Google Pixel 7 could – along with iPhone 14 – be one of the most exciting phones from the end of 2022. Yes, at the end of 2022 – so it’s still a long way off, but the first leaks are already starting to appear, and it’s never too early to think about what we want from Google’s next flagship.
Here’s what you’ll find in this article – a wish list that contains the basic features and updates that we want the Pixel 7 (and Pixel 7 Pro) to offer to make them the best phones.
But that’s not all, before that you’ll find everything we’ve heard about the Google Pixel 7 lineup so far, including release date, price and specs.
We will also add to this article every time we hear something new, but wait Google Pixel 6a and perhaps even a Google Pixel Fold before that – so keep this page bookmarked.
Google Pixel 7: Tell the chase
- What is it? The next flagship is Pixel
- When does it come out? Perhaps in October 2022
- How much will it cost? Expect a higher price, but perhaps less than competitors
Google Pixel 7 release date and price
Google Pixel 7 is likely to be announced sometime in October 2022. There are no rumors about this, but all previous models were introduced in October of their release, except Google Pixel 5which was announced on September 30 – so actually October.
Whenever the Pixel 7 range is announced, it will likely go on sale in a week or two depending on the previous form – but also probably by the end of October 2022.
As for the price, it can roughly match Pixel 6 range. The standard model starts at $ 599 / £ 599 / AU $ 999, while Pixel 6 Pro starts at $ 899 / £ 849 / AU $ 1,299.
News and leaks
We’ve heard a few things about the Google Pixel 7, including that it can run on the second-generation Google Tensor chipset, which for convenience we’ll call the Tensor 2.
There was evidence of that found in Android codeas mentioned by “Cloudripper”, which is considered a baseboard or developer board that can be used by Pixel 7.
More rumors showed that these Tensor 2 phones were codenamed Cheetah (for Pixel 7) and Panther (for Pixel 7 Pro).
Google patented Camera technology under display in August 2021, and some have suggested that this could mean it’s ready for Pixel 7. That means most likely it could be one of the next-generation phones with an “invisible” selfie camera.
Patents are not always used, so it may be that this technology is just an experiment at Google headquarters. We won’t know for sure until we see that the camera under the display will appear on the Pixel phone.
Even before the Pixel 6 range was launched, there was also evidence that the Pixel 7 was found XDA developers in Google Camera. It seems the future phone will be codenamed “pipit,” and only one model is mentioned, which could mean the Pixel 7 Pro won’t.
The code in the app suggests that the Pixel 7 will have most of the same camera features as the Pixel 6, and that it will have an ultra-wide lens, but no mention of the telephoto. However, the source notes that it is too early to be sure that this version of the Google Camera app actually lists the features of Pixel 7, not to mention that the list is complete.
What we want to see
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google’s most exciting phones in recent years, but they are far from perfect, so we want to see the next changes in the Pixel 7 line.
1. Best battery life
In our reviews, we cited battery life as a downside to both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It’s not scary, but clearly average, so it could be a lot better.
For the Pixel 7 range we want better battery life. Google uses a custom chipset that was supposedly designed from scratch for these phones, and that makes the software they work with, so we think it will be well placed to make the Pixel range energy efficient.
And if he can’t handle it, then just insert a larger battery. Either way, we don’t want to worry about the fact that we may not get to the end of the day without charging.
2. More power
The Google Tensor chipset at the heart of the Pixel 6 is one of the most exciting aspects of the phone since Google first used its own chipset rather than the standard Qualcomm chipset.
However, while Google has been talking a big game about Tensor, its performance in tests has not matched the best competitors, such as the Snapdragon 888, which works OnePlus 9 and Samsung Galaxy S21.
Tests are certainly not all, but we would still like Google Tensor 2 to demonstrate more raw power so that it can directly compete with the best competitive silicon.
3. Longer support
Prior to the launch of the Pixel 6 range, there were rumors that Google would offer five years of Android updates for these phones, but in practice it promised only five years of security fixes as well as three years of Android updates.
While it’s at least as good as Android’s competitors, it’s not comparable to iPhones that have been updating the operating system for more than five years.
Some other companies may point to chipsets in their phones as a deterrent, as the chipset maker should also ideally keep up to date for a long time, but Google is now making its own chipset, no excuse. In fact, there is no excuse for this, so we will be very disappointed if the Pixel 7 will not be supported for longer.
4. Best fingerprint scanner
The Pixel 6 line is the first Google phone to have a fingerprint scanner under display, but in our review of the Pixel 6 Pro we noted that the implementation is far from perfect.
We’ve found that it sometimes takes a few tries to unlock, probably because it’s more picky than some phones where exactly you place your finger. So, for the Pixel 7, we want it to be smoothed so that the fingerprint scanner works reliably and quickly.
5. Longer variable zoom
The Google Pixel 6 doesn’t have a camera camera at all, and while the Pixel 6 Pro does, it only magnifies 4x.
For the Pixel 7 (or at least the Pixel 7 Pro) we want to see a magnification enlarged up to 10x as per Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. But we don’t just want 10x zoom – we want it to also be optically close to 2x or 3x, or ideally even have the ability to zoom optically at each level up to 10x, so you have maximum flexibility scaling.