Google Pixel 7 & 7 Pro: What is known about Google’s 2022 flagship products

Enhancing the legacy of the Pixel phones from the previous year

A significant year for Google. Not only did the Pixel 6a steal our hearts by combining all the best features of the Pixel 6 into a mid-range phone, but the firm has also hinted at the arrival of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro in the fall of 2022. The Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch, and a few other Nest products will be unveiled on that date, which has now been verified. The three most recent Android smartphones from Google are all among the best available right now, and these new premium versions promise to improve in some key areas.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have only been teased briefly through official channels, but leaks, rumors, and prototype devices have revealed a wealth of information about what to expect. Here is everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro for the time being. Expect to learn additional details about the incoming smartphones over the course of the next few weeks.

Google Pixel 7: Hardware and specs

The Google Pixel 6 series received a major redesign from Google last year, swinging hard with its design. It appears that the business has finally established a new look for its own devices, from the contentious under-display fingerprint sensor—a first for the series—to the enormous rear camera bar. The first images of the Pixel 7 show that while each phone has undergone some significant changes, the appearance will remain essentially the same for 2022.

The Google Pixel 7’s camera strip still resembles a visor, but its cameras now have a pill-and-dot cutout. The Google Pixel 6 series’ glass rear camera bar has been replaced with a metal one in the Pixel. As there is less glass surrounding the shooter itself, we are hopeful that this camera upgrade will result in fewer photographs from this upcoming pair of phones that have lens flare problems. The Google Pixel 7 Pro adds a third dot cut-out to the mix, while the Pixel 7 has two cameras in a pill cut-out already.

The two versions’ colors vary, and there are modifications from the Pixel 6 lineup. Both phones will be offered in Obsidian and Snow, which are essentially the colors black and white. The Pixel 7 also has a distinctive Lemongrass color option (upper right of the image below), while the pro model has a third color choice of Hazel (bottom middle below). If each hue will have any market restrictions, it is something we do not yet know.

According to leaks, both models’ top-edge mmWave windows have been modified from the unattractive transparent window we saw on the Pixel 6 Pro (and specific carrier versions of the Pixel 6). I’m not sure whether it’s accurate because this portion of the phone isn’t visible in Google’s official pictures. In a reported Pixel 7 prototype that was put up for sale on eBay, the smaller model has a cleaner, smaller glass carved into the metal rail, indicating that both phones will have the feature this time around without a carrier markup. An early FCC listing suggests that ultra-wideband support will continue to be a Pro-series exclusive for another year. This restriction is probably going to disappoint you if you were hoping to experiment with digital car keys.

The Pixel 7 series appears to have a similar look to the Pixel 6 aside from these modifications. It has a glass back that is guaranteed to be glossy, just like the previous generation; a USB-C connector is located on the bottom edge, while the power button and volume rocker are located on the right edge. Except for the SIM tray, the left edge of the phone is featureless. On the smaller model, the screen is flat; on the larger model, it is curved. Although protection and an IP rating are yet unknown, it seems safe to presume they will be comparable to last year’s phone. Higher storage levels will be accessible in more markets than last year, which is a welcome development.

Unknown is whether or not the displays have been altered. According to early rumors, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro kept their same panels from the previous year’s versions, while the latter added support for a 1080p mode to conserve battery life. A Pixel 7 Pro prototype that had been bricked, however, had a Samsung display that was from a later generation, suggesting there might be a small improvement from year to year. We’re still awaiting information on the refresh rates of the displays and other specifications, but it’s likely that we won’t have all the information until we get the phones in our hands.

We have a better notion of the sizes of both phones now that we have seen several pre-production versions. The Pixel 7 is 73.2mm broad (as opposed to 74.9mm on the Pixel 6) and weighs just 195 grams (as opposed to 205 grams on the phone from last year), making it appear to be both smaller and lighter than the Pixel 6. There are several potential causes for that 10-gram difference, but a lesser battery is regrettably one of them. Having stated that, before passing judgment, we must wait for particular data to surface.

For what it’s worth, Ryne Hager, a former editor of Android Police, recently analyzed the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro photos and discovered a height variation of roughly 3-4%. That is comparable to the Pixel 6 series. It was previously rumored that the Pixel 7 would have a smaller screen than the Pixel 6, however it’s now unclear whether or not that is the case.

It’s unknown whether the fingerprint sensor on Google’s newest smartphones will be the same as on older models. The majority of the Pixel 6’s issues have been fixed by software upgrades, but the under-display fingerprint sensor hasn’t changed much since it was introduced last year. Early results appear to indicate that Google is employing a different sensor in the Pixel 6a than what is seen in the Pixel 6, and this has been confirmed by Google. Although we’re not sure if that alternative sensor will truly appear in Google’s 2022 flagships, this is good news for the Pixel 7. Speaking of sensors, the Pixel 7 might bring back the hall sensor, which would enable the long-overdue return of flip covers.

