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iPhone 13 still loses to Android phones in several key areas
iPhone 13 still loses to Android phones in several key areas
Apple gave iPhone owners plenty to be excited about with the iPhone 13. From its new cinematic video mode to its longer battery life and additional storage space, the iPhone 13 is a welcome improvement over its predecessor. But there are still a few useful features Apple's phones are missing compared to Android competitors such as Samsung's Galaxy S21.
For example, many Android phones have a borderless screen with a notch-free design and a fingerprint sensor built into the display. These features aren't new, either, and have been available on some Android phones for years.
That being said, the iPhone has come a long way over the past two years. Before the iPhone 13 debuted, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 gained capabilities that were previously only available on Android devices, such as 5G support, OLED display technology on entry-level phones and Night mode for the camera.
Read CNET's reviews of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
Your phone preference will likely come down to whether you prefer iOS or Android, rather than specific features. Regardless, there are still a few ways I'd like to see the iPhone catch up to Android.
A notch-free design
The OnePlus 9 has a bezel-free screen with no notch.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The iPhone 13's notch isn't quite as wide as the iPhone 12's, but it's definitely present. Many Android device makers, on the other hand, have managed to design screens with camera cutouts that are barely visible, making the phone's front feel more like a seamless sheet of glass.
Samsung's Galaxy S21 smartphones, for example, have a tiny hole for the camera located near the top of the display and it's been implementing similar designs on its flagship devices since the Galaxy S10 launched in 2019. The same can be said for Google's Pixel 5a and the OnePlus 9.
However, there might be a good reason why the iPhone's notch is larger than the cutout on Samsung's phone and other Android devices. The iPhone's notch includes more than just the selfie camera; it's also where the sensors that power Apple's Face ID facial recognition feature are located. Face ID has generally been considered to be ahead of the competition and more secure.
A screen that can show the time and calendar events even when it's asleep
If you're willing to pay the price of battery life, Xiaomi has an always-on-display feature available.
Sareena Dayaram/CNET
When your iPhone's display is turned off, your phone turns into an idle black rectangle. But many modern Android phones can show information like the time and calendar events even when the screen is asleep. Device makers including Samsung, Google and Xiaomi have all released phones with always-on displays.
I've found this useful when I just want to quickly check the time or view my next meeting without getting distracted by picking up my phone.
The ability to charge other devices when you're not near an outlet
This feature lets you charge your Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch with your Note 10.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Many people are in the habit of charging their phones overnight. But if you own a smartwatch or wireless earbuds, there's a good chance you've forgotten to plug them in at least once.
Android phones like Samsung's Galaxy S21, Google's Pixel 5 and older Galaxy phones like the S20 and S10, have a feature that can be helpful in situations like this. Samsung calls it Wireless Power Share and Google calls it Battery Share, but they essentially do the same thing. The backs of these devices can serve as wireless charging pads for products that are compatible with the Qi wireless charging standard, which is found on most modern phones and accessories.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup can charge Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack when plugged in with the accessory connected. But as far as we know, that's the extent of the iPhone's reverse wireless charging capabilities. Hopefully Apple will expand this functionality in the future so that you can power up your AirPods or Apple Watch in a pinch.
An in-screen fingerprint sensor for unlocking your phone
CNET
Face ID works well most of the time, but not while you're wearing a mask. If you're an iPhone owner without an Apple Watch, you probably miss the old days when you could just rest your thumb on the home button to unlock your iPhone.
Sadly, that's not changing with the iPhone 13. Android phone makers like Samsung and OnePlus, on the other hand, are taking a different approach. Samsung has been building fingerprint scanners into the displays on its Galaxy S phones since the Galaxy S10 launched in 2019. You'll also find a fingerprint reader integrated into the screens of the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro.
A charger that also works with Macs and non-Apple devices
The iPhone 13 still uses a Lightning cable for charging.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Wouldn't it be nice if you could use the same charger to power your iPhone and Mac? Don't get your hopes up.
The iPhone 13, like every iPhone model since the iPhone 5, includes Apple's proprietary Lightning port for charging. You can also charge the iPhone 13 through Apple's MagSafe charger or a standard Qi wireless charger, but if you want to plug it in you'll have to use Lightning.
