Google unveiled a line of smartphones last week, which officially replace the original Nexus branding. The Pixel and the Pixel XL both sport some of the best specifications that the market currently has to offer. Certainly, the devices do well against other players in the market on paper, but may not prove sufficient in actual use.
The devices are definitely nothing to throw away. As earlier mentioned, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL arguably sport the best specifications that are currently available. They are, after all, powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor.
As Value Walk notes, the devices also run on Android 7.1 Nougat and 4GB of RAM. There is also a 32GB option or 128GB option for internal storage for both units. Their rear and front cameras are both 12.3 megapixels and 8 megapixels.
They do, however, differ in screen size, pixel resolution and battery life. While the smaller Pixel has a 5-inch screen with 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution, the Pixel XL has a 5.5-inch screen with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution. The smaller option has a relatively weaker 2770 mAh battery, while the larger option has a more reliable 3450 battery.
Both units seem to have taken inspiration from the iPhone, which it is often compared to. It is sleek, clean and modern. The unit has rounded edges, which feel comfortable to the touch. The Pixel and Pixel XL are also expected to be very durable because of its Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
Despite all these positives, however, Forbes notes that there is still a lot of room for error, especially because the units were made by Google. The publication brought out the history of Google, saying that things would have to be different this time around. The search engine giant does have a history of half-successful products, which were a lot of hype but no actual substance.
"We are somewhat perplexed by the launch of the device," Anil Doradla, an analyst at William Blair, told the publication. "And we believe that the Pixel will not be viewed in a positive light by the Android ecosystem players, including Samsung."
At this point, only time will tell whether or not the Google Pixel and Google XL will do well in the market. That is, better than Google's previous releases like Google Glass. Both smartphone units are set to hit stores on October 20.
>
