The Pixel smartphone is “the first phone made by Google inside and out”, Google has announced.
The same goes for its larger sibling, the Pixel XL. Both devices were officially unveiled this week, and have generally been interpreted by industry watchers as a sign that Google wants to heighten its smartphone presence beyond what it had achieved with its previous Nexus devices.
In a blog post on the company’s website, Product Management VP Brian Rakowski goes over some of the device’s salient features, including a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4 display, a seven-hour battery life, and “the highest rated smartphone camera anyone has ever made.” Rakowski also highlights the Pixel’s integration of Google Assistant, its rival to Apple’s Siri and a clear indication of the growing importance of AI systems using voice-based interaction.
The Pixel also sports a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, of which Fingerprint Cards today announced it was the source. Google has built a little extra interactivity into this standard smartphone feature by letting users swipe the sensor for a quick view of their notifications.
Rakowski notes that Google is working on special phone cases for the Pixel that will feature “exclusive designs from artists like Justin Maller, and photographers like Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield,” further suggesting a pronounced promotional effort from Google as it seeks to make the Pixel a prestige name.
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