone (1) • Apple iPhone 12 mini • Apple iPhone SE (2022)
The Samsung Galaxy A53 is a popular smartphone in the US for its lower price point. You get more features and a more impressive hardware sheet. There a high refresh rate display, large battery, IP67 rating, though the camera is not too stellar and the Exynos 1280 is not a great performer.
If you’re after a small Android flagship, the Zenfone 9 is at least worth mentioning. It’s priced out of competing with the Pixel 6a, but it’s a compact handset with a 5.9-inch AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
The Realme GT Neo 3T is in the same price bracket as the Pixel 6a and it has great battery life, a bright AMOLED screen with 120Hz, and excellent charging speeds. Its main camera is solid and can stand up to the Pixel 6a, but its ultrawide shooter is inferior.
The Nord 2T has a reliable camera and great performance with the Dimensity 1300 5G chip. There’s also 80W fast charging, but there’s no ingress protection.
Samsung Galaxy A53 5G • Asus Zenfone 9 • Realme GT Neo 3T • OnePlus Nord 2T
Verdict
Before continuing with the verdict, we need to address an issue revealed by early testers of the Pixel 6a. It was confirmed that some devices were able to authenticate the device’s biometrics by using a finger that was not even registered to the device. The instances seem isolated, but they pose a serious security flaw with the device. Google is yet to addressed the issue, so it’s worth keeping an eye on and withhold purchase until it’s cleared if you often find yourself in environements where sensitive info might be exposed.
That aside Google may have finally mastered the A Series formula with the Pixel 6a. It managed yet again to capture the essence of the Pixel flagships into a more affordable phone that does not water down the overall experience too much. The 60Hz display and leisurly charging speeds count against it, but the overall execution of the 6a is great for its price. The
Shipping the 6a with a Google Tensor versus last year’s Snapdragon 765G and keeping the same $449 price point makes it a great offer. Camera performance remains solid, software and performance are polished and battery life is respectable. Plus, Google addressed performance throttling issues with Google Tensor on the Pixel 6a.
It’s arguably Google‘s most competitively positioned smartphone in a good while and one we can wholeheartedly recommend. The obvious asterisk here is that things stand differently in India where consumers have a huge choice in this price segment and the Pixel 6a‘s higher price makes it far less tempting.
Pros
Attractive, compact design that looks more expensive than it is.
Bright and accurate AMOLED display.
Good sustained performance from the Google Tensor this time.
Extended firmware update support; Voice Typing and on-device language processing is excellent.
Great all-around camera.
Cons
Isolated instances of a fingerprint security flaw are not acceptable.
60Hz refresh rate is not competitive for this price range.
Use the steps on this page to fix the following problems on your phone:
1. Won’t turn on 2. Has a black or blank screen 3. Turns on but immediately turns off Hold the power button First, try holding down your phone’s power button for 5-7 seconds.
Troubleshoot your cable, charger, outlet & case Important:
Use the charger and cable recommended for your phone.
1. Check that your charger and cable work.
• Try them with another device.
• Check that the cable is securely connected to the charger and to your phone.
• Check that there’s nothing in the port of your phone, like dust or lint.
2. Check that your outlet works.
• Plug the charger into a wall outlet.
• Plug in something else, like a lamp.
3. Check that no accessories, like cases or battery packs, cover the sensors on your phone or press its buttons. Troubleshoot your battery charge Plug in your phone with a working cable, charger, and outlet, then wait one minute. 1. If you see a battery icon, your phone is powered off and is charging.
1. You can restart right away. 2. To check if your phone is charging, open your phone’s Settings app then tap Battery. 3. On Pixel 2 and Pixel (2016), if you see a red light, your battery is fully discharged.
