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Google Pixel 7: Everything we know

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The Pixel 6 has barely had its time in the spotlight, arriving in the hands of customers at the end of October, but there will always be a reason to keep our eyes on the horizon. The first signs of a Google Pixel 7, the presumed name for Google’s flagship phone for 2022, have appeared. This guide will go through the Pixel 7 release date as well as what it packs under the hood.

When was the Pixel 7 announced?

The Pixel 7 was announced along with the Pro variant on May 11 during Google I/O 2022. This announcement came as a shock to many, considering no one was ready for the Pixel 7 series to be announced until later in the year. During the announcement, not many details were divulged, unfortunately. The surprising appearance was more of a teaser than anything else.

What are the device’s specs?

The key advancement and differentiator of the Pixel 6 from all previous Pixels – and really all Android phones – is the inclusion of a Google Tensor chip, which includes Google-designed hardware to enhance the many machine learning-powered features. For example, the currently exclusive “Magic Eraser” in Google Photos and the digital improvements to your camera shots are able to be quickly processed by the Tensor chip.

The first tidbit uncovered about the Pixel 7 is that it will, unsurprisingly, be powered by a second-generation Google Tensor chip, with the model number “GS201.” The information was discovered through the addition of an internal Google developer board “Cloudripper” to apps on the Pixel 6.

A couple of months after that discovery, our team also uncovered another big piece to the Pixel 7 puzzle. One of our trusted sources revealed that the new GS201 chip would feature a new Samsung modem. The model for this unreleased modem is “g5300b.” Using context and past naming habits from Samsung, we’re confident that this modem will be the Exynos Modem 5300, which is, again, unreleased.

How many versions will there be?

Within the Cloudripper code, there were two codenames for these devices: “Cheetah” and “Panther.” These codenames correspond to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, respectively. The structure of these devices was confirmed during the announcement, cementing the fact that there will be two variants of the generation 7 Pixel. It’s interesting to see that Google seems to be changing its naming scheme on a generational basis now.

When will the Pixel 7 be released?

When Google announced the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, they did reveal one piece of vital information. The Pixel7 and 7 Pro will be available later this fall, confirming our theories about when the devices would be released to the public. We did not, however, anticipate seeing the Pixel 6a and the Pixel 7 being announced in the same 15-minute time span.

This guide is continuously updated as more information is learned.

Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 phones are draining battery and overheating with latest updates

google pixel 6 and pixel 7 pro

If you’re using a Pixel 6 or Pixel 7 series device, you might want to hold off updating to the May 2023 security patch if you haven’t already, as the update seems to be wreaking havoc with battery life and heat.


Update 5/15: Google has identified the cause of this issue and has rolled out a fix. Read more


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Pixel 7 Pro and Tensor G2’s improved modem beat out iPhone in speed test

pixel 7 pro and iphone

Google’s first Tensor-powered smartphones had an unfortunate downside in their modem, which often made cellular connections unreliable or slower than on other phones. With the Pixel 7 series and Tensor G2, though, Google made big improvements to the modem, as is proven by the Pixel 7 Pro outranking the iPhone 14 Pro in a speed test report.

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