Google has officially unveiled its Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones at an event in New York City. Both devices bring a few upgrades to the Pixel brand with a faster Snapdragon 845 processor, improved battery life and refreshed design all headline features.
These premium devices also feature an impressive OLED screen, 5.5-inch and a 6.3-inch respectively, as well as two front-facing speakers, wireless charging, and unlimited cloud storage for pictures and videos.
The backs of the two phones are made from a single piece of glass in a two-tone design, with a matte and glossy finish. The company said the Pixel 3 phones would be available in black, white, and a light pink.
Google also announced that the Pixel 3 phones would have a dual-lens camera system for selfies. The company said the second lens would be an ultra-wide-angle lens that would capture “184% more than the iPhone XS.”
The rear, outward-facing camera maintains a single-lens 12-megapixel camera system on the Pixel 3 phones, but Google apparently doesn’t need more than one. The company revealed a new feature called Top Shot that takes multiple photos around the time you set up a shot, just in case the photo you took when you pressed the shutter button doesn’t turn out well.
The backs of the two phones are made from a single piece of glass in a two-tone design, with a matte and glossy finish. The company said the Pixel 3 phones would be available in black, white, and a light pink.
Google also announced that the Pixel 3 phones would have a dual-lens camera system for selfies. The company said the second lens would be an ultra-wide-angle lens that would capture “184% more than the iPhone XS.”
The rear, outward-facing camera maintains a single-lens 12-megapixel camera system on the Pixel 3 phones, but Google apparently doesn’t need more than one. The company revealed a new feature called Top Shot that takes multiple photos around the time you set up a shot, just in case the photo you took when you pressed the shutter button doesn’t turn out well.
Google also introduced a new feature called Screen Call intended to pick up the phone for you and ask who’s calling, powered by Google AI. The company says it’ll show you a transcription of the conversation on the phone’s screen so you can see who is calling without actually answering the call. It would essentially screen for telemarketing calls.
The most expensive additions to the Pixel range yet, the Pixel 3 costs £739, while the Pixel 3 XL is £869 – £110 and £70 more expensive than their Pixel 2 predecessors respectively. That puts the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL on a pricing par with their chief rivals in the Android sphere, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus.
Google’s new devices are still notably cheaper than their iPhone competitors, however. The Pixel 3 undercuts the iPhone XS by £260, and the Pixel 3 XL costs £180 less than the iPhone XS Max.
Pre-Orders for the new Pixel phones are open now, with deliveries kicking off by the end of the month.
Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Specifications
| Category | Pixel 3 | Pixel 3 XL |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie |
| Display | 5.5-inch OLED, 2160×1080 (18:9) Gorilla Glass 5 |
6.3-inch OLED, 2960×1440 (18.5:9) Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Pixel Visual Core |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Pixel Visual Core |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64/128GB | 64/128GB |
| Expandable | No | No |
| Rear camera 1 | 12.2MP, 1.4-micron, f/1.8, OIS, PDAF | 12.2MP, 1.4-micron, f/1.8, OIS, PDAF |
| Front camera 1 | 8MP, f/1.8, auto focus 75-degree lens |
8MP, f/1.8, auto focus 75-degree lens |
| Front camera 2 | 8MP, f/2.2, fixed focus 97-degree lens |
8MP, f/2.2, fixed focus 97-degree lens |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC, GPS |
| Audio | Stereo speakers USB-C |
Stereo speakers USB-C |
| Battery | 2915mAh Non-removable |
3430mAh Non-removable |
| Charging | 18W USB-C PD Qi wireless |
18W USB-C PD Qi wireless |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor | Fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9 mm 148 g |
158 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm 184 g |
| Colours | Just Black, Clearly White, Not Pink | Just Black, Clearly White, Not Pink |