3. If the red light is flashing, there isn’t enough power to turn on.
3. Charge your phone for at least 30 minutes before you restart it.
Troubleshoot your screen Important:
If you don’t see a battery icon or red light after you plug in your phone, the issue could be with your screen. 1. Press the power button for about 30 seconds. 2. Wait about 2 minutes. 3. Make your phone ring. 3. You can call it from another phone or use Find My Device. 3. Learn how. 4. If your phone rings, learn how to troubleshoot your screen. 4. If it doesn’t, go to the advanced steps (below).
Troubleshoot with advanced steps
Option 1: Troubleshoot by connecting to a computer 1. Check that your computer is on and connected to a power source. 2. Connect your phone to your computer’s USB or USB-C port with a cable that works. 3. Wait about 10–15 minutes. 4. Disconnect the cable from your phone, then reconnect it within 10 seconds. 5. If you see a battery icon within one minute, your phone is powered off and charging. 6. Charge your phone for at least 30 minutes. 7. Press and hold the Power button until your phone restarts. 7. You might need to tap Restart Option 2: Troubleshoot using your phone’s buttons With your phone plugged in, press and hold both the volume-down button and the power button at the same time for at least 20 seconds.
If you see a red light, your battery is fully discharged.
1. Charge your phone for at least 30 minutes.
2. Press and hold the power button for a few seconds. 3. On your screen, tap Restart If you see an Android robot and the word “Start” with an arrow around it:
1. Press the volume-down button until you see the option to “Power off.” Press the power button to pick “Power off.”
2. Charge your phone for at least 30 minutes.
3. Press and hold the power button for a few seconds.
4. On your screen, tap Restart or press and hold the power button for about 30 seconds, until your phone restarts. Still have issues with your Pixel phone?
For possible solutions to other issues with your phone’s reset,
Google is preparing to expand Pixel’s support for showing At A Glance notifications from smart doorbells to also include alerts from Ring products.
About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in the case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.
Over the course of this year, Google has put a significant amount of effort into the expansion of the At A Glance widget that is ever present on the homescreen and lock screen of Pixel devices. What originally started as useful reminders from Assistant and Calendar has become an all-in-one hub for things your phone thinks you might want to know immediately.
One such recent improvement was the addition of support for alerts from Nest Doorbells, indicating that someone is at the door and (if recognized by Familiar Faces) who it is. Now it seems Google is preparing to expand At A Glance’s support for smart doorbells to include third-party options.
As spotted in the latest release of Android System Intelligence — “T.5” which is notably the first non-beta update to the app’s Android 13 variant — the At A Glance widget is picking up support for doorbells from Ring. Since 2018, Ring has been owned by Amazon, but the company has been no stranger to Google’s ecosystem, offering full Google Assistant integration.
“Show who’s at the door when your Nest or Ring doorbell rings”
Where the existing integration with Nest is easily possible as the Google Home app is installed by default on Pixel phones, the upcoming Ring doorbell support will require that you have Ring’s app installed. Given the feature has so far only appeared in Android 13 builds of Android System Intelligence, it’s likely this particular integration won’t be launching until much later this year.
At A Glance has steadily expanded over the past year
The new tidbit comes as part of a broader movement by Google to integrate At A Glance with third-party apps and services. In recent weeks, we’ve seen preparation for the widget to support delivery notifications from services like Doordash and ETA alerts from ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft.
For a patch, Android 13 Beta 3.2 contains many more changes than expected and we’re diving into everything new as a result.
Over the coming hours, we’ll dive into all of Android 13 Beta 3.2’s new features and every single change. (The newest updates will be at the top of this list. Be sure to check back often and tell us what you find in the comments below.) Beta 3.1 screenshots appear on the left and Beta 3.2 at the right.
Prep towards new Easter Egg
Tweaked Pixel Tips layout: More prominent highlights
Tweaks to Clipboard
Sharing is now done via the bottom-left corner overlay.
The share button is no longer in the full-screen editor. After making any edits and tapping “Done,” you’re taken back to the previous screen with the corner overlay still visible.
