Google I/O Highlights for Apple Users: Sneak Peek at Pixel 7, Pixel Watch, More

Wednesday May 11, 2022 2:48 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Google today kicked off its annual I/O developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, where it unveiled a wide range of new Pixel devices that are launching this summer and beyond. Ahead, we've summarized five highlights from the keynote to give Apple users a quick overview of the announcements.

Key takeaways from the Google I/O keynote:

Google provided a sneak peek at the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro coming this fall. The smartphones will feature a slight redesign with the camera bar gaining an aluminum finish, and both devices will be powered by Google's next-generation Tensor chip. The standard Pixel 7 will have a dual camera setup, while the Pixel 7 Pro will have a triple camera array. The devices will ship with Android 13.
Google also previewed the Pixel Watch, the first smartwatch that it fully built. Launching this fall, the Pixel Watch will feature a circular, domed design with a tactile crown, a side button, and customizable bands. The watch will be powered by an "improved" Wear OS interface with "more fluid" navigation, smart notifications, built-in Fitbit functionality for fitness tracking, Apple Pay-like tap-to-pay functionality, and more. Pixel Watch will require a smartphone running Android 8.0 or later, making it incompatible with the iPhone.
Google unveiled the Pixel 6a, a new mid-range smartphone priced from $449, which places it between the iPhone SE and the iPhone 11. Pixel 6a has the same Google Tensor chip and a similar design as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
Pixel Buds Pro are Google's new premium wireless earbuds with similar features as AirPods Pro, including active noise cancellation, a Transparency mode that lets ambient noise in, hands-free "Hey Google" voice control, automatic switching between previously paired Bluetooth devices, integration with Google's Find My Device app, and spatial audio support starting later this year. Pricing is set at $199, compared to AirPods Pro at $249.
Android tablets have continuously failed to gain popularity compared to iPads, but Google is planning to reenter the tablet market once again with the Pixel Tablet, coming in 2023. The tablet will be powered by a Tensor chip.

A replay of the Google I/O keynote is available on YouTube.

Tag: Google

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Top Rated Comments

WiiDSmoker

58 months ago

Remember folks, like android / google or not, competition is good.

Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Random_Matt

58 months ago

Doesn't take much to upset Apple fans.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

44267547

58 months ago

Copy of Apple products.

These types of comments are way over-used and apply to all manufacturers.

One could make the exact same comment about Apple copying Samsung, Google, ect. Most of these products resemble each other across other competitor product lines that share features that are cross-used. Not only that, but all these tech companies essentially ‘copy’ each other. It’s all relative in the tech industry.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

LeeW

58 months ago

Regardless of what you think of Google, it's a decent overall lineup.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

locovaca

58 months ago

I have used both square and round Android Watches before I moved to an Apple Watch 6 years ago. Trust me: the round ones are all for show and not for utility. A circle consumes no less area than a square in terms of ergonomics, but you lose almost 25% of the area for display. Plus, the area you have is so awkward to use that it requires text be squeezed in further so that it's not just completely visible at the widest point.

If you use your watch for something more than just telling time round is awful.

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)