Google is preparing to launch its 2022 flagship phones — Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro later this year. After a brief official teaser of the upcoming Pixel phones at Google I/O 2022 in May, we have been hearing leaks and rumors about the next Google flagship phones. Keeping that in mind, we have compiled everything you need to know about the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro ahead of the official launch.
Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro: All You Need to Know (2022)
Note: This post was last updated on June 6, 2022, at 9:00 PM PST.
Google Pixel 7: Release Date
At Google I/O 2022 last month, Google has officially confirmed to launch the Pixel 7 series this fall season. That translates to the duration between September to December of 2022. To recall, Google unveiled the Pixel 6 at its Fall launch event last October. Going by history, we could expect Pixel 7 to launch sometime in October this year.
Google Pixel 7: Price (Speculated)
As for the price, we don’t have an official word at the moment. Since the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro launched at $599 and $899, respectively, we can expect Google to stick to the same price point and discontinue the Pixel 6 lineup when the Pixel 7 is out.
Going by that speculation, the Google Pixel 7 may be priced starting at $599 and the Pixel 7 Pro may be priced at $899. Don’t be surprised if the price increases by a few dollars though.
Google Pixel 7: Specifications
Like last year, we could expect the Pixel 7 to come with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128/ 256GB storage variants. The Pixel 7 Pro could come equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128/ 256/ 512GB storage variants. We have detailed Pixel 7’s design, display, chipset, cameras, and more below, so read on to learn more about Google’s upcoming flagship lineup.
Design
Unlike what we saw with the Pixel 6 lineup, Google is not bringing drastic design changes with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. Instead, the company is using Pixel 6’s design as the starting point and making incremental design tweaks to present us with a new flagship. And well, that is not a bad thing. It’s good to see Google settle on a standout design and give the Pixel lineup a new identity.
Notably, the Pixel 7 series will include a glossy glass back and not the matte finish many were hoping for. The cameras bar makes a reappearance but the sensors have received a minor repositioning in the Pixel 7 lineup. The sensors are now housed in the pill and hole-shaped cutouts (a different take than the iPhone 14 Pro’s rumored pill-and-hole cutout). Also, as seen in the image above, the camera bar now blends into the phone’s metal frame.
Moreover, we also the leaked dimensions for the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro for users interested in numbers and curious to know about the in-hand feel of the devices. A report from CarHP recently revealed that the Pixel 7 dimensions are 155.6 x 73.1 x 8.7mm as opposed to Pixel 6’s 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm. So yeah, the Pixel 7 is both smaller and slimmer than the Pixel 6. On the other hand, the Pixel 7 Pro is slimmer but has the same build as the 6 Pro. The Pixel 7 Pro dimensions are 163 x 76.6 x 8.7mm (compared to Pixel 6 Pro’s 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm), as per a recent Smartprix x OnLeaks report.
While the company has not revealed the front of the phone, it’s safe to assume that we will see the same punch-hole selfie camera here, as we saw in the recent prototype leak (more on this below).
Display
According to rumors, the Pixel 7 will retain the same displays found on the Pixel 6 series with minor tweaks. As a result, the Pixel 7 is expected to offer a 6.3-inch AMOLED display, 0.1-inch smaller than the Pixel 6’s 6.4-inch panel. Like last year, it could have a 1080 x 2400 pixel resolution display with a 90Hz refresh rate.
The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, is expected to come equipped with the same 6.7-inch LTO AMOLED display. The panel could support a 120Hz refresh rate with a 1440 x 3120-pixel resolution. Going by early display driver leaks, you will also likely have the option to switch to 1080p mode on the Pixel 7 Pro to save battery.
If there’s one thing we could expect Google to fix with Pixel 7’s display, that has to be the under-display fingerprint sensor. The slow and unreliable fingerprint sensor was one of the most common Pixel 6 and 6 Pro problems. In fact, Google has already confirmed to Android Central that the Pixel 6a ships with a different in-display fingerprint sensor than the one used in the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. We will know the reliability of the new sensor when the Pixel 6a starts shipping on July 28. Let’s hope Google packs a reliable and fast fingerprint sensor on the Pixel 7 series this time around.
Pixel 7 Processor: Second-Gen Tensor Chipset
With the release of the Pixel 6 series last year, Google made an important decision and switched to its in-house silicon. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro were equipped with the first-gen Google Tensor chipset, built on Samsung’s 5nm architecture. To refresh your memory, the original Tensor was a 5nm chipset with two Cortex-X1 cores clocked at up to 2.8GHz, two Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.25GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.
Google Tensor couldn’t match up to last year’s Qualcomm flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset in terms of performance but included several AI and machine learning tricks up its sleeve. Now, as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is faced with throttling issues, everyone’s eyes are set on the next-gen Google Tensor chipset.
Moving to proprietary chip design has its benefits, and Google will build upon this with the next-gen Tensor chipset. So yeah, the biggest highlight of the Pixel 7 series will be the second-gen Tensor chipset. While we don’t officially know the performance improvements and efficiency gains, Korean publication DDaily reports that the second-gen Tensor will be built on a 4nm fabrication process. The report further highlights that Samsung Electronics will manufacture the next-gen Tensor SoC using Panel Level Package (PLP) technique.
According to a recent 9to5Google report, the second-gen Tensor chipset will have the model number GS201. Furthermore, it may come equipped with Samsung’s unreleased Exynos Modem 5300. This detail was recently corroborated in the Pixel 7 Pro prototype someone purchased from Facebook marketplace. In case you’re wondering, Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are reportedly said to have the codenames “Cheetah” and “Panther” respectively.
