Google has officially released the Google Pixel, its newest smartphone range. What makes it special? Pixel is the first phone to have Google Assistant built-in, taking advantage of advancements Google has made in the machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) space. The idea is to bring a personalised Google experience to every user. The Pixel also has the best smartphone camera ever made and is built for mobile virtual reality. Read on to find out more.
Google had sent invites out to Australian journalists for an event on October 5 at 3am AEDT. The invitation was vague but it was quite evident that it was going to be for the announcement of the Google Pixel, thanks to the many accidental leaks made by telcos abroad.
Google finally provided more information on the Pixel, and it did not disappoint.
What’s So Special About Pixel?
Hardware isn’t new for Google, but what makes the Pixel phones exciting is the company’s ambition to bring a personalised Google experience to the handsets’ users. This is done through the integration of Google Assistant which brings all the advancements the company has made in machine learning and AI. Google Assistant, an evolution of what was formerly known as Google Now, gets smarter and is able to help users get things done faster through voice commands; it’s more conversational than Google Now to make it easier for users to give it directions.
The AI also ties into the Pixel’s camera. The camera sounds impressive on paper: it received a DxOMark score of 89; that’s the highest score that has ever been given to a smartphone camera. Google was meticulous in ensuring that the 12.3-megapixel camera’s hardware and software were optimised so that users can take great quality photos with the less effort.
Here’s where the AI comes into to it: the camera has a feature called Smartburst which takes a series of photos and the built-in AI automatically selects the best photo. It also has HDR+ for clearer and more vivid photos with zero shutter lag.
Google is also boasting that the Pixel’s camera has the shortest capture time than any other smartphone camera thanks to the speed of the app. Video stabilisation lets users take smooth 4K clips and the handset features unlimited cloud storage in Google Photos so it won’t run out of memory to store photos and videos.
Besides quick charging that gives you up to 7 hours of power with 15 minutes of charging and automatic updates that run without being prompted, another laudable feature on the Pixel is 24/7 live customer care. It’s built right into the handset which means users can reach Google support agents, by phone or online chat.
VR is so hot right now and, of course, Google wants a big piece of that pie. The Pixel is Google Daydream VR ready. You can read more about Google Daydream VR here.
The Specs
| Google Pixel | Google Pixel XL | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android Nougat | Android Nougat |
| Dimensions | 143.8mm x 69.5mm x 8.6 mm | 154.7mm x 75.7mm x 8.6 mm |
| Weight | 138g | 168g |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Quad Core 2x 2.15GHz/ 2x 1.6GHz Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Quad Core 2x 2.15GHz/ 2x 1.6GHz Processor |
| Memory/Storage | 32GB/128GB, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM | 32GB/128GB, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM |
| Display | 5-inch Hi-Definition AMOLED display | 5.5-inch Hi-Definition AMOLED display |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 ppi) | 1440 x 2560 pixel (~534 ppi) |
| Camera | 12.3MP with large 1.55um pixels and f/2.0 aperture (rear), 8MP f/2.0 (front) | 12.3MP with large 1.55um pixels and f/2.0 aperture, 8MP f/2.0 (front) |
| Colours | Quite Black, Very Silver and Really Blue (not available in Australia) | Quite Black, Very Silver and Really Blue (not available in Australia) |
| Additional features | 3.5mm headphone jack, Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor, Bluetooth 4.0 | 3.5mm headphone jack, Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor, Bluetooth 4.0 |
Pricing And Availability
The Google Pixel range starts at $1079 for the 5-inch Pixel with 32GB internal storage and $1229 for the 128GB version. The 5.5-inch Google Pixel XL with 32GB will set you back $1269 and $1419 for the 128GB version. The colours available in Australia are Quite Black and Very Silver.
You can get the Pixel phones through Telstra, the exclusive telco partner for the handsets, on a range of Go Mobile Plus and My Business Mobile Plans as well as through Telstra Partner JB HiFi stores and the Google Online Store. On a $95 Telstra Go Mobile Plus plan with 10GB of data, the Pixel 32GB version will incur a $4 monthly handset repayment.
Australians can pre-order the smartphones from today and the official release date is October 20.
Comments
16 responses to “Google Pixel And Pixel XL: Australian Pricing, Specs And Release Date”
Telstra exclusive? y u do dis Google?
I know…
I’d be more outraged (telco exclusives are the pits) but I’m still recovering from the 3am launch event.
I can’t feel my face.
C’mere lil darlin, I’ll feel it for ya 😉
Starts at $1079!!! Ouch. Might stick with my Nexus 6P for a while…there’s no way I’m going on contract with telstra…
Yep, if this is the way things are going, I think my Nexus 5X might have to be my last smartphone. Unless someone starts doing what Ubuntu was going to do (dock the phone for a full desktop OS) to justify that price.
Looks like an iPhone, priced liked an iPhone.
Was hoping the rumors about the price were false but unfortunately they weren’t. Time to buy a Nexus 6P.
not just priced like an iPhone, exactly the same:
iPhone 7 128GB AUD1299
Pixel 128GB AUD1299
iPhone 7 Plus 128GB AUD1419
Pixel XL 128GB AUD1419
Time to go to the Reject Shop for the “I can buy a non-Apple [fill in blank here] for a “quarter” of the price”.
Still runs Android, even if Google has tried to match Apple on hardware/build quality.
Expensive mediocre phone. I see no reason for this to be priced the same as a iPhone, Galaxy S7 or similar, and even MORE expensive than the likes of HTC 10, Sony Xperia XZ, etc. Where’s the high end features? That’s a high end price tag for a mid range phone.
It seems like they are justifying the high price with included features, like Google Assistant. It’s overpriced in terms of the hardware. Still, lifetime full resolution photo back-up is pretty sweet. At this price point though, it’d be nice to see IP67 dust/water resistance, maybe some front facing speakers to justify the big bezels…
Have they clarified what ‘lifetime’ means? Is it your lifetime or the phones lifetime?
So apparently neither Optus nor Google can confirm that only Telstra is having the plan. So hopefully other providers can as well.
Hi clarkinator,
It was mentioned at today’s Pixel Australian launch event that Telstra is the exclusive telco partner. Not sure if that will change in the future.
Cheers,
Spandas
Price mistake for XL version in article. 32GB version is $1269, but the 128GB is a whopping $1419 (not $1299 as written above)
Thanks mate. Fixed!
What’s up with the crazy pricing?
In the US the Pixel starts from US$649
With current exchange rate = AU$850
Australian pricing = AU$1079
$229 or 27% more expensive!!!!
It’s the “Australia” tax
As a Nexus fan boy and an owner of the last six Nexus phones. I’m bitterly disappointed in the price. Last year’s 6P was $1000 for 64gb, the Pixel is $1419 for the 128gb. Why is there a 40% price increase. They’re charging Apple prices but not supplying Apple like service. Apple supply major OS updates for several years and the service you get from a Genius Bar is impressive. I’ve seen people get replacement products in minutes and not have to post back to Hong Kong.
This is the first year in many that I want be pulling the trigger instantly and watching the parcel tracker page every few minutes with excitement.