IMPROVED AI IN THE PIXEL 11 SERIES

– Technology should help you spend less time on your phone and more time on your life, says Justin Savich at Google during an online press launch.

The new series consists of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold. All come with 256 GB of storage as standard and are built around the new Tensor G6 processor.

Google is clear that AI should work more in the background.

– Gemini Intelligence brings together information from various sources and helps you spend less time on your phone, says Savich.

Rambler to text

The new AI features will suggest actions directly in conversations and apps. If a friend asks for flight details, the phone can bring up relevant information and share it on. If the user arranges to go to a restaurant, Gemini can suggest a reservation, navigation or a calendar entry without the user needing to switch apps.

– These are tasks we come across all the time. If Pixel can save you a few seconds or a minute each time, that adds up to a lot of time in the end, says Tim Raupach at Google.

Rambler is a new speech-to-text solution designed to remove filler words and make spoken language more readable. In addition, there are new features for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. With the help of the camera and Gboard, sign language can be converted into text directly on the phone.

New design

The Pixel 11 series gets an updated design and a new camera bar on the back.

– The first thing you notice is the new and more refined design. The camera bar now has a glass surface that stretches across the full width, says Akash Rathi at Google.

He particularly points out that the camera module has become slimmer.

– We have reduced the thickness by more than 40 per cent. That makes the phone easier to slip into a pocket or bag, says Rathi.

Pixel 11 comes in the colours Frost, Hibiscus, Pistachio and Obsidian, while the Pro models come in Canyon, Fog, Olive and Obsidian.

All models are IP68-certified against water and dust.

More powerful cameras

According to Google, major camera upgrades have been made.

Pixel 11 gets a new 48-megapixel main camera with 56 per cent better light sensitivity than its predecessor. The phone also gets 30x superzoom.

– It delivers truly impressive photos and video, even in challenging lighting conditions, says Rathi.

The Pro models go even further. Here, users get a new telephoto sensor with 48-megapixel resolution, a larger sensor and 32 per cent higher light intake than before.

Google promises good results up to 120x zoom on Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL.

– The new telephoto sensor delivers fantastic image quality throughout the entire zoom range, says Rathi.

The front camera has been upgraded, with a 42-megapixel ultra-wide solution.

Faster night photography

In low light, the new combination of sensors, software and Tensor G6 is intended to deliver faster night photography.

– Night Sight can now take pictures up to 4.5 times faster. You should not have to choose between a good picture and a quick picture, says Rathi.

For video, there is both 8K recording, Videoboost and a new function called Pro Stable Video, which is automatically activated during moving recordings.

Magic pictures

Google is also introducing a new camera mode called Magic pictures.

– Magic Capture was developed because many people spend too much time trying to take the perfect picture instead of experiencing the moment, says Rathi.

The function analyses around 500 image frames and automatically selects the best moments from a video clip. The phone can then crop, straighten and enhance before the result is shared, either as a standalone image or a bundle of images.

The Camera styles function is intended to give the user the option to choose different looks directly in the camera.

– If you want darker shadows, less sharpness or warmer tones, you can choose this when the picture is taken, says Rathi.

For content creators, there is a dedicated Creator tab with a teleprompter, audio tools, project folders and editing via Storyboard in Google Photos.

New alert solution

The Pixel 11 Pro series also gets a new feature called HiLight. LEDs around the camera flash alert the user to important events when the phone is lying face down.

– HiLight helps you stay connected without being distracted, says Rathi.

The user can assign different colours to favourite contacts, while Gemini can use light patterns to show when the assistant is listening, thinking or responding.

– You do not need to pick up the phone to see whether it has heard you, he says.

Google says the technology will gain more areas of use over time.

Tensor G6

The new processor has been developed by Google itself. It is said to be 20 per cent more energy-efficient, 25 per cent faster for web browsing and 15 per cent faster at launching apps than the previous generation.

– Tensor is the engine behind our innovations. Together with the latest Gemini Nano model, we can deliver experiences up to 3.5 times faster with up to 3.5 times lower energy consumption, says Savich.

The chip also gets a TPU with 50 per cent higher capacity and a new image processor for, among other things, portrait video in 4K.

Security is said to be strengthened with Titan M3.

– We have also built in protection against future threats from quantum computers, says Savich.

Google Pixel 11

12 GB RAM, 48 MP main camera, 30x superzoom, 3,000-nit Actua display and more than 30 hours of battery life. Wireless Pixelsnap charging is up to 25 per cent faster. Price from NOK 12,000.

Pro and Pro XL

Up to 16 GB RAM, 3,600-nit Super Actua display, new 48 MP telephoto camera with 120x zoom, HiLight alerts and more than 30 hours of battery life. Pixel 11 Pro costs from NOK 14,500. Pixel 11 Pro XL from NOK 16,500.

Pixel 11 Pro Fold

According to Google, the foldable model has a central place in this year’s portfolio. The model is almost 10 per cent lighter and around one millimetre thinner than its predecessor, while Google claims it is three times more durable. The phone gets a new glass fibre composite on the back and an improved hinge.

The internal Super Actua Flex display measures 8 inches and is 20 per cent brighter than before.

– This is our most sophisticated foldable phone so far, says Savich.

8-inch Super Actua Flex display, 6.5-inch outer display, 16 GB RAM, up to 1 TB of storage, 30x zoom and more than 24 hours of battery life. Measures 155.2 × 76.0 × 10.1 mm when folded and weighs 239 grams. Pixel 11 Pro Fold costs from NOK 25,000.

Pixel Watch 5

Pixel Watch 5 comes in 41 and 45 millimetres, costs from NOK 5,000, and offers up to 40 hours of battery life. The smartwatch gains several new health features through the Health Guardian platform, and will, among other things, be able to detect serious breathing situations using sensors for oxygen saturation, movement and air pressure. If the system registers persistent signs of breathing arrest, the watch can alert the emergency services and send the user’s location.

Google is also introducing monitoring of blood pressure trends and insulin resistance trends, so that changes in the user’s health can be detected earlier than with traditional health checks.

On the fitness side, the company promises greatly improved GPS tracking. Using dual-frequency GPS, reference data from satellite networks and three-dimensional map models, Pixel Watch 5 is said to provide significantly more precise route tracking, especially in densely built-up areas. The watch also gets new training tools for strength training, with guidance on exercises, repetitions and breaks.

Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Tag

Pixel Buds Pro 2 is coming in a new olive green, with new software that will automatically adjust the noise cancellation according to how the buds fit in the ears, so that the user gets more stable noise cancellation during activity.

Pixel Tag is Google's first tracking tag. The product connects to Android's Find Hub network, making it possible to track valuables such as keys, luggage and wallets. The tag can be located via phone, Pixel Watch and with the help of Gemini on Pixel Buds.

Google says Pixel Tag is designed to work seamlessly with the rest of the Pixel ecosystem, and describes the product as a new addition to the company's growing hardware portfolio.