It's a shame there's no USB-C support on the iPhone, despite it being the charging standard on Apple's iPad Air, iPad Pro, MacBook laptops and the brand new iPad Mini. Using one type of charger to power all of your devices is exactly the type of simplicity I'd like to see from Apple.
USB-C is the established charging standard on Android devices, whether you're buying a phone from Samsung, OnePlus, Google, or Motorola. Needless to say, these included USB-C cables are much more ubiquitous and useful than the iPhone's since you can also use them with other devices and accessories.
It's unclear if we'll ever see USB-C coming to the iPhone. Apple is said to be working on a port-free iPhone and its MagSafe charging system certainly seems like a step in that direction.
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Xiaomi 12 Pro: An Android 12 Powerhouse You Might Not Have Considered
Xiaomi 12 Pro: An Android 12 Powerhouse You Might Not Have Considered
Xiaomi's latest flagship 12 Pro phone packs top-end specs, including a potent Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, three 50-megapixel rear cameras, 120-watt fast charging and a large, vibrant display.
It ticks many of the boxes you'd expect of a flagship phone in 2022 and it offers some solid competition to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Oppo Find X5 Pro and Google Pixel 6 Pro.
The Xiaomi 12 Pro will go on sale later this month in the UK and Europe, and while US and Australian availability has yet to be announced (at the time of writing), Xiaomi has confirmed that the phone will start at $999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant (roughly £765 and AU$1,380 converted).
LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone
LG Wing hands-on: Here's what it's like to actually use the weird swiveling phone
These days, phones are either rectangular slabs with one straight screen or, in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Motorola Razr 5G, they're slabs with flexible screens that open up. But the LG Wing is neither. Instead, it's a phone with two screens, one of which swivels on top of the other.
Yes, it's weird and yes, it's expensive at $1,000 on Verizon (UK and Australia pricing have not been released yet, but that converts to about £775 and AU$1,394). But the design isn't as crazy or pointless as it seems. After pushing through the initial learning curve, which does take some time, my experience with multitasking and recording video got a boost thanks to the Wing's unusual shape.
The LG Wing isn't for everybody, and LG knows this. Its bulkier design and potentially steep price will automatically lead to many people writing it off. Also, not all apps will accommodate the two screens. Nevertheless, I appreciate LG's willingness to try something different. Swivel phones aren't exactly new, even if they aren't around much anymore: The VX9400 from 2007, for instance, is an early example of an LG phone with a similar design, and I myself owned a beloved Nokia 7370, which featured a screen that swiveled out as smoothly as a switchblade comb. But LG has applied that design thoughtfully enough for this current era of phones.
Whether or not people are willing to pay to give its $1,000 vision a shot is the big question. While it's not impossible to sell an expensive handset amid a pandemic when everyone is more budget-conscious, as Samsung has shown with its Galaxy Note 20, it's certainly risky to do so. And LG's record of selling experimental phones isn't stellar. Its modular G5 from 2016 and curved G Flex from 2014 weren't exactly top sellers. But fitting "more screen in less space" is always appealing, and the LG Wing, at the very least, executes its own concept well.
In the US the LG Wing will be available first on Verizon, then AT&T in the fall and T-Mobile -- all on their respective 5G networks.
LG Wing design: Spin me right round
I spent time with a preproduction model and found that the LG Wing is a straightforward phone when it's closed. It has a 6.8-inch display, wireless charging and an in-screen fingerprint reader. But it's also missing a few things that other LG phones have. It doesn't have a headphone jack, which LG usually keeps, and it doesn't have a formal IP rating for water protection.
And while it's not as heavy and thick as the Galaxy Z Fold 2 when it's folded, the LG Wing is still thicker and heavier than regular phones. It's about a third thicker than most phones, not twice like I first assumed, because the top panel is thinner than the bottom.
The phone only opens in one direction, clockwise, so to open it single-handedly, it should be in the right hand. (I'm a left-hander and I thought mine was broken and stuck when I first tried to open it, but it wasn't.) The motion does require some carry-through with the thumb, and if I didn't slide it strong enough, the top display would stop short of clicking straight. But most of the time it rotated fine and the mechanism feels sturdy. While I didn't go buck wild trying to rip these two displays apart, I didn't feel like I needed to be any more careful with it than with any other premium phone. LG estimates that the phone is durable enough to survive 200,000 rotations over the course of five years. If you want more protection, LG is working on cases, but those will undoubtedly add more bulk.