“Default enable hall sensor
Test: Compile and load on P7. Hall sensor is enabled.”

The Pixel 7 may have a hall effect sensor to detect magnetic fields. Many phones have one so flip covers with embedded magnets can be detected and the screen turned on/off accordingly. https://t.co/N0CLxVrL2k pic.twitter.com/N2BCvW1TRp

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) July 29, 2022

Each phone contains a second-generation Tensor chip, now officially known as the Tensor G2 by the manufacturer. Although Google hasn’t made a big show of the new brand, it has been noticed on a few Pixel 7 series product sites since its launch date was made official. The next-generation Tensor chip will, according to Google, have greater performance and other upgrades, maybe including support for Bluetooth LE Audio, though the actual specifications and what it will deliver are still unknown.

Rumor has it that Tensor G2, code-named “Cloudripper” internally, will be combined with a yet-to-be-released “g5300b” Samsung modem. According to early rumors, Samsung is producing it on its 4nm node, and mass production will start in June. The prototype Pixel 7 Pro that was bricked shows that it uses two Cortex-X1 cores for high performance tasks together with two Cortex-A55 cores once more for low power chores. These clusters appear to be operating at higher clock speeds, which will probably lead to a slight performance improvement over last generation phones.

We should also include reports of a third variant with the codename Lynx. Over the past few months, this model has appeared in speculations a few times, along with other planned Pixel goods like Google’s first wearable and its return to tablets. It’s still not quite known what Lynx is at this time. While some speculate that it may be a premium model priced higher than the Pixel 7 Pro, others believe it may be an internal prototype for testing cameras and CPUs for future products.

Google Pixel 7: Cameras

According to numerous leaks, the Pixel 6 range’s camera technology will remain the same. If so, both phones should have 50MP f/1.85 GN1 main and 12.5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lenses. Despite this, it appears that the Pro model is switching to Samsung’s GM1 telephoto sensor from the Sony IMX586 present on the phone from a year ago. Recent leaks indicate that there is less of a quality difference; the two sensors should operate similarly. Instead, this effort aims to make images look more uniform across the lineup of lenses, regardless of whether you’re using the main GN1 or the telephoto GM1. 

First of all – Pixel 7 (Pro) – C10/P10:
Both devices use the same GN1 primary sensor and IMX381 UW as before. The front camera is now the same on both – Samsung’s 3J1 – a 11MP sensor with dual pixel, which should improve the quality and allow for semi-secure face authentication.

— Kuba Wojciechowski⚡ (@Za_Raczke) July 25, 2022

For those who like the “smaller” model—you know, relative speaking—there is good news about the front-facing camera. Some information about Google’s next smartphones was revealed in an update to the Camera app, with a focus on support for 4K video recordings made with the selfie camera. The Pixel 6 was noticeably incapable of doing it, however the Pixel 6 Pro was. If it wasn’t convincing enough, we’ve subsequently learnt that both gadgets would employ an 11MP Samsung 3J1 sensor. This tweak is said to improve face unlock capabilities for both devices; this feature has been rumored for the Pixel 6 Pro but hasn’t yet arrived on that device.

Google Pixel 7: Software

In addition to being one of the most anticipated Android phone launches of the year, Google’s yearly Pixel launch has also provided the ideal opportunity for a significant Android upgrade to be released to customers. But given that Android 13 debuted in August of this year, it is obvious that the fun has already started months before either phone goes on sale.

Google Pixel 7: Price and availability

The October release date for Pixel flagships has become a tradition, and it appears that this trend will continue in 2019. Google has confirmed that the introduction of the Pixel 7 series will take place on October 6 in New York City, with the entire event being live online. The event is scheduled to start at 10 AM ET.

We also know that pre-orders will begin on October 6th, most likely right after the event, according to a video teaser. However, don’t anticipate receiving the phones the next week. The most recent leaks indicate that the Pixel 7 series probably won’t be available for purchase on October 18th, two weeks after the unveiling.

Sir Caschy confirming what I heard a little while ago… Pixel 7 series starts shipping from Oct 18: https://t.co/EFyTeKkOqR

— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) September 19, 2022

We finally have an idea of how much the phones will cost when they are first released. According to leaked Target listings, the Pixel 7 is anticipated to cost $599, while the Pixel 7 Pro would set you back $899. Even while there may be widespread inflation both inside and outside the tech industry, it is evident that Google wants to keep beating its rivals with pricing that are exactly in line with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.

Even while we already have a lot of knowledge regarding the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, there is still a great deal we don’t know about the year’s top gadgets. History suggests that there will be a lot of leaks along the way. The Samsung Galaxy S22+ and our list of the top Android phones are both excellent options if you can’t wait until October to get a new phone.