Pixel Launcher: ‘Always show keyboard’ in app drawer
Updated Google Lens icon
Google rolls out Android 13 Beta 3.2 to Pixel with several bug fixes
Following a patch last Friday, Google is back with Android 13 Beta 3.2 today to fix more issues on Pixel phones.
Google usually does not release more than one patch in-between major previews, but Beta 3.1 was required as a more pressing fix — coming only two days after Beta 3 — given the unavailability of the Beta Feedback app for new users.
At a high-level, Beta 3.2 includes the “latest bug fixes and improvements to stability and performance.” Five Android 13 issues are specifically addressed with this update:
Fixed an issue where the back gesture wasn’t working in some apps.
Fixed an issue where the At a glance settings page would collapse inconsistently when scrolling.
Fixed an issue where some apps would crash instantly on opening.
Fixed an issue where the microphone would turn on and off unexpectedly during unrelated use of the device.
Fixed an issue where the Google Photos app would crash frequently.
These problems are particularly application and user-facing, though we have not seen widespread reports of them.
Factory images for Android 13 Beta 3.2 build TPB3.220610.004 (versus TPB3.220513.017.B1 previously) are available now. On a Pixel 4a, the OTA comes in at 238MB.
After the main release and two patches, Google is now asking for feedback on Android 13 Beta 3 in a survey that’s slightly different from past versions by focusing on the search experience.
For starters, the survey is hosted on Qualtrics instead of Google Forms and asks for demographic information (age and occupation). It opened today and ends on June 28 at 5 p.m. PT.
This survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Please keep in mind that all questions and content within this survey are confidential and should not be shared with anyone.
This Android 13 Beta 3 survey is not limited to Pixel with various OEMs, including those that have not announced preview programs yet, listed:
Realme, Momo, Oppo, Samsung, Microsoft, Google Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony, and Nokia
After specifying the current build on your device, Google asks which “search box did you primarily use since using your device on Android 13”: Search widget on the home screen or All Apps Drawer search box. You’re able to select “Both.” Google wants to know whether Android 13 has changed your usage compared to Android 12. Listed capabilities include:
Apps not yet installed (i.e. Google Play store apps)
Settings
Apps (installed on your phone)
Google Assistant
Pixel Tips
Contacts
Content within Apps
Quick app actions (i.e. shortcuts)
Web content (e.g. websites, Google search results page)
Screenshots
There’s then a question about “how easy or difficult was it to find what you were searching for in the search box” with the ability to expand further via written responses; Google then asks you to compare the two search fields.
Likely to help improve the process of registering your fingerprint on devices with in-display readers, Android 13 Beta 3 has gained a new enrolment UI.
Of course, with the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 series yet to be officially available, that means the new UI is currently limited to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. If you update a device which already has pre-registered biometric data, you may never actually see this new UI. However, when enrolling a fingerprint or thumbprint, during the latter stages of this process in Android 13 Beta 3, you will see a new animation and guides to help you get a better reading of your finger.
Given the bad press that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in-display fingerprint scanners have received, it’s likely that this new guidance and improved UI have been added to ensure better registration processes for all users. We do know that the upcoming Pixel 6a will utilize a different in-display scanner, but it remains to be seen if this new change will help alleviate the Pixel 6 series issues.
By adding a new fingerprint enrolment UI within Android 13, it makes it more obvious just when to begin adjusting your finger and add the extremities or edges. In Android 12, a text prompt alongside guide brackets are currently used, which are actually not entirely visible when pressing your finger on-screen.
Making this change to the fingerprint enrollment section within Android 13 could have major benefits for the upcoming Pixel 7 series, but could also help those with problems with their existing Pixel 6 series handset and ensure better unlock times when using the new unlock method.
While there is undoubtedly a lot of science that goes into making your Pixel water resistant, the ratings we currently see on our devices are not an exact science. Depending on what rating you see and what you’re told, it can get a little confusing. So is your Google Pixel waterproof or water-resistant? Here’s what you need to know.
What does your IP rating mean?