The phone has a 6.8-inch display on top that rotates clockwise.
Angela Lang/CNET
LG Wing's 2 displays do double duty
Once the phone's open, you can do a variety of things in a variety of orientations. Multitasking is the most obvious benefit, like watching YouTube while looking up something on the web. If you're talking to a buddy over the phone and want to check your calendar to schedule a time to meet up, you can do that too. My favorite way to use it is having Maps display on the larger screen and music controls on the other one. This is especially useful in the car, when I want to skip tracks without fussing too much with the phone and taking my eyes off the road. Given the bulk of the Wing though, I suggest having a sturdy phone mount. When I found myself opening the same pair of apps often (Maps and Spotify, for instance), I paired them so they could launch quickly together.
The back of the phone when opened.
Angela Lang/CNET
When held upside down, the phone opens up different experiences for gameplay. I played the racing game Asphalt 9 this way, with the bigger screen displaying the main gameplay and the smaller one displaying a roadmap. I'm not convinced this was useful, though. Plus the phone is top-heavy when held upside down, so it was uncomfortable to hold the thinly edged display in my hands after a while.
Having two screens to navigate one app is interesting too. With messaging, for instance, I can view a large part of the conversation while texting. But as I mentioned before, not every app is optimized. For instance, I'd love to watch a YouTube video while reading comments on the other screen, but I couldn't do that on the phone. And if you don't want to use the bottom display much at all, it can be turned into either a trackpad to navigate the top display, or blacked out completely and used as a physical grip.
3 cameras and a gimbal
The Wing has three rear cameras: one standard camera and two ultra-wide cameras. One of the ultra-wide cameras has a gimbal inside, which is similar to the Vivo X50 Pro. Gimbals are used to stabilize and balance video even when you're moving around a lot. LG added a special Gimbal Mode with extra controls as well, so you can pan and follow your subject as they move.
My video footage was steady, even as I was recording while walking quickly. Video looked more stable than the one recorded on the iPhone XS, which we happened to have on hand, and footage from the LG Wing lacked that pulsing effect the iPhone had too. When it came to picture quality though, colors were more true-to-life and objects looked smoother on the iPhone. On the front is a 32-megapixel camera embedded inside the phone and popup from out of the top edge when in use, which is a lot like the OnePlus 7 Pro, Vivo Nex and Oppo Reno 2. The selfies I took were bright, in-focus and clear.
Videographers may be interested in the suite of tools the LG Wing has, and Gimbal Mode adds an extra layer of control and creativity. Gripping the phone vertically while shooting horizontally also made it comfortable to shoot video. But if you're a casual video-taker, this isn't a must-have, and current iPhones and Pixel phones have excellent video stabilization features too.
In bright, ample lighting the phone takes vibrant and clear pictures.
Lynn La/CNET
Another outdoor image taken on the LG Wing.
Lynn La/CNET
In this closeup shot, the flower petals on the foreground are in focus and sharp.
Lynn La/CNET
A photo taken with the phone's pop-up front-facing camera.
Lynn La/CNET
LG Wing's hardware and other specs
Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 765G chipset and a 4,000-mAh battery. Since I got a preproduction unit, I didn't conduct battery tests. Anecdotally though, the Wing had a decent battery life. With medium usage of both screens it was able to last a full day without charging.
LG Wing 5G specs
Display size, resolution
Main screen: 6.8-inch OLED; 2,460x1,080 pixels. Second screen: 3.9-inch OLED; 1,240x1,080 pixels
OnePlus 10 Pro peek reveals lots of Oppo software DNA
OnePlus 10 Pro peek reveals lots of Oppo software DNA
Curious about what it's like to use the OnePlus 10 Pro? So is everyone else outside of China since the phone launched there on Jan. 10 and the company hasn't yet given an international release date. But a new video showing off the flagship phone reveals it's essentially running Oppo software.
