Six cool features only the Pixel 2 phones have
Google just introduced a whole range of smart devices designed to make life much easier for us—all of which use Assistant to bring them to life. But the stars have certainly been the new smartphones: the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. They will be responsible for bringing Android 8.0 Oreo to its maximum potential, but the phones also have some exclusive features and functions that go beyond what you would expect from a smartphone alone.
1. They feature the best camera ever to live in a smartphone (even though it's just one)
Google can indeed brag about it, but in the end, the proof comes from elsewhere. The famous DxOMark photo lab analyzed the last three most advanced smartphones presented in the past two months and gave the Pixel 2 a 98 point rating—that means it now sits at the top. The second and third places are tied between the iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 8, both featuring a double camera. Just one day before the Pixel launch, everyone was impressed to see the iPhone 8 Plus and Note 8 cameras tied at 94 points. Not too shabby at all for Google— the Pixels accomplished their score with a single sensor.
Google Pixel 2 seems to boast the best dynamic range on a smartphone camera and makes impressive use of optical and digital stabilization—even for video. With just this one camera, you can even achieve pro-like blurred effects.
2. They recognize music and sounds in your immediate environment
The new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have a new built-in Pixel Launcher. The search bar has moved to the bottom of the screen where it’s much closer to your fingers for easier use. A new Always On Display function has also been included. This is a feature that has existed for some time on Android, but now comes to the Pixels in a more useful and customized way.
When the Pixel 2 shows the lock screen, it constantly scans for music in your surroundings and will suggest the artist and title of a song. The best part is all this happens offline without sending any data to Google's servers—it all happens internally inside the Pixel 2. If you want to know more about the tune when you are connected, you can Google search the details instantly just by tapping on the name of the song with the screen turned off.
3. They’re first to integrate Google Lens
Google Lens looks set to be a revolution in technology. By observing an object through the Pixel camera, Google Lens will be able to interpret and understand what it is seeing. For example, with Google Lens you can save phone numbers and email addresses directly to your contacts using your camera. You can search for information about artwork, albums, books, movies or even video games. You can even get Google Lens to navigate directly to a URL written on a poster or brochure.
4. AR Stickers
Google’s Pixel 2 smartphones are not the first to have augmented reality, but they are the first Android devices to have AR Stickers from Stranger Things and Star Wars which is cool enough. This shows that the new Pixel 2 cameras are not only great for taking pictures and videos, but they are also optimized for stunning possibilities for augmented reality.
These AR Stickers are also able to interact with each other. You can record an entire scene with them viewed through the device screen and share it quickly. This ARCore platform will allow developers to create their own applications, much like Apple's ARKit.
5. Unlimited storage for Google Photos without losing quality (all Pixels)
Though not entirely exclusive to the Pixel 2 (the original Pixels also enjoyed unlimited storage in Google Photos at the highest quality), unlimited storage for your Google account is a really desireable perk for the photo savvy Pixel fans compared to other phones on the Android market.
With a Pixel 2 you can save all your photos in the cloud with maximum resolution and even store 4K videos with the fantastic hardware and software stabilization of Pixel 2.
6. They’re first in line to receive updates
This isn’t something particularly new but considering all Google Home devices will also get quick updates is just unbeatable considering how long it can take for these updates to be implemented in the rest of the Android ecosystem. Google guarantees 2 major updates for the next 2 years and 3 full years of monthly updates with security patches.
Just confirmed directly from Google: The Pixel 2 will indeed get *three* full years of OS updates. That, my friends, is huge.
— JR Raphael (@JRRaphael) 4 de octubre de 2017
What Pixel 2 special features really spoke to you? Anything not here you think should be? Lets us know!
Re:
4. Intrigued by the many creative possibilities of AR, but the fact that these are constantly illustrated by putting stupid cartoon characters in a living room is a damn cold shower on the thrill of anticipation.
6. Cannot believe Android has gone this long failing to do what every other operating system under the sun does: provide timely system and security updates to compatible devices. Thankfully, the only serious vector for malware seems to be app installation, and third-party security seems to handle that. But the stupid game of finger-pointing between OEMs and telcos about OS updates has to end, and it's Google that has to end it by doing what Microsoft, Apple, and Linux all do for their systems.