
Google Pixel 6 lineup with its first custom-made chip goes after the iPhone
CNN
Google's Pixel smartphones are taking a big step toward becoming a true Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy competitor.
At a virtual press conference on Tuesday, the company showed off the new 6.4-inch Pixel 6 and 6.7-inch Pixel 6 Pro, which run on Android 12, Google's most significant software update in years. The devices feature nearly bezel-less displays, a new camera system packed into the horizontal camera bar that runs along the backside, innovative photo features and a battery that can last nearly two days by prioritizing what apps are used most (and shutting down the rest).
But the real game changer is Google's new in-house Tensor processor, which marks a move away from the third-party chips that are commonly used in rival Android devices. The company said Tensor makes the Pixel 6 phones run 80% faster than the Pixel 5, allowing on-device artificial intelligence for features such as more accurate speech recognition and image processing. It also gives the phones more processing power for games and apps, and makes some of its new camera tools possible.