YouTuber Marques Brownlee got his hands on a OnePlus 10 Pro model from China and demonstrated that it appears to have entirely replaced all traces of OnePlus' signature OxygenOS Android skin with Oppo's ColorOS.
Read more:The best phones to buy in 2022
This doesn't necessarily mean the version of OnePlus 10 Pro that'll be sold outside China won't have OxygenOS, Brownlee noted. But replacing software entirely is very different than the "fusion" of operating systems that OnePlus CEO Pete Lau described last September that would bring the best of both OxygenOS and ColorOS to the next generation of OnePlus phones.
Fans and media have been in the dark since the phone's launch earlier in January, which only revealed the OnePlus 10 Pro's specs and new design. Per Brownlee's video, the phone's hardware is exactly as advertised: It seems to have the same lenses as the OnePlus 9 Pro in a redesigned camera block housing, though it does have a new 150-degree ultrawide mode within the photo app, among other tweaks.
In addition, the in-screen fingerprint sensor, which was awkwardly low on the OnePlus 9 Pro, has been moved up on the display to be easier to reach with your thumb. The phone also has a new type of display, an LTPO 2, which has the same 120Hz maximum refresh rate but now goes down to a 1Hz, which is lower than the 9 Pro's minimum 10Hz, meaning lower potential power drain.
It seems we were right to be excited over the 10 Pro's 5,000mAh battery, the largest yet on a OnePlus flagship phone, as Brownlee found it lasted longer than the brand's older phones. The 80-watt charging is also as speedy as expected, though you'll need to buy a proprietary Oppo wireless charger to reach the phone's 50-watt maximum wireless charging speeds.
OnePlus veterans may be thrown off by the charger included in the box, which isn't OnePlus' WarpCharge but the SuperVOOC charger block typically packed with Oppo phones. The latter has a USB-A plug instead of the USB-C ports used by most modern chargers, so if you lose the included cable, you may need to unearth older cables long ago consigned to your desk drawer.
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Motorola Edge Plus hands-on: A $1,000 5G phone with premium specs
Motorola Edge Plus hands-on: A $1,000 5G phone with premium specs
Motorola, a company best known for its budget and midrange phones, on Wednesday took an enormous step forward into the premium phone market and launched the Motorola Edge and Edge Plus. Both phones join the Motorola Razr as high-end offerings from the Chicago-based company. Whereas the Razr was criticized for its middle-of-the-road tech, the Edge and Edge Plus are brimming with cutting-edge specs that rival Samsung, OnePlus and Apple. It is as if Motorola went to the specs grocery store and emptied the shelves.
The $1,000 Motorola Edge Plus has the same price as the Samsung Galaxy S20, the same size screen as the Galaxy S20 Plus and the same 5,000-mAh battery and 108-megapixel camera as the Galaxy S20 Ultra. (The Edge Plus is not currently available in the UK and Australia, but as a guide, the Galaxy S20 starts at £799 and AU$1,349 in those countries. The Edge will cost £549 in the UK.)
The Edge is meant as a slightly pared-down and less expensive option. Motorola hasn't announced the price, but the more affordable phone will launch sometime this summer. Motorola is taking a similar approach to both phones as OnePlus did with its 8 and 8 Pro, although both Edge phones use the same size display.
Motorola Edge Plus specs vs. Motorola Edge, OnePlus 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; water resistant (IP68)
5G enabled; 120Hz refresh rate; 100X zoom; water resistant (IP68)
Price off-contract (USD)
$999 - Verizon exclusive
TBD
$899 (8GB RAM/128GB), $999 (12GB RAM/256GB)
$1,199, $1,349
$1,399 (128GB), $1,599 (512GB)
The Motorola Edge Plus has 5G
We've seen a lot of phones with 5G launched this year, and the Edge was designed from the start to run on 5G. The Motorola Edge Plus supports both sub-6 and millimeter wave up to 5 gigabits per second. Motorola claims its optimizations will result in the "fastest ever" 5G. We'll have to test those claims.
The Motorola Edge Plus was built from the ground up to be a 5G phone.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Edge Plus has a 108-megapixel rear camera
There are three rear cameras on the Motorola Edge Plus. The main camera has a 108-megapixel sensor which combines groups of four pixels to produce a 27-megapixel image. Motorola says that the sensor is almost three times larger than the 12-megapixel sensors used in other phones, which could help improve brightness and reduce image noise.
