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Google Pixel 6 Specs, Features Leak Ahead of Oct. 19 Reveal

Retailers have revealed more details about Google's flagship smartphones.

 & Nathaniel Mott Contributing Writer

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A number of retailers have accidentally revealed more information about Google's upcoming Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones ahead of their official launch on Oct. 19.

The next-generation Pixel devices were conspicuously absent from Google I/O in May, but in August, the company revealed them alongside its custom Tensor system-on-chip. Then in September it casually started to display the new devices at the Google Store in Manhattan. Yet there's still precious little information about the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro on the company's web store.

A few leaks might have revealed some more details about these next-gen Pixel devices. Nils Ahrensmeier shared the first leak, courtesy of a German retailer, on Oct. 6. That advertisement claimed the Pixel 6 would boast a 6.4-inch display, 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a new camera setup with a 50MP primary camera and 12MP ultra-wide camera starting at $750.

The second leak arrived courtesy of Evan "EVLeaks" Blass on Oct. 9. In this case Carphone Warehouse appeared to have mistakenly published marketing pages for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro earlier than intended. The pages highlighted both devices' camera setups, claimed they would offer all-day battery life, and shared more details about the Material You design language.

The new Material You design language on the Pixel 6 Pro

Carphone Warehouse's pages also claimed the Pixel 6 Pro would feature a 6.7-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz to maximize battery life and performance. That so-called Smooth Display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which was described as "the toughest Gorilla Glass yet," as well as IP68-rated protection against water and dust.

The Pixel 6 Pro is also said to feature a 50MP wide lens, 48MP telephoto lens, and 12MP ultra-wide lens combined with a new sensor that purportedly captures 150% more light than the one used in the Pixel 5. This is supposed to enable "finer detail and richer colour, plus faster, more accurate Night Sight photos" compared to the previous-generation Pixel smartphone.

Other highlights from the leak included the ability to use a 30W wall charger—which the Pixel 6 Pro can purportedly use to reach 50% battery life in just 30 minutes—and the claim that Google's custom Tensor chip offers up to 80% better performance over the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G used in the Pixel 5 "based on internal benchmark testing on pre-production devices."

As always, these leaks could prove inaccurate or incomplete, so Google could still reveal new details about the devices. (Especially in regard to pricing of Pixel 6 models with more storage, the Pixel 6 Pro, and the accessories debuting alongside the new devices.) We should find out more about what Google has planned for these phones at the official announcement on Oct. 19.

About Our Expert

Nathaniel Mott

Nathaniel Mott

Contributing Writer

I've been writing about tech, including everything from privacy and security to consumer electronics and startups, since 2011 for a variety of publications.

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