For every device, a dust and water resistance rating is released with it. It can range anywhere from IP00 to IP69K, with IP00 being unable to resist any dust or water in any capacity at all and the latter being completely water and dust-proof, even under pressure.
When it comes to smartphones, you’ll likely never see an IP00 rating simply because having an enclosure around the internals dictates at least some amount of water and dust resistance. More often than not, you’re looking at ratings around IP67 and IP68. So what does that mean?
Dust and solid object resistance
Well, the IP rating is split into two numbers – the first and second digit. The second number the first number after “IP” is the amount of resistance to dust and hazardous objects, with 6 being the highest. An IP6X rating means that your device is completely resistant to “dust ingress,” which basically means you don’t have to worry about dropping it in dirt and having any particle enter the enclosure of your Pixel. Most of Google’s Pixels have an IP6X rating, so this isn’t so much of a worry.
Water resistance
The second number after “IP” is the rating against liquid. Most devices now rate somewhere between a 6 and 8. If your IP rating is IPX6, your device is able to resist something equivalent to a harsh 12.5mm wide stream of water from any direction; where the line starts to get blurred is at IPX7 and IPX8. A lot of devices fall into one of these categories.
At IPX7, you’re looking for two qualifying resistance factors. The phone is able to withstand being submerged up to 1 meter for less than 30 minutes. At IPX8, your device can withstand more than 1 meter. Unfortunately, this could mean anywhere from 1 centimeter over a meter to 2 meters, with the exact rating being left up to the manufacturer.
Remember, these ratings are intended to represent water resistance, meaning the Google Pixel is not waterproof, only resistant up to a certain degree depending on the rating.
Rule of thumb
Since the latter rating is somewhat left up to the manufacturer to decide, here’s the general rule of thumb we recommend you exercise: if your Google Pixel has an IPX8 water resistant rating, avoid submerging over 1 meter anyways. Since this could mean that your device is protected at 3’1/8″, it’s much better to play it safe and pretend like you only have an IPX7 rating.
Does the IP rating stay the same throughout the Pixel’s life?
No. No, it does not.
Your Pixel’s IP rating, whether that’s IP67 or IP68, will not remain the same the whole time you have the phone – the rating is meant to represent what state the device is in when it left the factory. In fact, there are a few ways that the IP rating could take a dip. Anything from dropping the device to having the Pixel repaired could cause that IP rating to come down a bit.
The bits and pieces that makeup water and dust resistance also happen to be materials that are shock absorbing. This includes silicones and types of glue inside your Pixel. If your device does fall and take a hit, some of that glue could come loose, developing a weak spot in your Pixel’s water resistance rating.
What waterproofing rating is your Pixel?
As mentioned, Google’s line of Pixels usually falls in either the IP67 or IP68 rating, with newer phones being IP68. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t release an IP rating for some “a” series devices, such as the Pixel 4a or 3a. For these devices, it’s better to avoid water and dust altogether. Here’s the rating for your Google Pixel’s waterproofing:
Pixel 6 Pro – IP68
Pixel 6 – IP68
Pixel 5a – IP67
Pixel 5 – IP68
Pixel 4a – N/A
Pixel 4 – IP68
Pixel 4 XL – IP68
Pixel 3a – N/A
Pixel 3a XL – N/A
Pixel 3 – IP68
Pixel 3 XL – IP68
Pixel 2 – IP67
Pixel 2 XL – IP67
Pixel – IP53
Pixel XL – IP53
In all, it’s important to know what your Pixel can handle in terms of water and dust. To be on the side safe, even if your Google Pixel has an IP68 water resistant rating, don’t submerge your phone past 1 meter underwater if you can help it. Also, note that these ratings don’t stand true the whole lifespan of the device and can absolutely degrade over time.
Google is officially back. The Google Pixel 6 Pro is leagues ahead of its predecessors in hardware, software, and design with a brand-new set of camera sensors, a new and unique design, and plenty of new software features that leverage Google’s custom-made Tensor chip. All packaged in stylish new hardware, the Pixel 6 Pro is what Google believes is the “best expression of Android”.