I'm excited to try out the Edge Plus camera system in more depth. But the few photos I took looked good on Edge Plus' screen.
The Edge Plus can record 6K videos with 20-megapixel photo grabs during recording. Despite the Edge Plus having a Snapdragon 865 processor, which is capable of 8K recording, Motorola thought 6K better paired to the main camera sensor.
There are three rear cameras: A main wide-angle camera, a telephoto camera and an ultrawide-angle camera.
Sarah Tew/CNET
There's also a video portrait mode, a special long exposure mode with a shutter speed of up to 32-seconds and Night Vision which stacks eight photos and combines them into a single shot that's brighter, sharper and has more detail.
And then on the front, housed in the hole-punch display, is a 25-megapixel selfie camera.
The Motorola Edge Plus has a 90Hz waterfall display
The name Edge refers to the 6.7-inch "endless edge" display that wraps around the sides of the phone. While it's not the first phone to have a waterfall display, it is absolutely stunning in-person. The edge can light up different colors to show your battery charging, alarms and notifications. There's also a neat widget you can access for shortcuts. Motorola built-in grip and touch suppression to minimize any accidental screen touches.
The display wraps around the edges and has a tiny hole for the 25-megapixel front-facing camera to poke through.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If the edges are too much, you can go into Settings and select which apps use the edges and which don't. When the edges are off, they turn black and the screen looks like a normal regular display. During my time with the phone, I didn't see an "all or nothing" switch for turning the edge on and off.
The edges get well-used in the new Moto Gametime mode. You can set them up as shoulder buttons or reposition your on-screen buttons so they're in a better place for gameplay.
I'm not sure how helpful the Edge screen will be in daily use. It's obviously reminiscent of Samsung Galaxy phones and their edge displays. But the gaming functionality pushes it toward gaming phones such as the Asus ROG Phone 2 and Black Shark 2 Pro but without the glowing logo.
Speaking of gaming phones, the Edge's 21:9 ratio screen has a 90Hz variable refresh rate which makes animations look smoother, text and images more crisp and can make gaming (especially high-frame-rate games) more immersive. You can also choose to override the variable setting and lock it in to 60Hz or 90Hz.
The 90Hz display is impressive and automatically adjusts its refresh rate depending on what content is on screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Motorola Edge Plus vs. Motorola Edge
In many ways the Motorola Edge is fundamentally the same phone with the same display as the Edge Plus, but made with a more svelte body. It has Sub-6 5G support but not the faster millimeter-wave flavor of 5G. Instead of a Snapdragon 865 found in the Edge Plus, it has a Snapdragon 765 processor. Instead of a 5,000-mAh battery, it has a 4,500-mAh battery. Instead of an 108-megapixel main camera, it has a 64-megapixel main camera.
The biggest difference is price. We don't know exactly what that will be yet, but we have to surmise that if the Motorola Edge Plus is $999 then the Motorola Edge will be cheaper when it's released sometime this summer.
The Motorola Edge is a slightly scaled back and more affordable version of the Edge Plus.
Motorola
Also I should note that in the US the Edge Plus is a Verizon exclusive, but the Edge will be sold unlocked. We look forward to testing out both phones for a review.
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Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022
Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022
Editors' note: The Google Pixel 6 Pro's solid all-round performance and excellent camera make it a superb high-end Android phone that's well worth your money, which is why we've given it a CNET Editors' Choice award. The original review follows.
When it launched late in 2021, I said the Pixel 6 Pro isn't just the best phone Google has ever made, it's also one of the best phones you can buy. Half a year later, I stand by those words and strongly recommend you consider this phone if you're looking for a great all-round experience at a more reasonable price. Its strong performance, great software additions, unique design and excellent camera system make it the biggest rival to Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Sure, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a few more bells and whistles. The S Pen stylus, for example, not to mention that incredible 10x optical zoom that blows both the Pixel 6 Pro's 4x zoom and the iPhone 13 Pro's 3.5x zoom out the water. The S22 Ultra is faster on benchmark tests, too. But at $1,200 it also costs a lot more than the Pixel, meaning you've really got to be dedicated to having only the most cutting-edge tech in your pocket to want to splash that extra cash.
