In the long arc of technology's evolution, Google has stepped into new territory with the Pixel 6 series — not merely by redesigning a smartphone, but by forging its own silicon for the first time. Announced in August 2021 for a fall launch, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro represent Google's clearest statement yet that it intends to compete not just as a software company, but as a full-stack hardware maker. The custom Tensor chip and sweeping design overhaul signal that Google is no longer content to borrow the foundations others have built.
Google Unveils Pixel 6 Series With Custom Tensor Chip, Redesigned Camera Bar
A horizontal strip that spans the width of the device
Mark
Why does Google suddenly care about designing its own chip? Isn't that a massive undertaking?
Mimi
It's the same calculation Apple made years ago. When you control the silicon, you can optimize everything else around it—the camera processing, the security, the way software runs. For Google, it's about baking computational photography directly into the hardware.
Mark
And the camera bar—that's not just aesthetics, is it?
Mimi
No. It's functional. Bigger sensors need more space. Google is saying those sensors capture 150 percent more light than before. The bar is honest about what's inside.
Mark
What about the security angle? Why emphasize that so heavily?
Mimi
Because phones hold everything now—your location, your messages, your financial data. A dedicated security core and the Titan M2 chip mean certain operations never touch the main processor. It's a harder target to hit.
Mark
So this is Google saying it's ready to compete with Apple at the premium level?
Mimi
That's what the Pro variant signals. No more XL model—they're drawing a clear line between standard and premium. And the pricing will reflect that ambition.
Mark
What about that speech-to-text demo? That seemed almost like an afterthought in the announcement.
Mimi
It might be the most important thing they showed. Real-time transcription while you edit, all happening on-device? That's the kind of feature that changes how people actually use their phones.
Le Pouls
- Google's leap into custom chip design with Tensor directly challenges Apple's years-long silicon advantage, raising the stakes for what Android hardware can achieve.
- The bold, polarizing camera bar — a horizontal strip spanning the phone's full width — breaks sharply from Pixel's understated past and demands the market's attention.
- Advanced computational photography and a near-instant speech-to-text feature hint at AI capabilities that could redefine what users expect from a smartphone camera and voice interface.
- Premium pricing signals Google is abandoning its mid-range comfort zone, placing the Pixel 6 series in direct confrontation with Samsung and Apple at the top of the market.
- With no price revealed at announcement, anticipation and uncertainty hang over the launch — the final number will determine whether Google's ambitions translate into real consumer adoption.
In the long arc of technology's evolution, Google has stepped into new territory with the Pixel 6 series — not merely by redesigning a smartphone, but by forging its own silicon for the first time. Announced in August 2021 for a fall launch, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro represent Google's clearest statement yet that it intends to compete not just as a software company, but as a full-stack hardware maker. The custom Tensor chip and sweeping design overhaul signal that Google is no longer content to borrow the foundations others have built.
Google officially unveiled the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in August 2021, announcing a fall launch for two devices that represent the most dramatic reinvention in the Pixel line's history. The most visible change is the camera bar — a wide horizontal strip running the full width of the phone — a design that had leaked months earlier but still manages to feel like a genuine statement of intent. Both models carry a dual-tone finish, with the Pro wrapped in polished aluminum and the standard model in matte, each available in three colors.
At the heart of both phones is Tensor, Google's first custom-built processor. Designed specifically to power computational photography and on-device AI, Tensor places Google in the same category as Apple — companies that control their own silicon rather than depending on third-party chips. Security is equally emphasized, with a dedicated security core and the Titan M2 chip providing hardware-level protection Google claims surpasses any current competitor.
The two models diverge meaningfully in display and camera. The Pixel 6 Pro offers a 6.7-inch QHD+ curved screen at 120Hz and a triple-camera system — wide, ultra-wide, and a 4X optical telephoto — with the primary lens capturing 150 percent more light than its predecessor. The standard Pixel 6 carries a 6.4-inch flat FHD+ screen at 90Hz and a dual-camera setup without telephoto. Both include in-display fingerprint scanners.
Press demonstrations highlighted the camera's performance against the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 Pro Max, and showcased a near-instantaneous speech-to-text feature capable of real-time editing mid-dictation. Google's SVP Rick Osterloh confirmed the series would be priced at the premium tier — a deliberate signal that Google is no longer playing it safe, and is ready to compete at the very top of the smartphone market.
Google has officially unveiled the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, two smartphones that mark a significant departure from the company's previous design language. Both devices will arrive this fall, powered by Google's first custom-built processor, called Tensor, and running Android 12 with the company's new Material You design system.
The most immediately striking change is the camera module. Rather than the small, recessed lens arrangement of earlier Pixel phones, Google has introduced what it calls the camera bar—a horizontal strip that spans the width of the device and houses larger sensors than any previous Pixel generation. This design choice, which matches renders that leaked in May, gives both phones a distinctive visual identity. The phones retain a dual-tone aesthetic, with the power and volume buttons positioned on the right side and a blank left panel. The Pro model features a polished aluminum frame, while the standard Pixel 6 comes with a matte finish. Both are expected to offer three color options each, and both include a centered hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera.
Internally, the Tensor chip represents Google's move into the same territory Apple has occupied for years—designing its own silicon rather than relying on third-party processors. The chip is engineered specifically to enhance computational photography, enabling what Google describes as entirely new capabilities alongside improvements to existing camera features. The Tensor also incorporates a dedicated security core and the Titan M2 security chip, which Google claims provides more layers of hardware security than any competing smartphone.
The two models differ in screen size and camera capability. The Pixel 6 Pro features a 6.7-inch QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a slightly curved screen. Its camera system includes three sensors: a new wide-angle primary lens that captures 150 percent more light than its predecessor, an ultra-wide-angle secondary lens, and a telephoto lens with 4X optical zoom. The standard Pixel 6 steps down to a 6.4-inch full-HD+ flat screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and a dual-camera setup that omits the telephoto lens. Both phones include in-display fingerprint scanners.
Members of the press, including Dieter Bohn of The Verge, were shown demonstrations of the Pixel 6 series' camera performance alongside the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 Pro Max. They also witnessed a demo of a new speech-to-text feature that operates with near-instantaneous speed, allowing users to edit words while still dictating. Rick Osterloh, Google's Senior Vice President for Devices and Services, announced the phones via a blog post but stopped short of revealing pricing. However, The Verge reported that Osterloh indicated the Pixel 6 series would be positioned as a premium-priced product, signaling that Google intends to compete at the high end of the smartphone market.
Citations marquantes
The Tensor chip enables entirely new features, plus improvements to existing ones when it comes to computational photography— Google
The Pixel 6 series will be positioned as a premium-priced product— Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services at Google, via The Verge
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur Gadgets 360 ↗
Technology