The Pixel 6 Pro has been totally redesigned and features dual-tone glass finishes, along with a camera array that sits in a bar all the way across the rear of the phone. There’s now an in-display scanner (as is the trend across Android flagships), and the 120Hz LTPO AMOLED is the largest (and smoothest) of any Pixel smartphone.
Google believed that conventional chipsets weren’t enough for what it wanted to be possible on a smartphone, and the Google Pixel 6 Pro is a culmination of years of research and development that led to Google’s first customized Tensor chipset (produced by Samsung), along with the integration of that chipset with advanced software features and improving camera performance all around. The new chipset enables quicker and more efficient on-device language processing, and it allows for Google’s computational photography to work faster than before.
The Google Pixel 6 Pro has new camera sensors all around, all of which are larger than previous Pixel phones. The main camera is a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1 that Google says can capture 2.5X more light than the Pixel 5’s 12.2MP main sensor. There’s a 48MP periscope telephoto camera capable of 4X optical zoom, and an updated ultrawide camera with a new 12MP sensor. The front camera is now 11.MP and capable of recording 4K video. Google also improved the camera’s facial recognition and introduced Real Tone: a series of tweaks and improvements to the camera to accurately capture people of all skin tones.
Google Pixel 6 Pro specs at a glance:
Body: 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm, 210g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins).
Front camera:Wide (main):11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm, 1.22µm
Video capture:Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec; Front camera: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, EIS.
Battery: 5003mAh; Fast charging 30W, 50% in 30 min (advertised), USB Power Delivery 3.0, fast wireless charging up to 23W, reverse wireless charging
Misc: Titan M2 security coprocessor, In-display fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer; NFC; Google Pay; Google Assistant
You can expect 80% faster CPU performance and 370% faster GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 765G that ran in the Pixel 5. Tensor will enable new language processing features that Google touted during its presentation. It also integrated the ISP and Context Core within Tensor to make image processing and background tasks more power-efficient.
We’re excited to dive into the Google Pixel 6 Pro and check out the improvements in photography and videography, as well as expected improvements to battery life given the huge 5,003 mAh power cell. There are also some huge changes in Android 12, which coincide nicely with Google‘s new design identity. Let’s start with the phone’s packaging, which comes in a slimmer box.
Unboxing
The Pixel 6 Pro comes in a more compact box, now that a charger is no longer included. Underneath the handset in the box, you’ll find a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, SIM-eject tool, documentation, and a ‘Quick Transfer Adapter’. This lets you connect a USB-A cable into the Pixel to transfer data from another Android or iOS device.
The competition
The Pixel 6 Pro competes directly with higher-end smartphones but slightly undercuts them in price with its $899 starting price. The Pixel 6 Pro is only available in select markets, including the US, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, UK, and Ireland.
The Pixel 6 (non-Pro) is naturally the first alternative that comes to mind. Though we haven’t reviewed it yet, this Pixel comes at a significantly cheaper price point than the Pro for $599. The Pixel 6 Pro brings a smaller 6.4-inch flat display with a 90Hz refresh rate, there are 8GB of RAM (versus 12GB on the Pro), and there’s no periscope telephoto camera here. Although it has a smaller battery (4614 mAh), we’d have to run tests to tell you which one gets better battery life.
The Google Pixel 5 and 5a come to mind as the only (older) alternatives from Google. The Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 5a are both very well-rounded smartphones with excellent battery life and great all-around Pixel cameras that still hold up today in their price range.
The iPhone 13 and 13 Pro are the closest to the Pixel 6 Pro in price, though the Pixel 6 Pro’s display more closely matches Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro Max. Google‘s Pixel is often considered “The iPhone of Android” due to the first-party support and software updates that come directly from Google. Google’s 5 years of Android updates also now more closely matches Apple’s five to six years. Cameras are both impressive, but the iPhone wins in consistency and battery life on the 13 Pro Max.
