I have acquired the new Google Pixel 6 and like a true technophile, I’ve been giddy with excitement playing with the latest phone from Google. I have used a lot of Android phones over the last decade and before moving to Japan researching, reviewing, and testing gadgets especially phones was one of my many jobs. Digging through my archives I see I have blogged about some of the phones I have owned personally from the HTC Legend (remember HTC?), Galaxy S4, Motorola G, and the Galaxy S7.
But today it’s all about the Google Pixel 6 – the latest and greatest from Google and Android. I am sure if you are watching this you have already read posts and watched videos from big tech bloggers and Youtubers who got the phone for free, used it for a week then rushed out their reviews the day the NDA lifted. But here are my quick thoughts – the thoughts of a regular longtime android user after using it for a week who paid for the phone. The main parts I will share my quick thoughts on are Software, Hardware then pics, and a video test. Lets goooooooo!
Pixel 6 Software – Android 12
The Pixel 6 comes with Android 12 – the biggest update to Android OS in years. Android has come a long way since version one 13 years ago. Full disclaimer – I used every version of Android up to version 9 but had very limited interaction with android 10 and 11 so version 12 is me seeing what has been changed on Android in 3 years. The design philosophy, animations, colours, etc are all different. Gestures are fluid though takes a bit to get used to and the whole OS is still the Android I know and love. With that said there are still some annoying bugs, crashing apps, and the occasional hiccup but things run smoothly 95% of the time.
Hardware – Tensor chip
I love the design of the Pixel 6 and seeing the design was the first thing to make me sit up and take notice. I got the “kinda coral” and though polarizing – I love the camera visor on the back – a shame I will always have it hidden in a case. The specs are acceptable for a phone at this price point. Other than the design, the new Tensor Chip is huge for Google and lets the phone do some cool things faster and without the need to communicate with servers such as text to speech, live translation, and more. Speaking of text to speech, I have tested it a lot. Below is a tweet I wrote using my voice – you can see the recording of it in my Pixel 6 video on the Jamaipanese Youtube channel.
I am recording a video and testing text-to-speech on the new Google pixel 6 and using it to write this tweet 📱 🤓. Check it out on my YouTube channel soon 📺
— Kirk 🖍️ (@Jamaipanese) November 3, 2021
Photos and Video – All-new camera with A.I. powers
Pixels have been well known for their photo-taking prowess for a long time. Check out some test pictures I took below. The pixel 6 packs all-new camera hardware and extra AI powers thanks to the mentioned Tensor chip. My early verdict? It is a little rough around the edges but expected to get better in time. I still need to put on my photographer hat and put it through its full paces shooting portraits, landscape, macro, zoom, low lighting, selfies, and more. Right now I agree with the early reviewers – many pics seem over-processed but the Pixel 6 has been spitting out more good shots than average ones so far. I need more time to experiment with the camera software features like action pan, long exposure, panorama, etc. Finally, video on the Pixel 6 is okay I guess – personally, I would probably hardly use the video feature on this cam outside of small clips and the occasional social media post. My DJI Pocket 2 is small enough, already goes everywhere with me, and is a far superior camera.
Google Pixel 6 Conclusion
I look forward to using the Pixel 6 more in the coming weeks and months. If you have any questions or want a follow-up video or blog post on any specific thing about the Pixel 6 let me know in a comment below or tweet me @jamaipanese on Twitter.
