Google has now launched the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro models in the Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish markets, and the Pixel series is now selling and operating in 17 countries and regions around the world.

Sundar Pichai also mentioned the Pixel Watch, saying.

"I think the current consumer mindset is no longer limited to phones, but extends to a whole ecosystem.

To that end, we've added Fitbit to our ecosystem and launched the Pixel Watch, and we've worked closely with Samsung on the development of WearOS, driving over 300% more activity in the Android watch ecosystem."

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Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 system images are available for Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, as well as in Android emulators.

Comparison of old and new interface

Some users found that the interface of Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 to change wallpaper has changed.

It is worth noting that Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 is still using the January 2023 security patch, which may be addressed in a later update (such as Beta 3.1).

Android 13 QPR2 will see a stable release in March.

The Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 update addresses the following issues.

Developer-reported and user-reported issues
Fixes an issue where notifications in the notification group were sometimes displayed at right angles instead of rounded corners. (Issue #264287776, Issue #265529116)

Fixed an issue where information in the notification bar indicating an active VPN connection overlapped with information about an application with an active frontend service. (Issue#266075977)

Fixed an issue where the overflow menu could not be accessed when editing the Quick Settings tile. (Issue #263484657)

Fixed an issue that sometimes caused devices with vibration enabled to vibrate for too long after receiving a notification. (Issue #239676913)

Other Issues Resolved
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the messaging app to crash or fail to send notifications.

Fixed a GPU issue that prevented the app from using certain visual effects.

Fixed an issue where the Quick Settings tile for a job profile was not being added after setting up a new device.

Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the Pixel launcher to crash when using the search bar in the app drawer.

Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented the device from being unlocked using a pattern after activating Google Assistant.

Fixed an issue in the com.android.qns system process that would sometimes cause a crash.

Fixed an issue in the Pixel launcher that caused Chinese text to be unrecognized when entered in the search bar of the app drawer.

Fixed an issue where the System Settings app would crash when entering and exiting Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode from the app after changing screen orientation with a “Settings keep stopping” message, and then the System Settings app would not open.

Fixed an issue with the System UI that would sometimes cause it to crash due to a null pointer exception.

Fixed an issue where the connection status of Bluetooth devices sometimes did not match the actual device status.

Fixed an issue where the Pixel launcher would crash when a user clicked on a web search suggestion for a query term.

Fixed an issue that caused the status bar icon to overlap with the date text when the font and display settings were set to the maximum level on the device.

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Google Quick Pairing Service (GFPS) uses Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) to discover nearby Bluetooth devices without consuming much of the phone’s power, enabling a “magical” scenario based on device proximity.

A key feature of this feature is audio switching support, which seamlessly switches headset connections between devices based on user activity (e.g., starting a movie) and priority events (e.g., incoming calls).

According to a screenshot shared by Mishaal Rahman, a Google Quick Pair-enabled phone detects a nearby product that also supports this feature (e.g. headset/phone) and a QR code pops up, which can be scanned by the user to transfer data from the phone.

Before transferring, however, the Quick Pair feature requires biometric or PIN verification, which should prevent unwanted data transfers.

Setup will then run automatically, but some OEMs may require additional steps. On Samsung Galaxy S23 models, Samsung will remind users to install the Smart Switch app.

Overall, the Smart Switch feature allows smartphones to find the target phone faster and complete the data side of the migration transfer through quick pairing.

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For years, Google’s efforts in the smartphone market have been partially successful. The Pixel 3 is still reportedly the company’s best-selling smartphone. But with the launch of the Pixel 6 series, Google has had its “fastest-selling” Pixel ever, making it one of the top five smartphone manufacturers in North America. While Google’s success to date has been minimal compared to Apple’s, it is clearly doubling down on the Pixel phones.

The Information found that Google is betting big on a hardware strategy that includes shifting product development and software engineering staff to Google-branded devices, rather than providing support features for non-Google hardware. Google, of course, provides the base software layer for almost every Android phone in the world, and new features are often available for devices of all brands. This move does not reduce support for partners such as Samsung, but the negative impact is still inevitable.

Leaked internal documents reveal that Google recently decided to remove support for certain Wear OS smartwatches and the smart assistant Google Assistant on Driving Mode, all apparently as part of an internal shift at the company. The leak claims that Google has a shortlist of Android brands “for which it should develop the best Google services”. The list includes at least partners such as Samsung.

