Google Pixel 6 release date, rumours, features, specs and news

(Pocket-lint) - Google is moving connected a mates of smartphones that volition beryllium revealed successful afloat aboriginal this year. The institution has officially teased the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, offering immoderate item arsenic to what we tin expect.

We've covered disconnected the Pixel 6 Pro successful a abstracted feature but present we are focusing connected everything we person heard and cognize truthful acold astir the Pixel 6. 

Release day and price

• October 2021
• From £599/$699

Google has confirmed the Pixel 6 volition "debut this fall", though that's each the authoritative accusation we person for now. Previous Google merchandise patterns would suggest October 2021 would beryllium a bully period to pencil in, but that's not confirmed yet.

In presumption of price, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 4 sat successful the flagship extremity of the smartphone market, portion the Pixel 5's terms enactment it successful the mid-range category.

It's not presently wide if the Pixel 6 volition spot a terms hike backmost up to flagship territory, oregon if Google volition instrumentality with the somewhat little pricing. If it sticks to the aforesaid ballpark arsenic the Pixel 5, we could spot pricing commencement from astir £599/$699.

For reference, we'd expect the Pixel 6 Pro to beryllium flagship truthful that's apt to beryllium much expensive.

Design

• Under-display beforehand camera?
• Change to rear design
• Pro model

Google itself revealed authoritative images of the upcoming Pixel 6 from the rear and the plan matches erstwhile leaked renders. There is simply a melodramatic redesign from erstwhile Pixels, with a ample camera lodging connected the rear spreading crossed the width of the phone. Google said this is due to the fact that the camera has been redesigned and nary longer fits into the quadrate camera lodging we saw connected the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5.

While Google didn't amusement disconnected the beforehand of the instrumentality - it had to permission thing to the imaginativeness close - the leaked renders from assorted sources amusement a centralised punch spread camera, precise slim bezels and a level show for the Pixel 6. 

The renders besides suggest an under-display fingerprint sensor - thing that is decidedly plausible arsenic under-display fingerprint scanners person been astir for a portion present and are connected galore of the Pixel's competitors. The carnal rear fingerprint sensor recovered connected erstwhile Pixels is besides not contiguous successful the authoritative images of the Pixel 6 from Google, truthful it would look this determination to an under-display enactment is likely.

There has been immoderate speech of an under-display beforehand camera, pursuing a filed patent from Google, though we'd beryllium amazed to spot that this twelvemonth and the renders suggest that won't beryllium thing that is happening this clip round.

Google has said the Pixel 6 volition person a matte decorativeness and the authoritative images released amusement it disconnected successful an orange/red, airy blue/green and black/grey colour options.

Display

• Pixel 6: 6.4-inch, Full HD+
• Under-display fingerprint scanner
• 120Hz refresh rate

The Pixel 5 has a 6-inch show but rumours person suggested the Pixel 6 volition beryllium somewhat larger astatine 6.4-inches. It's said to beryllium a level display, alternatively than curved similar the Pixel 6 Pro is said to beryllium coming with.

Rumours person besides claimed it volition person a Full HD+ solution with a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR enactment is besides expected.

Hardware and specs

• Google-own Tensor chip
• 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage 
• UWB technology
• 5G connectivity

Google has confirmed moving connected its ain system-on-chip, called Tensor. The institution has said it has been moving connected the spot for 4 years and information is said to beryllium astatine the bosom of it, with a caller information halfway and Titan M2. Google the Pixel 6 volition person "the astir layers of information successful immoderate phone."  

Previous rumours person said the spot could connection a akin show to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series. There's besides claims it volition person earthy show equivalent to betwixt the Snapdragon 865 and 888 though and it's claimed to person a Neural Processing Unit and Image Signal Processor inside.

In presumption of different specs, determination is said to beryllium 8GB RAM and a prime of 128GB oregon 256GB retention for the Pixel 6.

Google confirmed that its upcoming Digital Car Key feature would usage ultra-wideband technology, presently not offered successful immoderate Pixel instrumentality - a hint that a aboriginal merchandise volition see it.

Battery capableness has been rumoured arsenic 4614mAh.

Cameras

• 4K video signaling from front
• Pixel 6: Dual rear (50MP+12MP)
• 8MP front 

Google Pixel phones are praised for their fantabulous cameras truthful we afloat expect the Pixel 6 to proceed connected this path. Or we astatine slightest anticipation it does.

Google's authoritative images of the Pixel 6 corroborate a dual camera connected the rear, portion the Pixel 6 Pro volition person a triple rear camera. It's been said determination could beryllium a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera connected the Pixel 6, though that's not confirmed arsenic yet. All we cognize officially is that determination is an improved camera system.

Other rumours relating to cameras person said the suggested 8-megapixel beforehand camera could enactment 4K video signaling and video signaling wide volition beryllium improved compared to the Pixel 5. There's besides speech of a larger Samsung sensor connected committee and a gimbal-like camera mode.

Otherwise, it's not been elaborate successful leaks what the rear cameras of the 2 phones could offer, but features similar Night Sight are expected connected the Pixel 6.

Google Pixel 6 rumours: What's happened truthful far?

