106 PCWorld FEBRUARY 2021FEATURE THE YEAR OF THE GOOGLE PIXEL
midrange device.
It starts with the processor. While
Qualcomm has yet to announce the successor
to the 765G that powers the Pixel 4a and 5,
there have been rumors that Google is
working on its own processor. Axios reported
earlier this year that “Google received its first
working versions of the chip” and could be
ready by next year. Axios reports that the chip
will “include hardware optimized for Google’s
machine-learning technology,” with part of
the chip focused on “improving the
performance and always-on capabilities of
Google Assistant.”
If Google were trying to compete with
Qualcomm’s speedy Snapdragon 888 I’d be
skeptical. But with the Android optimizations
Google already brings to its phones, a
custom chip designed solely for the Pixel 6
could bring an experience akin to what Apple
delivers with the iPhone. This could be justwhat the Pixel 6 needs to stand out in 2021.A CAMERA THAT CAN’T BE
TOPPED
If there’s one area where the Pixel has always
excelled, it’s the camera. While other phone
makers have added three and four lenses to
enhance the photo-taking experience,
Google has done most of its work on the
processing side. Things like Night Sight,
Super Res Zoom, and Live HDR+ compensate
for a lack of cutting-edge hardware.
The last two Pixel phones have hit
something of an innovation wall. While the
Pixel 5 still takes some of the best photos for a
smartphone at any price, there isn’t much it can
do that the Pixel 4a can’t also do for hundreds
less. Granted, the Pixel 5 has an ultrawide lens,
but the overall Pixel camera experience seems
primed for a breakthrough in 2021.
Google has already proven that it doesn’t
need high-end specs to
deliver a premium camera
experience, and the Pixel 6
would be the perfect way
to drive that home. Simple
changes like the addition of
a telephoto lens or a better
sensor on the main camera
would go a long way
toward cementing the Pixel
as the premier smartphone
camera. As Google has
rested on its laurels a bit,We’re already pretty sure that the Pixel 6 won’t be powered by the
Snapdragon 888—but it might not have a Qualcomm chip at all.