Google Pixel 7a
Google's June Feature Drop Brings a Long List of Small New Features to Pixel Phones
Google has released its June 2023 "Feature Drop" (a software update for Pixel devices that adds new features). Although most of the new features are small, there are a lot of them this month. Google can alert your designated emergency contacts when you're in trouble, including sharing your location with them. This can now be activated in three new ways: when your phone detects a car crash, by asking Google Assistant, or by asking Google Assistant for a safety check at a designated time (the alert is sent if you don't respond to the safety check). Cinematic wallpapers uses AI to turn your 2D photos into dynamic 3D wallpapers. The Recorder app new has enhanced speaker labels, enabling users to "export transcripts into Google Docs, generate speaker-labeled video clips and search for speakers within recordings". The camera app now lets you start a self-timer with a hand gesture. Adaptive Charging is now smart enough to learn your charging habits and "slowly charge to 100% one hour before it's expected to be unplugged", which can extend the lifespan of the phone's battery. Adaptive haptics will now "lower its vibration intensity when it detects that it's on a hard, flat surface like a desk or table". On the Pixel 7 Pro, macro mode is now available for video. The rest of the features are available for Pixel 6 and newer Pixel phones.
Pixel 7a is a Pricey Pixel a
Google today announced the Pixel 7a, a more affordable model in the company's Pixel 7 series. At $499, it's $100 cheaper than the Pixel 7. However it's a big jump up from last year's Pixel 6a, which was only $349. The Pixel 7a is relatively compact with its 6.1-inch display, smaller than the Pixel 7. The display sports FHD+ resolution, OLED technology, and 90 Hz refresh. The 64-megapixel main camera is the best in an a-series phone yet thanks to a larger sensor. There's also a 13 megapixel wide-angle camera and 13 megapixel front camera. The 7a is powered by a Google Tensor G2 processor paired with 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage. It has a 4,385 mAh battery and an IP67 rating for dust and water. It will come in four colors: Sea (light blue), Charcoal, and Snow, plus Coral available exclusively from Google. Google promises 5 years of Pixel updates for the 7a. The Google Pixel 7a is available starting today.
