Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Watch: all the new features announced by Google

We finally got our hands on Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, as well as the Pixel Watch. The products were first announced at Google I/O, the search giant’s annual developer conference in May. At a Thursday event in Brooklyn, Google revealed more, and we actually got to try out all of the new Pixels. You can pre-order the Pixel 7, 7 Pro and Pixel Watch now and they start shipping next week.

New phones mainly focus on camera updates and features added by redesign G2 tensor processor. The processor handles advanced image processing, extended security (in conjunction with Titan M2) and machine learning, as well as system cache. Google has reviewed all the ways the G2 speeds up and improves most of the phones features.

As usual, the new equipment runs the upgraded versions of its mobile operating system, Android 13. Android 13 already deployed on the latest generation of phones, the Pixel 6 series, in August. Google promises five years of security updates with the phone.

A few days before the launch of Pixel, Google announced new smart home productsa fully compatible Nest Wifi Pro mesh router with Wi-Fi 6Eas well as a wired version of the Nest Doorbell.

You can also check out an archive of our live blog if you want the play-by-play of the launch event.

Pixel 7

Notably, Google has added 2x crop mode zoom to its main 50-megapixel sensor which produces 12.5-megapixel images from the center of the sensor. Other general improvements the company says you’ll see include faster low-light night shooting, better skin tones, and an audible selfie assist mode for the visually impaired called Guided Frame. Still two cameras, though.

Unblur algorithms for still photos stretch from faces to sharpen old photos and achieve cinematic blurring for video, à la Apple’s Cinema Mode. Google has hinted that the new Unblur features are only available on new phones because of the G2. The phone boasts 4K recording at 60fps and better video autofocus and speech enhancement.

There’s no dramatic redesign for 2022: mostly just an extension of the aluminum surround for the camera bump that goes all the way to the edges and a light yellow option to replace the “kinda, sort of” colors of Last year. It’s a hair smaller than the Pixel 6. It uses new zirconia-blasted aluminum.

The Pixel 7 starts at the same $599 (£599, AU$999) launch price as the Pixel 6.

Pixel 7 Pro

Along with all the features available in the Pixel 7, the Pro’s camera also benefits from a 12-megapixel zoom out in 10x crop mode on its 48-megapixel telephoto lens (normally 5x zoom). The camera computer zooms using the main and telephoto cameras for a range between 2.5x and 5x. The Pro also adds a macro mode using its third camera. Google promises sharp, stabilized photos with 30x zoom.

Rather than yellow, the Pro will come in a light, muted green. It starts at $899 (£849, AU$1,299).

The 7 Pro comes with 12GB of RAM (versus 8GB for the 7) and comes with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. Like the 7, it supports millimeter wave 5G on AT&T and Verizon, but only the Pro will support T-Mobile for that fastest version of 5G.

Pixel Watch

Google’s first home smartwatch builds on the company’s acquisition of Fitbit, featuring many of the same health-tracking capabilities, with similar accuracy, in a sleek, premium design – round with Gorilla Glass 5 convex and a stainless steel case. The watch highlighted what appears to be a more intensive focus on Google’s design. It starts at $350 (£339, AU$549).

The watch is waterproof up to 5 ATM, which means that it must be able to withstand a pressure equal to a depth of 50 meters. It also has an always-on display. Patterns include matte black with obsidian active ring, polished silver with charcoal active ring, polished silver with chalk active ring, or champagne gold with hazelnut active ring; there will be several band styles.

Google’s Wear OS 3.5 also offers a wider range of features, such as smart home controls, access to the Google Play Store from your wrist and optional LTE, emergency SOS, emergency calls international and mobile payments via Google Wallet. After launch, it will be able to measure blood oxygen saturation and take wrist ECG and support fall detection.

The company promises a full day of use on a single battery charge.

Pixel tablet

Google presents the tablet as an addition to the rest of your Google ecosystem. The company has highlighted split-screen and stylus support, plus the incorporation of the Tensor G2 – the tablet is meant to be an extension of your phone, working the same for photos and more Again.

There’s a new charging speaker dock to go with it, essentially turning it into a smart display.

It matches the rest of the line with a nano-ceramic matte finish.

The tablet won’t arrive until 2023, however, with no pricing announced.