Less then just two weeks ago the pebble dropped and the ripples were felt throughout the tech industry. Samsung recalled their highly acclaimed flagship Samsung Galaxy Note 7 due to safety reasons and the alarming rate of reports containing spontaneous battery combustion. Across the waters, Apple courageously released the newly emancipated headphoneless jack obsolete and watertight iPhone 7 and 7 Plus to much bemusement and controversy and astonishment. Finally, we have the imminent release of the Google Pixel & Pixel XL but do we really have anything to be excited about? the first ever smartphone #MadeByGoogle optimised for Android smartphone. A new age of device with state of the art machine learning and AI integrated into the phone with the form of Google Assistant at the heart and thinking cerebrum. Adapting to the individual user on a universal scale bringing helpful AI into your home and with you wherever you are.

image source-flickr-Maurizio Pesce

image source-flickr-Maurizio Pesce

Machine Learning

The direction Google are wading they’ve been working towards for 18 years after acquiring DeepMind a british AI company in 2014. Google have been working in unison with their search engine and machine learning AI boasting a knowledge graph of over over 70 billion facts of places and bits and bobs. Google remind us that this combination includes natural language processing, language translation and voice and image recognition. The AI behind Google is the same artificial intelligence to unanimously defeat reigning european GO champion Fan Hui 5-0 in September this year. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL both feature the latest version of android 7.1 Nougat and naturally include the newly packaged AI Google Assistant.

Google Assistan- Image source- Flickr- Maurizio Pesce

Google Assistan- Image source- Flickr- Maurizio Pesce

Google Assistant

Google assistant can be accessed any time on the phone by holding down the capacitive home button. You can still use Google Now cards with the traditional hold-and-swipe up but simply holding down the home button will prompt Google Assistant to welcome you with a benign “Hi, how can I help?”. You’ll be able to ask your Goggle assistant anything you can fathom and it will only get better and more humanlike in it’s pattern and image recognition as machine learning progresses with Google. It can be used for directions, finding shops, booking restaurants, organising your daily tasks, operating the phone, making texts and calls and anything you might expect from Siri yet better, with a continuity of dialogue and practicality that adapts and remembers your quizzical needs.

Android Nougat 7.1 Image Source-Flickr-iPhoneDigital

Android Nougat 7.1 Image Source-Flickr-iPhoneDigital

Operating System

With Google Assistant built into the home button making the Pixel and Pixel XL unique there’s also included all the benefits of the latest version of android 7.1 Nougat. This includes Google Allo Messaging service over 4G Broadband and Wifi which isn’t built as an SMS service. However, it has an built in SMS relay so you can message people in your contact list that don’t have Google Allo already installed. Furthermore, they can text back setting up a software ecosystem with pier to pier encryption messaging, similar to WhatsApp with the added bonus of Google Assistant, available as an in-chat tool whilst providing smart replies simultaneously with Allo. Google include their face-time alternative available on iOS and Android Google Duo. Further benefits of Nougat include refined customisation and multitasking app windows along with simplified UI of individual app and system settings.

Google-Pixel/Pixel XL Design-image cource-flickr-Maurizio Pesce

Google-Pixel/Pixel XL Design-image cource-flickr-Maurizio Pesce

Design Language

The Google Pixel and Pixel XL are a moment of history and seedling fruition for Google’s empire and helpful A.I world vision. Both newly manufactured smartphone bless the likeness and touch of HTC’s influence and previous models of Google’s Nexus partnered projects. Except that these smartphones are entirely built and not just branded by and with Google. There’s HTC’s distinctive chamfered edge and at the back of the phone there’s a circular rest fingerprint sensor for security and NFC payment via Google Pay. There is no wireless charging however the non-removeable battery (3459 mAh on the XL & 2770 mAh on the Pixel) and the reversible USB type-C charger and connection provided will recharge 7 hours in a staggering 15 minutes. The Primary 12.3 MP camera received the highest ever marks from DxOMark, rating it at 89 giving the highest score on a smartphone camera to date ever. The mark isn’t just in the hardware and the 12.3 MP f/2.0 lens included with phase detection, laser autofocus and dual-LED (dual tone) flash, but weaved into the algorithmic fabric of the software, capturing multiple images in HDR+ and stitching together the optimum picture near enough every time.

Google Pixel Sensor- Image Source-Flickr- Maurizio Pesce

Google Pixel Sensor- Image Source-Flickr- Maurizio Pesce

Specifications & Price

Usually with a Nexus project, a low cost is associated with flagship specs but this is Google’s own first born footprint and reputation to cement. The Pixel itself is the smaller of both devices bearing a 5 inch Super-AMOLED QHD display with 1080 x 1920 pixels and in depth PPI. The Pixel XL as entitled is larger than it’s sibling at 5.5 inches with a greater 1440 x 2560 pixels and even more in-depth pixels per inch across its area. Both new premier smartphone from Google have the privilege to be the first to contain the fastest Snapdragon 821 chipset ever, produced by Qualcomm. Paired together with a Quad-core processing system, consisting of two 2.15 & two x 1.6 GHz core processors. There’s a hefty 4GB of RAM on board for hurdling all tasks the pair of handsets are Google Daydream VR ready. All this comes in at a high price point around £599 for the Pixel and £719 for the XL. This places Google’s debut smartphones to the market at the top of the pyramid and in direct competition with Apple. Available in 32GB and 128GB variants and opposing shades of ‘Quite Black’ and ‘Very Silver’ you can pre-order both devices from EE and iD Mobile today set for release on Thursday the 20th of October.

Image Source- Flickr-Maurizio Pesce

Image Source- Flickr-Maurizio Pesce

Where To Order The Pixel & Pixel XL?

The Pixel and Pixel XL are void for any extra room for expandable memory, there’s also no replaceable battery or wireless charging. On the other hand, it’s Google’s first smartphone optimised for android with the latest Nougat 7.1 OS and the revolutionary Google Assistant launched inside. Google Pixel owners will get a lifetime of online cloud video and image storage space. Ready for Google’s VR headset and platform Daydream. Google are ready for the future in more ways than one and it looks like there ready to do battle with Apple after an age of patiently waiting. Via @EzMobiles you can pre-order both devices. See further details below.

Alternative Google Pixel Tariffs With EE & iD Mobile