The Pixel 6 Pro manages to offer its winning combo of specs and design at a price that undercuts its main rivals. The 6.7-inch base 128GB model costs $899 (£849, AU$1,299), a sizable chunk less than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro's $999 price and even more off the $1,099 Apple wants for the larger 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Sure, $899 might not be "cheap" but it represents good value when compared against the prices of other flagship phones.
Google's earlier Pixel 5 was best seen as a midrange phone with some higher-end touches, while the Pixel 6 Pro is premium all the way. From its glass and metal design to its high-resolution display and its superb triple camera, there's a lot to like here. Then there's the Tensor processor, a chip custom-made by Google for the phone, which provides ample power for all of your daily needs, better security features, 5G connectivity and a slick Android 12 interface. Battery life is good -- certainly above average -- but not great, with the iPhone 13 Pro putting in a stronger performance.
Its biggest Android rival right now is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which does have some neat camera additions (that 10x zoom, for one thing), but it costs more and the Pixel 6 Pro offers a more user-friendly experience. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer superb all-round use, but come at a higher price and if you're already entrenched in the Android ecosystem, it's likely not worth switching and buying all those apps again.
Those looking for the best all-round Android experience should absolutely look toward the Pixel 6 Pro.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Pixel 6 Pro or Pixel 6?
The stepdown $599 (£599, AU$999) Pixel 6 packs the same Tensor processor and lovely Android 12 software for $300 less than the Pro, but there are a few compromises it makes in order to come to that cheaper price.
It has a smaller and lower resolution 6.4-inch display that lacks the curving finesse of the Pro. Its battery is smaller, it has 8GB rather than 12GB of RAM and it lacks the 4x telephoto zoom lens found on the Pro.
The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch display while the Pixel 6's measures 6.4 inches.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
But it's still a great phone that's well worth considering. It provides many of the same perks of the Pixel 6 Pro at a much lower price, especially if you don't care about the top-end performance offered by the flagship. As my colleague Patrick Holland put it in his review of the phone, "For the price, I can't think of a better phone to recommend right now."
A fresh design that stands out
I didn't love the look of last year's Pixel 5. The matte, rubberized back gave the phone a more budget feel than its $699 price tag suggested. The Pixel 6 Pro is worlds apart. The rear is all glass -- toughened Gorilla Glass Victus, in fact -- that curves at the edges to meet the 100% recycled aluminum frame.
The glass curves at the edges on the front, too, as does the display beneath it, making it not only look more premium, but feel like a truly flagship device when you hold it in your hand. It's big though, packing in a 6.7-inch display, which will make it more cumbersome for some than the 6-inch Pixel 5 or 6.4-inch Pixel 6. That glass makes it slippery, too, so consider one of Google's protective cases if you're nervous about dropping it.
The Pixel 6 Pro, flanked by the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and Pixel 5.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It is IP68-rated for water resistance, meaning it can withstand being in 1 meter (about 3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. No, that doesn't mean you can take it swimming, but it does mean it should be able to shake off having the odd beer spilled over it by your clumsy mates.
An interesting design choice is the large camera bar that stretches across the back. It protrudes from the phone by about 3mm, so it doesn't lie totally flat when you put it on a table, but nor does it rock from corner to corner like phones with camera bumps just on one side. I like the look of the phone and it certainly stands out. One tip though: Get the Sorta Sunny orangey-peachy color, if you can find it in stock. The black-and-gray option, Stormy Black, looks rather dull by comparison.
The camera strip protrudes from the phone by about 3mm. As a result, it won't lie flat on a table.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The rear-mounted fingerprint scanner seen on the Pixel 5 has been removed, replaced instead with an in-screen scanner, which I found worked accurately and quickly most of the time, although Patrick found the Pixel 6's scanner to be much more hit and miss in his review. There's no face unlock ability, which is a bit of a shame.
Three excellent cameras
That big bar on the back hides three cameras: a 12-megapixel ultrawide; a 48-megapixel telephoto that offers 4x optical zoom; and a main camera that uses a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, which Google says captures 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The cameras on the Pixel phones have always been excellent, and this new generation is no different.