The Pixel 6 Pro‘s price point sits right between the Galaxy S21+ and the S21 Ultra, but these days – even as we approach the holiday season, it may be possible to snag an Ultra at a decent discount. The Galaxy S21 Ultra is regarded as one of the best smartphones of 2021 with its fully equipped cameras, bright and beautiful AMOLED screen and multi-day battery life. Though the Galaxy is a little behind on software updates, Samsung’s One UI is packed with many features and even brings versatile support for Samsung’s S Pen Pro.
The Oppo Find X3 Pro comes to mind with its large AMOLED screen and excellent cameras. As one of the earliest smartphones running the Snapdragon 888 chipset, its battery endurance is slightly behind the Pixel 6 Pro, albeit with a 4,500 mAh battery versus the Pixel 6 Pro’s larger 5,000 mAh one. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has a 50MP main camera and dual 48MP telephoto and ultrawide cameras, and a large display with a high refresh rate. The Xiaomi phone, however, does support 67W fast charging out of the box.
The Verdict
When Google launched the Pixel 5 last year, many (including we) were met with confusion when Google announced that the flagship Pixel phone for 2020 was reverting to a mid-range device with the same camera hardware. In our review of the Pixel 5, we were disappointed that Google would not release a true flagship, but now we realize that it could have been due to supply chain issues that dated back to early 2020.
Google has been overdue for a changeup with the Pixel line, and it has been satisfied with the Pixel 6 Pro. The phone looks beautiful, the cameras have finally been updated, and Android is as good as ever with Android 12. In addition, Google has promised up to 5 years of software support including three years of OS updates and 5 years of security patches.
The cameras are extremely capable with deep colors and well-defined details, even so, we still think it could use a couple of tweaks. HDR+ seems more aggressive than it needs to be, thus making images look slightly overprocessed and sharper than true life. There’s also some inconsistency in color between the main and ultrawide cameras. The resulting images, regardless, are indeed pleasing to look at. Video sees much improvement as well, with excellent dynamic range and great stabilization. We just wish there was a way to use the 4X zoom camera in lower resolution modes, but we think this may be a bug.
So the question that bears asking here: Is the Google Pixel 6 Pro worth it? It depends on where you are located and whether you are willing to wait a bit longer for a new phone. As of the first of November, the Pixel 6 family in the US is backordered through the end of December, and even going into January for some models. In addition, the Pixel 6 duo is only available in a handful of markets across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Although it doesn’t score high marks in battery life, the Pixel 6 Pro truly is a wonderful take on Android that many have been waiting for, and we’d recommend it to anyone who has been holding onto an older-generation Pixel smartphone in hopes that Google would eventually pull through. If you’ve a more recent Pixel smartphone like the Pixel 5 or 5a, we’d recommend waiting until another Pixel comes around with the second-generation Tensor chip – one that is better able to manage battery life and one that’s perhaps less prone to throttling.
If you manage to find availability for the Pixel 6 Pro, this is the best Google Pixel that money can buy today. Google has continued to innovate in software features and has even gone out of its way to customize the chipset to leverage more software features that are exclusive to the newest Pixels while pushing its limits with computational photography.
Pros:
Gorgeous hardware design with IP68 and durable Gorilla Glass Victus all over
Excellent display with 120Hz and great sunlight legibility
Beautiful UI with fun and colorful elements; extended firmware update support (3 years OS, 5 years security); newly enabled Voice Typing and on-device voice to text processing are excellent
Google Tensor chip offers great all-around performance and excellent graphics performance
Pixel camera sees much needed improvements in still images and video; excellent shots from 4X periscope camera
Cons:
Battery life misses expectations
No charger included in the box
30W charging is not the quickest
HDR+ is too aggressive in still images and could use some tweaks
Color tuning inconsistent between main and ultrawide cameras
Google Tensor chip throttles under sustained peak performance
