Google’s big Pixel 10 reveal event is finally (some might say mercifully) over, so let’s talk about what actually matters: the cool stuff the new Pixel 10 phones can do.
The latest upgrades to the Pixel lineup are more iterative than not, promising improvements like brighter displays and bigger batteries to go with newer processors. But there are some standout new software and hardware features that are sure to appeal to plenty of people.
Of course, there are more new features than just these (check out everything we learned at Made by Google), but these are the features I’m most excited to try out for myself.
Live translation
This will probably prevent some headaches.
Credit: Screenshot: Google
AI features can be hit-or-miss in terms of how useful they actually are, but arguably the most significant one Google is adding with Pixel 10 is live language translation during phone calls.
It works about how you’d expect; two people speaking different languages can speak to each other, with AI doing translation on the fly. It will spit out what the other person is saying to you in your language of choice, so you can theoretically have phone chats with people from different parts of the world now. It will even maintain your unique voice, so the other person isn’t just hearing a robotic translation. Plus, thanks to the new Tensor 5 chip, this translation happens on your device, offering a level of privacy.
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We’ll have to wait and see how well this actually works, but for now, it’s a big deal.
A telephoto lens on the base model
Notice anything different in the camera module?
Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable
For years, the standard for flagship smartphones (at least for Google and Apple) has been thus: Base models have two camera lenses, while more expensive “Pro” models have three. Google threw a wrench into that on Wednesday.
The base Pixel 10 now has a third, telephoto lens on the back. That means you can take high-quality zoom shots without buying the more expensive phone. It does come at the expense of the other two lenses, which have lower megapixel counts than before. But good software can make up for those deficiencies, and having a real zoom lens on the base model Pixel will be a game-changer for some people.
We should note that if you want the 100x zoom, you’ll need to opt for the Pixel 10 Pro over the base model.
Qi2 charging
Jimmy Fallon not included.
Credit: Screenshot: Google
Last but not least, all of the new Pixel phones now support Qi2 wireless charging. Of course, that means the new Pixels are capable of fast wireless charging using a wide variety of supported chargers, but that’s not the only significant development here.
Google is taking advantage of the new Qi2 standard with Pixelsnap, a new line of magnetic attachments (including but not limited to wireless chargers) that work natively with Pixel 10. In other words, Google made its own version of MagSafe. Not much more needs to be said about this because it’s fairly self-explanatory, but having a magnet on your phone that can work with fast wireless chargers and other accessories will definitely come in handy.