Pixel 6 smartphones will rival Apple and Samsung offerings, Google says

Google officially unveiled two new Pixel 6 smartphones on Tuesday, promising smart and secure devices that will go head-to-head with rivals Apple and Samsung.

The redesigned Pixel phone, the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro, will be powered by a Google-designed chip – dubbed Tensor – for the first time, improving on the performance of its predecessor by up to 80 per cent, the company said.

"The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro completely reimagine Google's approach to smartphones and represent the very best of Google's helpfulness," said Rick Osterloh, head of devices with Google.

Google is hoping to tempt smartphone users with a more inclusive camera that has been better trained to represent different skin tones more accurately, removing bias. The company said it had taken steps in hardware, software and artificial intelligence to prioritise historically underserved communities.

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The phones also allow users to remove unwanted objects from the background of photos with a few strokes, through the magic eraser tool.

The Google chip will also work with apps such as Live Translate to quickly translate messages and videos, and at lower power and on-device rather than in the cloud.

Security chip

Google has also included its new Titan M2 security chip in both smartphones, which is designed to help protect users from phishing attacks and other security threats.

The Pixel 6 Pro is Google’s first flagship smartphone, offering a triple camera system that includes a 50 megapixel sensor, a 48 megapixel telephoto camera and a 12 megapixel ultrawide lens. The ultrawide front camera also shoots 4K video, and the dynamic display adapts from a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling, down to 10Hz to save battery.

The phone also includes 12GB of RAM to help with multitasking and smooth operation.

“It’s our fastest and smartest pixel yet,” said Mr Osterloh.

The Pixel 6 comes with a 6.4 inch full HD+ display, with a 90Hz refresh rate, and a dual rear camera system that includes a 50 megapixel sensor and an ultrawide lens.

Both phones feature a distinctive camera bar and have fast-charging capabilities.

Prices for the Pixel 6 start at €599, with the more advanced Pixel 6 Pro going on sale from €899.