Google’s strategic shift could also have an impact on “less important” Google devices. Last month, Google shelved plans for ChromeOS laptops, and with the launch of the Pixel Watch, it’s clear that Google is also moving away from Fitbit smartwatches.

The shift in Google’s mindset stems from three main factors: the first is Samsung’s poor performance in the market. Google fears that Samsung’s customers will drift to Apple and thus lose more market share. iPhone shipments surpassed Android phones for the first time in 2022 in the US. As a result, Google CEO Sundar Pichai believes it is “in the best interest of the company to protect itself” by investing more in its own devices.

The second factor is that US antitrust regulators are reviewing Google’s search agreement with Apple, which allows Google to offer Google search services on the iPhone. If the agreement is stopped, this could result in Google losing its dominant position in the iPhone Safari browser. The rise of Apple and the decline of Samsung could pose a significant challenge to Google’s revenue if the iPhone stops showing Google ads.

A third factor is a concern about the current economic situation. In a recent interview, Pichai said that Google’s goal was to “become 20 percent more efficient”, which has led to a hiring freeze in other areas of the company and a reduction in size. Last month, Google cut its incubator unit Area 120 by 50 percent and announced that its cloud gaming platform Google Stadia would shut down in early 2023.

Notably, Google is also apparently considering moving some of its staff away from the Android Automotive project, which is being used by carmakers such as Ford and Volvo for their in-car native operating systems. While the project is expected to generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue for Google over the next few years, the scale of revenue is still “too small” to have a meaningful impact on the company’s profits. In the second quarter of this year, Google’s revenue was close to US$70 billion. However, Google’s strategic shift will not affect the standard version of Android Automotive.

Kirk McMaster, former president of third-party Android OS developer Cyanogen, has said that as Apple continues to grow in the smartphone market, Google cannot and should not abandon the Pixel phones and its own hardware, as this would mean “literally ceding power to Apple “.

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These two new models also bring a new selfie camera – the latest reports of 10.8 million say otherwise. Furthermore, the camera is the same on both phones: on the Pixel 7 Pro, it will have a 93° FoV, while on the Pixel 7 it will be slightly wider, at 97°.

The larger Pixel 7 Pro will have the exact same battery capacity as its predecessor – 5,000mAh – but it also promises up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver (up from 48 hours on the 6 Pro). This larger display puts an extra burden on the battery, so it should last for around 27 hours of normal use.

Likewise, the ultra-wide angle camera on the back is said to have a different field of view – 125° on the Pro version and 106° on the standard version. This seems odd, so we’ll need to wait for official confirmation (both models had 114° last year)

The main camera should retain its predecessor’s 50-megapixel sensor (1/1.3″) and OIS (f/1.85 lens, 82°). The standard model phone will rely on its Super Res Zoom feature for magnification, while the Pro model will have a dedicated 4.8x periscope lens (up from the 6 Pro’s 4.0x) with a 48-megapixel sensor on the back.

The display will also be a major differentiating factor. The Pro will boast a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel (1,440 x 3,120 pixels) with a 120Hz resolution and a peak brightness of 1,500 nits. The Pixel 6 will be a tenth of an inch smaller than its predecessor, with a 6.32-inch OLED panel (1,080 x 2,400 pixels), a 90Hz refresh rate and 1,400 nits peak brightness. Both will have a metal frame and Gorilla Glass Victus on the front.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will be officially unveiled on Thursday 6 October, with unofficial information suggesting they will go on sale a week later on the 13th. The Pixel 7 starts at €650 and it is Pro sibling at €900.

Pixel 7 HD renders

Pixel 7 Pro

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Official images of Wear OS versions of Google Photos, Google Home and personal security apps grabbed from Play Store listings suggest that these apps may be coming to Wear OS. The system, also known simply as Wear, was formerly known as Android Wear.

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At first glance, the Pixel Watch’s Google Photos watch interface appears to be very similar to Android 12’s lock screen. The photos have been rounded and cropped to match the design of the watch. In addition, there is some space at the top of the watch face to accommodate the date/day and time display configurations.