Here's everything we person heard astir the Pixel 6 truthful far. 

2 August 2021: Google confirms Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, powered by Google Tensor

Google confirmed the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro successful a blog post, detailing the plan and the caller hardware the devices volition tally connected erstwhile they motorboat successful the fall. 

13 July 2021: Google Pixel 6 and 6 XL names look successful developer form

Following the commencement of this year's Google for Games Developer Summit, wherever caller tools for Android crippled developers were revealed, the Pixel 6 and, interestingly, the Pixel 6 XL both appeared connected a form for a caller crippled mode API, spotted by XDA Developers.

9 July 2021: Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro specs revealed successful caller leak 

Jon Prosser published a fig of missing specs for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, including RAM, retention and artillery details. 

28 May 2021: More Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro camera details leak out

Leaker FrontTron claimed connected Twitter that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro would person a gimbal-like dependable cam mode, bigger Samsung sensor and large video signaling improvements.

— Tron (@FrontTron) May 26, 2021

25 May 2021: More Google Pixel 6, 6 Pro and 5a 5G details revealed successful leak

Max Weinbach claimed connected a podcast that the Whitechapel SoC volition connection earthy show successful betwixt the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 and 888 and it volition person a Neural Processing Unit and Image Signal Processor inside. 

He besides said the orangish exemplary would beryllium much peach than pinkish and a green, achromatic and metallic exemplary was being worked connected too.

24 May 2021: Google Pixel 6 takes its crook successful a stunning plan leak

Leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer followed up his Pixel 6 Pro renders with immoderate renders of the Pixel 6, coupled with immoderate other information.

21 May 2021: Google Pixel 6 Pro's extremist plan rendered erstwhile again

Serial leaker OnLeaks shared immoderate Pixel 6 Pro renders, pursuing connected the renders published by Jon Prosser. They amusement a akin plan but connection immoderate much details, including rhe 6 Pro's screens size and a fewer much angles.

19 May 2021: Pixel 6 exemplary numbers discovered successful Android 12 Beta

Details astir unreleased devices have been uncovered successful the Android 12 Beta.

18 May 2021: Google announced Android 12 astatine Google I/O

Google announced Android 12 during its I/O developer conference, revealing a immense redesign. The institution besides referenced "fall" for the Pixels launch, arsenic good arsenic hinting that we'd spot UWB successful a aboriginal Pixel handset.

14 May 2021: Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro renders amusement extremist alteration successful design

Jon Prosser published immoderate renders of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, successful collaboration with with @RendersbyIan. According to Prosser, the renders person been created based connected existent photographs of the existent product, not from schematics.

6 May 2021: Pixel 6 to diagnostic customized 'Whitechapel' chip?

Further grounds suggests Google is moving connected customized Whitechapel spot that volition spell into the Pixel 6.

4 May 2021: Pixel 6 mightiness rival iPhone 12 by offering UWB connectivity

XDA's Mishaal Rahman shared connected Twitter that Google is experimenting with UWB enactment connected an upcoming instrumentality codenamed Raven, which could beryllium the Pixel 6. 

30 April 2021: Google is moving connected UWB connectivity, perchance for Pixel 6 family

9to5Google reported that Google was experimenting with putting UWB exertion into its Android hardware, speculating this would beryllium recovered successful the Pixel 6 phones.

5 April 2021: Pixel 6 mightiness beryllium powered by a Google-designed 'GS101' processor

9to5Google claimed Google is processing 2 phones with an Arm-based "GS101" processor, codenamed "Whitechapel".

2 April 2021: Pixel 6 whitethorn usage Google-made spot alternatively of Qualcomm processor

XDA Developers reported Google is moving connected caller GS101 silicon for its 2021 Pixel phones. It said: "The SoC volition diagnostic a 3 clump setup with a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit). Google besides refers to its adjacent Pixel devices arsenic "dauntless-equipped phones", which we judge refers to them having an integrated Titan M information spot (code-named Citadel)."

17 March 2021: Android 12 DP2 hints astatine a aboriginal Pixel instrumentality with an under-display fingerprint scanner

XDA Developers reported spotting grounds successful Android 12 codification that suggests the Pixel 6 could travel with an under-display fingerprint scanner. 

9 March 2021: Google Pixel 6 apt to follow centered spread punch camera, 4K selfie video

9to5Google dug into an update to the Google Pixel camera app that suggests the Pixel 6 could follow centralised punch spread camera and enactment 4K video recording.

18 February 2021: Android 12 codification mightiness springiness distant immoderate Pixel 6 features

XDA Developer's Mishaal Rahman tweeted immoderate features helium recovered successful the Android 12 developer codification suggesting UI changes marque it much one-handed affable and determination was immoderate speech of under-display fingerprint scanner enactment alongside facial designation too.

Now that the embargo has lifted, here's my moving thread of changes I've recovered successful Android 12 Developer Preview 1.

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) February 18, 2021

1 December 2020: Patent suggests under-display beforehand camera connected aboriginal Pixel phone

A patent for a aboriginal Pixel phone was spotted by Patently Apple showing nary disposable beforehand camera.

Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 5 May 2021.