Images from the main camera lens are stunning. They're vibrant, they're packed with detail and there's an amazing balance of exposure, with bright skies kept under control and shadowy areas being easily visible.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The golden colors of the leaves have been captured beautifully here, with a rich blue sky visible behind.
iPhone 13 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
And here's the same image taken on the iPhone 13 Pro. There's little to choose between them, but if I was being hypercritical, I'd say that the white balance on the Pixel 6 Pro has resulted in a warmer, more orange tone on the tree trunk, which I think looks better. You can see how the Pixel 6 Pro's camera really stacks up against the iPhone 13 Pro's in my photography shootout.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This scene looking towards the beautiful Edinburgh castle is a challenging shot, with dark shadows and an extremely bright sky beyond the trees. The Pixel 6 Pro has handled it well though, maintaining a lovely exposure overall.
Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
And it's much the same here, with vivid blue skies, superb exposure and plenty of detail.
Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Switching to the ultrawide lens, the scene maintains the rich colors and exposure. Zoom closer in and it's clear it has less overall detail, but it's still a lovely shot.
Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Another from the Pixel 6 Pro's ultrawide lens. But check out the iPhone 13 Pro's:
iPhone 13 Pro, ultrawide lens.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The iPhone's offers a much wider view that lets you capture more in the scene. They're both excellent wide lenses and both do a great job in packing in those beautiful colors, but I'd like to have seen the Pixel offering a slightly wider scene.
The 4x zoom lens is amazing too, providing tons of detail thanks to its high resolution sensor. I think 4x is a great zoom level for a phone as well; it allows you to find compositions that would be beyond the reach of lesser zoom levels, but it's not quite as restrictive as the 10x zoom you'll find on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's a zoom level I feel I'd use a lot on my travels and have already taken a few 4x shots with the phone that I'm really pleased with as artistic images.
Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This zoomed-in image is so pin-sharp I can actually read the headline on the newspaper. It's a really impressive lens that doesn't force you to make any kind of compromise on quality in order to achieve those zoom levels. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro's optical zoom maxes out at 3x, so the Pixel 6 Pro is able to achieve a closer-up image. Which, frankly, I'd take any day over a wider-angle view.
Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
It's handy as well for focusing your view on a smaller scene like this, capturing intimate little still-life scenes, rather than grand, sweeping vistas. The fine textures on the leaves here are extremely sharp.
Google has thrown some extra features in too, including a tool that automatically removes people from the background in an image, which sometimes works well, and sometimes leaves a big splotch where a person once stood. Then there's the long exposure mode, which allows you to create ethereal blurred waterscapes and the Nightscape mode, which does an excellent job of taking shots in the dark.
Pixel 6 pro, Nightscape photo.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
I'm seriously impressed with the photography abilities of the Pixel 6 Pro and there's no question that it's among the best cameras you can get on a phone right now. Video quality is excellent as well, with superb dynamic range, excellent image stabilization and plenty of detail thanks to the 4K resolution.
Does Google's Tensor processor make a difference?
At the heart of the phone is Google's first home-baked processor, named Tensor. It's a significant move for Google to produce its own silicon and it shows a strong commitment to remain in the hardware game -- after all, you don't go to the effort of developing your own processors as a one-off experiment.
But it's essentially irrelevant once you get the Pixel in your hand, as it functions just like any other phone. It's nippy to navigate around the Android 12 interface, games like Asphalt 9: Legends and Call of Duty play perfectly, while photo editing and video streaming are handled exactly as well as you'd get from any other top-end phone right now.
Pixel 6 Pro benchmark tests
Google Pixel 6 Pro
Apple iPhone 13 Pro
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
Legend:
Geekbench 5 (single core)
Geekbench 5 (multi core)
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Note:
Longer bars equal better performance
On benchmark tests like the Geekbench 5 processor test and 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme graphics test, the Pixel 6 Pro doesn't score quite as highly as the iPhone 13 Pro, but it's up there with the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and it edged out the powerful OnePlus 9 Pro on the graphics test too). Benchmarks are by no means a direct indicator of real-life performance, but it's good to at least see that Google's new silicon is operating in the same ballpark as its rivals.
