Looking back at the history of Pixel phones, we can see why Google decided to ditch the Nexus lineup in favor of Pixel devices. In the last five years, the company has focused exclusively on improving its software instead of improving the existing hardware.
Features like HDR+ and Night Sight have completely revolutionized the way we can use software to improve photography. This was achieved by using Artificial Intelligence and use it to improve computational photography.
Lately, Google has focused on speech recognition. A good example of the same is the inbuilt Recorder app that can search and even transcribe audio clips without uploading them to the cloud. While the improvements to AI are endless, Google says it has run into “computing limitations” that has greatly hindered their progress.
This is precisely the reason why Google has ventured into the SoC space. While this is not the first time Google is making a custom SoC, it is the first time the company is building it from scratch. It took a lot of time for Google to build the platform, but now that it’s here, they are eager to show what it is capable of.
Built exclusively for Pixel devices, the SoC is called Tensor. Google says that it will power the Pixel 6 Pro that is coming out this fall. Having said that, let us take a look at what Google Tensor SoC has to offer.
Pixel 6 Design
Google has finally decided to upgrade the camera system on the Pixel 6. They now feature improved sensors and come with new lenses. It is paired with a new camera bar paired with new materials and finishes for the phone. The Google Pixel 6 Pro will be available in a polished aluminum frame, whereas the Pixel 6 will offer a matte aluminum finish.
Material You
The Material design that was introduced in Android Lollipop has undergone several iterations. However, Google seems to be upping the ante with Android 12. The new OS brings in the Material You design language that was unveiled back at the Google I/O 2021. The new design features new animations and framework that adapts according to user habits.
Tensor
Google has developed the new Tensor SoC to take advantage of AI in combination with Machine Language. It will enable the company to optimize its algorithms and bring in new features to the photography department. It is backed by Google’s own security core and Titan M2, making the Pixel 6 the phone with the most hardware security features.