In addition, Google allows users to cycle through selected images throughout the day. the Google Home app for Wear OS showcases a card list design where smart home devices are listed within rectangular tabs. These tabs include an icon, background color, device name and room name. In one of the screenshots provided, you can also see a reminder about the “people you see”.

Finally, a screenshot of “Call” also shows an option to switch to a personal safety app to help call a predefined emergency contact or service.

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Compared to the A15 chip used in Apple’s iPhone 14, the Google Tensor G2 powered by the Google Pixel 7 was crushed. The former scored over 1700 points for single core and 4700 points for multi-core.

In addition, the Google Pixel 7 features a 6.3-inch 90Hz OLED screen, a 50-megapixel main camera and 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle on the rear, 11-megapixel on the front, a 4,700mAh battery, 8GB of RAM as standard, and Android 13 pre-installed.

On the whole, the Google Pixel 7 is a “toothpaste” upgrade, and the focus will be on the Pro version. The Pixel 7 Pro is said to feature a 2K+ full-screen, Google Tensor G2, a main, ultra wide-angle and periscopic telephoto camera on the rear, and Android 13 pre-installed as well.

It will be officially launched on October 6 and go on sale a week later.

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But with the 11MP front camera on both the Pixel 7 / 7 Pro, it not only unlocks 4K front camera video recording but also sets the stage for future face-to-unlock functionality.

The Samsung 3J1 is said to support Dual Pixel Autofocus (DPAF) — typically for portrait mode/background bokeh, but also for more accurate and secure face unlock — which has been a major shortcoming of Pixel smartphones in recent years.

While the Pixel 6 Pro also supports DPAF, the move to the Pixel 7 (non-Pro) this year means that Google is treating it as a standard feature.

The face unlocking aspect of the Android camp has not yet reached a level of reliability comparable to Apple’s Face ID facial recognition.

In addition, Kuba Wojciechowski claims that the upcoming Pixel tablet (T6), will follow the same Sony IMX355 sensor (8 MP front and rear cameras / same as the Pixel 3) as of 2018.

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While browsing the GS101 camera hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for Android 13 Beta 4, the leaker found “Lynx (L10)”, believed to be the codename for the rumored Google phone. Wojciechowski also shared the camera specs for the supposedly high-end Google phone. It will have the same 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GN1 primary sensor as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

The “Lynx” phone may also have a 64-megapixel Sony IMX787 telephoto sensor and an unannounced 13-megapixel Sony IMX712 front-facing camera. This is the first time Google has used a new sensor.

In addition to the “Lynx,” the leaker also found details of the camera sensor for the foldable Pixel device codenamed Passport or Pipit (P7). The code shows that the aforementioned foldable device will have a Samsung ISOCELL GN1 sensor, a Sony IMX363 sensor, a Sony IMX386 sensor, and a Sony IMX355 sensor. However, details about the camera resolution are not yet clear.

However, Kuba hasn’t mentioned whether the foldable phone is the rumored Pixel Fold or another model. However, we’ve heard the code name “Passport” before. The “Passport” foldable phone was supposed to launch in the fourth quarter of 2021, but Google apparently failed to deliver.

Google is said to launch its first foldable phone in the fourth quarter of 2022. The search giant is also developing its first tablet, the Pixel Notepad, but there’s no word yet on when it will be available.

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According to sources, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have a front-facing camera that supports 4K video recording. The Pixel 6 currently features an 8-megapixel camera that only supports video recording up to 1080P resolution, while the Pixel 6 Pro features 11.1 megapixels and supports 4K video recording.

The code found in the Google Camera app tags the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro with “p21_front_setup”, which was previously reserved for the Pixel 6 Pro, suggesting that the upcoming phones could be the same as Google’s top flagship in 2021. The code was previously reserved for the Pixel 6 Pro, suggesting that the upcoming phone could have the same sensor as Google’s top flagship in 2021.

While this isn’t a downgrade and helps Google save money by reusing older hardware, we should see imaging improvements driven by the second-generation Tensor chip. This isn’t a new strategy where the company reuses imaging hardware but uses clever software tricks to improve quality.

Also, we don’t know the frame rate limit for selfie cameras recording 4K video, but if the sensor comes directly from the Pixel 6 Pro, it could stay at 30FPS unless Google decides to step it up. While the ad giant previewed the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro during its I/O 2022 keynote, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these smartphones.

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