Google Pixel 6 announced with custom processor and wild new camera design

The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are officially launched today and they look just as crazy as the mock-ups predicted. The two handsets, which will go on sale later this year signal a huge design change for the Google Pixel with a camera bump that looks like it comes straight from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

While the look of the phones was not a huge surprise the internal details have until now remained pretty much a secret. The biggest news is that both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will use Google’s new custom-built system on a chip (SoC). This has been on the cards for a few years, but its power will impact all elements of the phone.

Of course the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will both run the new Android 12 platform with its Material You design language. This is designed to make a more fluid user experience and allow you to customize the look and feel of the phone to your own style.

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Google Tensor

Google’s new custom-built processor, Tensor, is actually a system on a chip (SoC). This means that it contains not only the CPU but also other system elements, such as the graphics, cache, RAM and storage. Apple’s M1 processor is also an SoC and owes its speed and efficiency to this design.

The full details of Google’s Tensor SoC have not been revealed, however it suggests that security, AI and photography are at the heart of its design. It will be interesting to see how this translates to performance once the phones are available for testing.

Google Pixel 6 design

The look of the new Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro has divided the T3 team, with some seeing the departure from the old Pixel style a step too far. However, other have praised its bold new look. 

The contentious point is definitely that huge camera bump that extends all the way across the back of the phone. This has been redesigned to accommodate the improved sensors and lenses in the camera system (though details of what those are haven't been given).