Cameras
While Google has tweaked the sensor positions in the rear camera bar, it is sticking to dual and triple-camera systems on the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro, respectively. We don’t know the exact camera details of the Pixel 7 series right now. However, there are rumors suggesting that the Pixel 7 series could offer the same camera sensors as its predecessor.
If that’s anything to go by, you can expect the Pixel 7 Pro to include a primary 50MP f/1.85 Samsung GN1 sensor, a 12MP f/2.2 Sony IMX386 ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 48MP f/3.5 Sony IMX586 telephoto lens with a 4x optical zoom and 20x Super Res digital zoom. The vanilla Pixel 7 will skip on the telephoto lens and include the other two sensors on the rear. There is no concrete information on the punch-hole selfie camera for both models just yet.
Software
As far as the software is concerned, we expect the Pixel 7 series to run Android 13 out of the box. To give you a brief summary, Android 13 offers incremental upgrades over Android 12, and some noteworthy features include more Material You color styles, themed icons for third-party apps, an option to edit text from the clipboard, and a weekly view in the privacy dashboard.
In case you’re out of the loop, you can catch up with the best Android 13 features from our linked article.
Battery and Charging
Another department where we don’t have confirmed info is battery and charging. Going by the fact that the Pixel 7 has relatively the same size battery as its predecessor, it’s possible that we might end up seeing the same battery unit.
As you might recall, Pixel 6 offers a 4,600mAh battery, while the Pixel 6 Pro includes a bigger 5,000mAh battery pack. The Pixel 6 series offers 30W wired fast charging and 23W wireless charging. We could expect faster charging speeds on the Pixel 7 series.
Pixel 7 vs Pixel 7 Pro: Specs Comparison
To sum up everything we have detailed above, here’s a quick specs comparison between the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro:
| Pixel 7 | Pixel 7 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch AMOLED display, 90Hz refresh rate | 6.7-inch Quad-HD+ curved AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | 4nm Second-Gen Google Tensor | 4nm Second-Gen Google Tensor |
| RAM | up to 8GB | up to 12 GB |
| Storage | up to 256GB | up to 512GB |
| Rear cameras | dual camera setup (expected) -50MP (Wide) + 12MP (Ultra wide) | triple camera setup (expected) - 50MP (Wide) + 12MP (Ultra wide) + 48MP (Tele with 4x optical zoom) |
| Selfie Cameras | 8MP punch-hole (expected) | 12MP punch-hole (expected) |
| 5G Support | Yes | Yes |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Yes, under-display | Yes, under-display |
| Battery | 4,600mAh (expected) | 5,000mAh (expected) |
| Charging speed | 30W fast-charging (expected) | 30W fast-charging (expected) |
| Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
| Colors | Obsidian, Snow, and Lemongrass | Obsidian, Snow, and Hazel |
Pixel 7 and 7 Pixel 7 Pro: Color Variants
As for the colors, Google has already revealed the color variants you should expect in the Pixel 7 series. Both Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will arrive in three colors. You can check how they look in the image above and the exact color names below:
Pixel 7 Colors
- Obsidian
- Snow
- Lemongrass
Pixel 7 Pro Colors
- Obsidian
- Snow
- Hazel
Pixel 7 and 7 Pro Leak and Rumors
Pixel 7 Prototype Hands-on Images
In classic Google fashion, the Pixel 7’s prototype has leaked way ahead of the launch. This time, someone went on to list the Pixel 7 on eBay, revealing multiple hands-on images of the pre-production device in the process. The leak shows the device from all angles, giving us a close look at the metal frame, the updated camera bar, and the glossy back. What’s even more hilarious about the leak is that the reflections in the Pixel 7 images shared online were taken with the 7 Pro prototype.
Pixel 7 Pro Prototype Hands-on Images
Merely a couple of days after photos of the standard Pixel 7 made rounds on the internet, the Pro variant has now made an appearance as well. Reddit user u/AMC20_ claims that they allegedly bought the Pixel 7 Pro from FB Marketplace, and it was advertised as a Pixel 6 Pro without the box. Nothing strange about it, right?
Well, the device isn’t the Pixel 6 Pro. In fact, if you look at the pictures, and especially the redesigned camera bar will tell you that it is the Pixel 7 Pro. Google’s reputation for product leaks months ahead of official launch continues to further tank each year.
Will Google Pixel 7 Launch in India?
No Pixel roundup is complete without answering the question about the smartphone’s India availability. Unlike the Pixel 6 series, there’s a glimmer of hope when it comes to the Pixel 7’s launch in India. That’s because Google has confirmed to bring the Pixel 6a to India later this year.
Does this mean Google will focus on the Indian market going forward? Well, it depends on how Pixel 6a performs in the market. Since the company has confirmed to launch the Pixel 6a in India later this year (sometime between June – September), it remains to be seen if Google is keen on bringing its 2022 flagships to India.
If we were to guess, the Pixel 7a is more likely to arrive in India than the regular Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below.
Google Pixel 7: Building on Pixel 6’s Success
That sums up everything we know about the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro so far. We will be updating this article with new leaks and rumors, hence, stay tuned for that. We hope Google learns from its shortcomings with the Pixel 6 series and offers customers a bug-free experience right out of the box. So, are you planning to purchase the Pixel 7 series? Let us know in the comments below.
Abubakar Mohammed
