The good news for Google: The Pixel 6 Pro is sold out. The bad news for Google: The Pixel 6 Pro is sold out. At least in Google’s own online shop, you can only be put on a waiting list at the moment. For five years, Google has been building smartphones that do well in test reports and still only have a market share in the alcohol range. That should change with the sixth generation – and that could work.
For the first time, Google is not cooperating with other smartphone manufacturers or chip suppliers. The new Pixel is almost 100 percent Google, from the operating system to the camera to the processor. After two weeks with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, it can be said: Google is not only building the best search engine, but also two of the best Android phones. In the class up to 650 euros there is hardly a smartphone that can keep up with the Pixel 6. The big brother, the 6 Pro, costs 900 euros and is, as Google itself puts it, the “first real flagship phone” in the Pixel series.
The predecessors were good smartphones with fascinating software and mediocre hardware, with which one asked again and again: What if Google used its machine learning skills not only to make an outdated camera sensor competitive – but also for impressive image processing with a modern camera system combined?
The answer is: The result is great photos that can compete with the top models from Apple and Samsung. Unlike the first pixel, which was put on from the camera crown, the sixth edition is not the revolution that one might expect at first glance. In both models, the camera bar stands out visually striking on the back, as if Google did not want to conceal, but also emphasize how much space the new hardware needs. In addition to the normal one, the Pixel 6 also houses an ultra-wide-angle camera, while the 6 Pro also includes a telecamera.
When it comes to zoom, the Pro is clearly ahead of the game, up to four times the magnification is optically zoomed, even the 20x digital zoom looks surprisingly good. The Pro’s front camera also has a slightly higher resolution and offers a larger field of view. If you don’t constantly photograph shy animals and regularly snap group selfies, you won’t notice any difference between the cell phones in everyday life. Both take sharp and almost noise-free pictures even in difficult lighting conditions. The night mode is excellent, the colors almost always look natural, and finally the video quality also keeps up with the photos.
However, the impression arises that more is possible. Thanks to the new sensor, the unprocessed raw material in RAW format looks worlds better than pixels 2 to 5, which all use the same hardware. Some of the finished JPG photos then appear as if Google has not yet learned how to use them. The algorithms polish the image almost too much, a little less HDR, light and artificial sharpness would sometimes be more. This is a problem that could be solved retrospectively: Maybe Google will adapt the software even better to the strengths of the hardware with an update.
The second big innovation is called the tensor. Google’s first own chip is roughly in the league of the fastest Snapdragon in the laboratory, Apple is far ahead. With modern smartphones, benchmark results are just as important as the maximum speed of a car: you almost never exhaust them anyway, everyday handling is much more important. Here the Google chip is convincing all round: Apps open in fractions of a second, there is no delay when scrolling, photos and videos are processed quickly. Android 12 doesn’t feel as smooth and natural on any device as it does on the Pixel 6.
Above all, the tensor chip, in conjunction with machine learning, enables a number of practical additional functions. The “Magic Eraser” removes unwanted objects from photos, such as strangers in the background. The dictation function of the recorder app converts voice recordings into transcripts that, with clear sound quality and low background noise, can relieve a lot of annoying typing – not only journalists are happy about this, but everyone who regularly records meetings, lectures or courses.
The battery of both models lasts at least one day with normal use, often half of the capacity is left in the evening. Charging is not as fast as with some competitors, but 30 watts via USB-C and 23 watts on a wireless charging station are enough for most of them. Both displays convince with rich colors and sufficient brightness, the Pro is slightly ahead. The 6.7-inch screen is 0.3 inches larger and also provides narrower bezels, higher resolution and a better refresh rate of 120 instead of 90 Hertz.
On the other hand, the Pixel 6 feels better in the hand. It’s smaller and the material offers more grip than the slippery back of the Pro. As soon as you use a case, not only does the bulky camera bar disappear, but this difference too. The difference in price cannot be hidden, however. The Pixel 6 costs 250 euros less, but apart from the lack of a telephoto camera, it has only a few real disadvantages. The more compact format and the lower weight could even be arguments for the cheaper model. The heart may beat for the pro, the head says: The Pixel 6 is the more sensible choice.
Both smartphones have two annoyances in common. The fingerprint sensor on the front reacts more slowly than the capacitive sensor that Google installed on the back of the predecessor. Unfortunately, the Pixel 4’s face recognition does not come back either, which was a real relief in winter: Who likes to take off their gloves in freezing temperatures to unlock their cell phone? The second inconsistency is Google’s software, of all things. Five years of security updates instead of the previous three years is a step forward; five years of function updates would have been a real challenge to Apple. But this guarantee is only available until 2024, while the iPhone 13 will receive new iOS versions until at least 2026.
If the points of criticism fit into a paragraph at the end, that means: Google has done a lot right. In 2021, however, one also has to say: smartphone development will no longer take place in leaps and bounds, but in triple steps. The Pixel 6 can’t do anything that its predecessors can’t – just a little better. With a few exceptions such as the Fairphone, every new device uses a lot of CO₂ and rare earths. Maybe the old cell phone will still do it for a while?