Google Pixel Smartphones, Daydream View VR Headsets at a Glance

Google’s long-rumored Pixel and Pixel XL handsets and Daydream View VR headset are available for preorder. We look at key features of the new devices.

All Pixel and Pixel XL phone models feature a metal unibody design with curved edges, a Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 quad-core processor and 4GB of LPDDR4 memory. The handsets come in Quite Black or Very Silver in 32GB or 128GB versions, but only in a 32GB version in the other color choice, Really Blue.

The standard Pixel starts at $649 with 32GB of on-board storage and has a 5-inch full HD AMOLED display, which is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and a 2,770mAh battery. A Pixel with 128GB of on-board storage is $749. The handset is 5.6 inches tall, 2.7 inches wide and 0.3 inches thick.

The Pixel’s larger stablemate, the Pixel XL, has a 5.5-inch quad HD AMOLED display, a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 cover and a 3,450mAh battery, and is 6 inches long, 2.9 inches wide and 0.34 inches thick. The Pixel XL starts at $769 with 32GB of storage. Or sells for $869 with 128GB of storage.

Both models also include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for device and user security, fast charging that can provide up to seven hours of use from a 15-minute charge, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm headset jack, a single SIM receptacle and a single bottom-firing speaker.

The Pixel and Pixel XL handsets also share the same 12.3-megapixel auto-focus, rear main cameras with f/2.0 lenses and 8-megapixel front-facing, fixed-focus cameras with f/2.4 lenses. Both handsets can capture and play 4K video as well as 1080p and 720p video. Buyers can also obtain their Pixel or Pixel XL handsets with a free SIM card that will work with Google’s Project Fi mobile phone services. A two-year device protection plan is available for $99.

The new Pixel handsets are the first Google devices to include the latest Google Assistant services built-in to assist consumers in their everyday lives with tasks from finding information to searching for photos of specific people that were taken on certain holidays. Google’s new Android Nougat operating system will be running on the Pixel smartphones, including automatic updates that are loaded in the background and installed for users as they work on their tasks.

The Pixel phones also come with free unlimited storage of photos and videos at original quality and full resolution through Google Photos, as well as new transfer tools to help new owners move all their photos, emails, contacts and other personal data to their new Pixel handset from their old smartphones. Also included is 24/7 technical support for the handsets through a preloaded app that gives tech support personnel the ability to examine the phone remotely after the owner consents to the assistance.

Unlike competing VR headsets, the Daydream View is made using soft fabrics and materials that are comfortable on a wearer’s face, while also being up to 30 percent lighter than other viewers. To connect a Pixel phone to the headset, the user opens the latch on the viewer, places their Pixel phone inside and shuts the hatch, and the phone and headset communicate automatically to configure the devices.

The Pixel phones are also built to be fully compatible with the new Daydream View VR headset, giving users the ability to consume a wide variety of VR content that is being offered by Google and its partners. Users will be able to see YouTube videos, Google Street View content, Google Play Movies and more at launch. More than 50 partners will bring additional content before the end of year.

The Daydream View headset can be worn over glasses and comes with a hand-operated controller that can be stores inside the device. Additional Daydream-compatible smartphones from other manufacturers will be announced in the future so that non-Pixel users can also use the viewer. Daydream View headsets will be available in the color Slate when it launches in November, while Snow and Crimson will be available later in 2016.