No, the Tensor chip is not setting a new standard for lightning-fast performance. But it doesn't need to; today's phones already pack way more power than any of us are likely to need on a daily basis. Google's push into chip production goes beyond simply creating a "benchmark beater" and a lot of the real benefits will come over time as the company develops more ways to take advantage of its own hardware.
The Tensor processor is particularly designed with machine learning, AI and speech-recognition applications in mind. There are already speech-recognition functions built into the keyboard (for dictating messages or emails) as well as real-time translation tools and improved visual language translations when using Google Lens via the camera.
Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro run the latest Android 12 software.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Android 12 is lovely to use
The Android 12 interface is extremely neat and easy to use. It's my favorite version of Android so far, offering an uncomplicated experience that even Android novices won't take long to get to grips with. One of the bigger features that's (for now) exclusive to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro is the ability to create custom themes for the phone based on whatever image you have as your background.
When you choose a new wallpaper (either one of the many built-in ones, or any of your own images saved to your phone), the phone will automatically pick out the dominant color and will use that, and its complementary colors, to change the look of parts of the interface, including some of the default Google app icons on the home screen, such as the Play Store, Gmail and Photos. It's a nice idea, although it probably shouldn't be the main reason you decide to part with your cash.
Security has been given a particular push both on the software and hardware side. The Tensor processor has a dedicated Titan coprocessor that apparently allows for much better on-device security, while Android 12 offers more granular control of your security and privacy settings. That includes a dashboard that shows what apps have used what information recently and handy buttons in the pull-down notification tray that turn off system-wide access to your camera and microphone.
Those quick-access privacy buttons might come in handy.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Google has also promised that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive security updates for five years, which will mean these phones will be safer to use for longer. Many older phones are still perfectly usable from a hardware standpoint, but if they don't have the latest security patches on board then they're susceptible to all kinds of hacking nastiness. From both a cost and environmental perspective, being able to use our phones safely for longer is only a good thing.
Vibrant display, solid battery life and fast charging
The Pixel 6 Pro's 6.7-inch display is pin-sharp thanks to its 3,120x1,440-pixel resolution. It's bright, too, with vibrant colors that do justice to colorful games like Candy Crush Soda Saga or video like Netflix's world-dominating show Squid Game. It has an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz when you're playing fast-paced games, but also slows down to only 10Hz when the phone is basically sitting idle. Performance when you need it; power-saving when you don't.
The Pixel 6 Pro and perhaps its biggest rival, the iPhone 13 Pro.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The phone runs on a 5,003-mAh battery, which should be good for a full day of mixed use. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video at max brightness it had dropped from full to 98%. By contrast, the OnePlus 9 Pro had dropped to 90%, while the iPhone 13 Pro dropped to only 99%. After a further hour the 6 Pro had dropped to 89%, while the iPhone 13 Pro was at 93%. You certainly shouldn't struggle to get through the day with it, but as with all phones, you can help it by keeping screen brightness down, avoiding demanding tasks like gaming or video streaming until you're near a plug, and turning off GPS.
It has Qi wireless charging and it supports fast charging with a 30-watt charger (not supplied), which will take the phone to 50% full in 30 minutes. That's decent, but not really a match for OnePlus's 65-watt fast charging, which will fully charge the device in the same time. Still, it's fast enough to be able to give your phone a quick boost before you head out and about, and the Extreme Battery Saver mode pauses all but your essential apps to preserve the remaining juice.
Google Pixel 6 specs vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 5, Apple iPhone 13
HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60fps
Processor
Google Tensor
Google Tensor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Apple A15 Bionic
Storage
128GB, 256GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
RAM
8GB
12GB
8GB
Undisclosed
Expandable storage
No
No
No
No
Battery
4,614 mAh
5,003 mAh
4,000 mAh
Undisclosed; Apple lists 19 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor
Under display
Under display
Rear
No (Face ID)
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Lightning
Headphone jack
No
No
No
No
Special features
5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
5G sub 6 and mmWave support, Wi-Fi 6E, ultra-wideband, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
5G enabled; water-resistant (IP68); 90Hz-refresh-rate display; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging
