Although it was heavily leaked beforehand, yesterday Google officially announced the latest Google 6 smartphone lineup, and it’s a major departure from previous devices.

• You can check out a big ol’ guide covering everything you need to know about the new Pixel phones, but suffice it to say that these are the flagship phones people have been asking Google to make for years.
• Both phones feature a completely new design that’s sure to turn heads.
• For starters, they’re big. Much bigger than the Pixel 5 lineup. The smaller Pixel 6 is heavier than the iPhone 13 Pro, and the Pixel 6 Pro is roughly the same size as the OnePlus 9 Pro.
• Check out size comparison photos with more phones for the Pixel 6 here and the Pixel 6 Pro here.
• The most noticeable design element is the raised camera bump, but it houses some big upgrades.
• They now have a 50MP main camera, up from the same 12.2MP sensor found in the Pixel 3 through 5. There’s also a 12MP ultrawide lens, as well as a third 48MP 4x telephoto lens exclusively on the Pixel 6 Pro.
• Combined with some nifty new software features, this should make the Pixel 6 one of the best, if not the best, smartphone cameras on the market.
• There’s also the (not so small) matter of Google’s custom chipset, dubbed Tensor. Benchmarks are still forthcoming, but specs suggest it could outperform Samsung’s Exynos 2100 and give the Snapdragon 888 a run for its money.
• It also enables neat features like real-time text translation and “Motion Mode” to add a cinematic blur to parts of a video.
• It’s still too early for any full reviews, but initial reports around the web have been positive. Check out hands-on analysis for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
• The Pixel 6 starts at $599 / £599 / €649 and the Pixel 6 Pro starts at $899 / £849 / €899, which is a pretty attractive price point for what’s on offer. 
• Both devices went up for preorder yesterday (briefly breaking the Google Store), with general sales in the US starting on October 28.
• You can also pick it up via the new Pixel Pass plan, which includes a new Pixel phone every two years plus access to Google services like YouTube Premium and Google One for $45 a month for the Pixel 6 and $55 a month for the Pixel 6 Pro.
• So basically, a tweaked version of the iPhone Upgrade Program. Still pretty good value!

But wait — there’s more:

• After eight months of developer previews and betas, Android 12 has officially been released into the wild!
• That said, you might not be able to get it yet if you don’t have a Google phone.
• There’s a lot of new stuff packed in there, from design and aesthetics to new settings and features.
• If you want to see a full rundown of the changes, check out this extensive video.
• Plus, Google plans to release more beta features for Android 12, starting in December.

📱 Taking a cue from Google’s Tensor, Oppo might launch its own chipsets as early as 2023 (Android Authority).

⌚ Huawei Watch 3 Pro review: Skin-deep beauty. It’s a shame, because it really is an attractive smartwatch (Android Authority).

📺 Shopping for a new monitor or smartphone? Display types and technologies explained: LCD, OLED, miniLED, microLED, and more (Android Authority).

👎 A sewer by any other name would smell as rancid: Facebook is planning to rebrand the company with a new name (The Verge).

👉 On that note, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey mocked Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse plan, implying that it reeks of “a dystopian corporate dictatorship.” (Business Insider).

🤳 It’s about time: Instagram will finally let you create posts on the desktop (Engadget).

🎮 Looks like Half-Life 2 is on deck. The Steam Deck, that is. Valve quietly readying Half-Life 2 for Steam Deck with a big new beta branch update (Eurogamer).

🐱‍💻 A hacker stole the government ID database for Argentina’s entire population. The first targets? Politicians and, of course, footballers Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero. (The Record).

💨 Solar panels are one thing, but how about wind panels? This ingenious wall could harness enough wind power to cover your electric bill (Fast Company).

🛥 Rising sea levels threaten many coastal regions, and Sony thinks the future might be these cool floating pods on the sea (Interesting Engineering).

Every single one of us has played with a toy phone as a toddler, using the power of imagination to turn a hunk of plastic into a magical communication device. Now, you can use that same device to make calls for real.

• Dubbed the Telephone Chatter 2.0, an upgraded version of the classic Fisher Price toy features Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries to make real phone calls.
• The design, however, remains almost exactly the same.
• The only addition to the cute and colorful exterior is a speakerphone button, which is perfect for conference calls with Mickey Mouse and the gang.
• It’s a cool (if strange) retro callback for office-bound adults, but most people under the age of 30 will probably have to Google how to use a rotary phone.

Tristan is back with you tomorrow.

Nick Fernandez, Editor