When Google 'the maker of Android' creates hardware for its massively popular platform, everyone sits up and takes notice. This is why the entire tech world is abuzz with the latest release of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL!
Last year the Pixel and its older bigger brother the Pixel XL took over the helm of the Nexus lineup of devices and it was a fan favorite with its radical back design and arguably the best camera on an Android device.
What has changed from now to then? Let’s find out in the top things that Google have changed in the Pixel 2!
1. IP67 Certification
One of the points that drew much flak from the Android enthusiast community was the lack of water and dust resistance on the first generation Pixel devices. Well, Google has listened to those complaints and now the Pixel 2 as well as the Pixel 2 XL comes with IP67 certification which means that these phones are better at weathering the elements than ever before!
2. No 3.5mm Headphone Jack
When Google launched the Pixel last year, they made a huge deal about how they decided to retain the headphone jack. And rightly so because the 3.5mm jack for headphones is something many people are unwilling to give up on. However Google decided to fall in line with trends this year and as a result, the USB Type C port on the Pixel 2 doubles up as the headphone jack as well.
3. Dual Front-Firing Speakers
But to soften the blow for music lovers, Google has decided to bump up the loudspeaker capabilities of this device. With dual front firing speakers, the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL have significantly better performance on the speaker front when compared to the previous generation of devices that had been powered by a single measly downward firing speaker. We are glad Google is keeping the trend of double front firing speakers alive!
4. OIS As Well As EIS for the Camera
EIS on the Pixel was great but due to the inherent nature of the technology, it did bring in some jitters and artifacts at the very edges of the video that had been captured by the previous Pixels. Google has corrected that this time by adding OIS into the mix as well so that the shooters on the Pixel 2 are some of the best that the mobile world has ever seen.
5. Portrait Modes for The Front and Back Snappers
Portrait mode has been the rage for the past generation of devices with the iPhone 7 Plus with its dual camera implementation ringing the bokeh effect into the limelight. While the Pixel missed out on having a dedicated portrait mode, the Pixel 2 doesn’t. In spite of having just a single camera on both the back and front, Google has managed to pull off some AI trickery whereby they can produce portrait pictures with ease!
6. Active Edge
While critics are split on whether this is a feature or a gimmick, the Pixel 2 sports an active edge which basically means you can squeeze the sides of the device and invoke Google Assistant! This isn't something exactly new as we have seen it in the HTC U11 in the past but it sure is a handy party trick to show off your new smartphone!
7. Upgraded Internals
The Pixel 2 also got upgraded internals as is the norm so it sports a faster 835 chipset now with 4 gigs of RAM and the internal storage has also been bumped up on the base variant from 32 gigs to 64. The Pixel can handle anything you can throw at it with relative ease and expect the Pixel 2 to do better if not just as good!
8. The Taller Screen
Now some might argue that this point should have been much higher on the list but the fact remains that although the Pixel 2 XL sports a taller POLED panel with an 18:9 ratio and a 2K resolution. But despite all of that the screen isn’t edge to like what Samsung and LG have been offering with their flagships for the year. Nevertheless, the increasing screen to body ratio is a good sign and a welcome change from the first gen Pixel.
9. Google Lens and Software Upgrades
Google Lens which can be considered to be an AI-powered version of Google Goggles is currently a Pixel 2 exclusive although we expect that these and other software features of these phones like the redesigned Pixel launcher will trickle its way down to first gen Pixel phones at a later date.
10. 3 Year Update Guarantee
And for the last point, we have the fact that Google is offering a 3-year update guarantee with the new Pixel devices which is an entire year more than what was offered before on other Pixel and even Nexus devices.
The last point along with all the others combined make the new Pixel 2 a stellar device and one that smartphone buyers should keep their eye on if they’re in the market this fall for a new
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