Definitely a bit of marketing language to try and make the complexities of security understandable. I think of it as similar to a door with multiple, independent, locking mechanisms.
From the Verge article it seems the CPU in SoC would be some licensed spec based on Exynos, so I am guessing we aren't going to see CPU performance close to A series processors, but it does seem like a promising start. Google has an incentive to go all in on CPU design as that helps their data centers and GCP both, so we might see significant gains over time.
I had to buy a new phone and I am really happy that Pixel 6 looks promising, otherwise iPhone would have been the only choice. I really wish Samsung would get its act together on software and updates, as they have really compelling hardware. For now, at least from the preview of Verge it looks like I will probably pick up a Pixel 6.
Apparently they used to be quite different problems, but with today's focus on "performance per watt-hr" as the most important metric, they've merged together. GCP's new AMD CPUs are popular because they're x86 but do more per watt. And all the big cloud platforms are looking into ARM64 chips for the same reason. Arm architecture is crucial in phones. Voila.
At least my understanding was that the SoC would be different but the CPU core of phone SoC itself would be similar with the laptop/desktop/server die. The server SoC would probably feature more cores, with more memory interfaces and higher clock speed due to more thermal allowance.
At least that's what Apple seems to have done between M1 and A series processors.
I'd imagine that if Google were to ever start deploying ARM servers, it could be a big boon. Amazon Web Services and Oracle Cloud already have ARM servers available, and Azure is supposedly working on their own ARM chips, wouldn't be that much of a stretch.
(Disc: I work for Google, but not in Cloud nor Pixel)
>It seems that CPU design for phones and for data centres are quite different problems
Still limited by the same TDP. Just as data point and prospective Apple spend more TDP budget on its mobile CPU core than any current ARM Server CPU core.
I imagine I'm in the minority but I'd rather have a phone a fraction of a millimeter thicker that has a flush back. At this point it's getting out of hand.
I'm the opposite. I'm happy to have a camera bulge if that means better optics and images. I think the idea is that this phone will have the same thickness for most people who use a case.
What's the useful advantage to a flush back? I don't really see any. As long as I can hold the phone, and it can lie on a table or stand without wobbling, it seems to do what it needs to.
It's not like you're stacking phones on top of each other the way you do books or magazines. (And heck if you work in repair or provisioning and actually do stack phones, it's easy enough to turn every other one 180°.)
Also I don't know where you're getting "fraction of a millimeter" from. Camera bumps are significantly more than a whole millimeter. And their function is depth, not volume -- you can't redistribute it across the whole case or anything. You'd have to make the entire phone thicker, and then heavier as well if you're putting anything into the new extra space.
I just think it's nicer honestly. There's no rational thought behind it, it just feels cleaner. I don't really mind extra weight or thickness, it's not like I'm struggling to pick up my phone. I actually have exceptionally large hands so if anything a bigger phone might be better, though I'm not terribly concerned about it.
If that extra millimeter went to extra battery capacity, it would give an extra day of life to the phone. I would appreciate it more than just a flush back.
I had an early Nexus phone (I forget exactly which one) that had a seemingly physics-defying ability to slooooowly (over the course of minutes) slide off apparently-flat-but-actually-slightly-not surfaces, when laid on its back. Not due to alert vibrations, either, but when entirely idle, or even turned off. I think Google accidentally made the back out of some kind of sci-fi ultraslick material or something.
The current generation of smartphones is designed with the expectation that people will use a case. Pixel 6 cases will no doubt account for the camera shape, like all the rest.
I actually hadn't considered that. I don't usually use cases because they make buttons too mushy and take away from the look and feel of the phone and I (so far) don't drop it anyway. I might look for a good thin case or something.
Probably not the minority. I know I would appreciate a flush back but lets be real consumers really don't have a ton of influence on a design choice like this.
Can't phone cases 'mind the gap' though? I suppose they might still leave a little notch across the top of the camera bulge, but I would think that wouldn't bother people too much.
I am hoping to splurge on a phone in 2021, and it's between the Pixel 6 pro and the Fold 3 for me.
As phones they couldn't be more different. The Fold3 aims to completely change the way we experience phones, while compromising on standard phones essentials (camera).
On the other hand, the Pixel6pro looks to be a final evolution of the classical smartphone, maximizing for battery, camera, software-smoothness and hitting all the essentials correctly.
The rumourmill has it that there is a "Pixel Fold" coming this year, featuring Samsung screens. While I'd love a pixel foldable, Samsung has had a few generations to fine-tune their foldable screens, so I don't know how good a first-gen of those can be.
At least this can sit flat on one axis and should stay put when you tap anywhere on the screen, unlike phones with camera bumps in the corner that rock back and forth diagonally
And if I'm looking at it correctly, the lenses will be a bit further (fractions of a millimeter) from the surface when laying like that. I always worry a little bit when laying my current phone down on its back with tiny lens pop-up, how the lens is basically in contact with whatever I set it on.
It seems like this design will make it very difficult to design cases. On most phones with camera bumps, the case ends up sitting flush with the bump and has a hole for it. Here the case would either have to go over the bump (adding thickness) or be attached only along the edge (easy to break)
I never have my phone outside of its case other than dusting - I always have a Spigen of some kind.
I agree with you, but at this point I'm used to cases anyway. If nothing else, I like being able to flip the phone over on its screenside without the screen touching the surface.
Other sources seem to be reporting 6.4" and 6.7" diagonal screens. So I guess even the smaller Pixel is now as large as the iPhone Max?
Guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up for a surge of small phones spurred by the iPhone 12 Mini. Which is a real shame, since I'm way overdue for an upgrade but 99% of phones are way too large.
"Tensor"? Google makes some great stuff but I really wish their product naming conventions weren't so confusing.
First they have the Nexus 7, Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and then ... Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, ... oh wait they aren't versions, they are number of inches ... -____-
And then they have Google Hangouts, Google Hangouts Meet, google Meet, Google Chat, Google Hangouts Dialer, Google Duo, Google Uno, uh ....
And then now TensorFlow and then Tensor ... is that like TensorFlow without the flow?
There's also:
- Tensor = the SoC for the Pixel 6 + P6 Pro
- Tensor Processing Unit = co-processor on the Tensor SoC, and as a dedicated chip on other Google Phones,
- Edge Tensor Processing Unit = a dedicated device (USB/M.2/Chip) for edge compute device (R-Pi Style)
Readit News
ah yes, the age-old traditional camera square, first pioneered in the year of 2018. truly a bygone era
> **Based on a count of independent hardware security subsystems and components.
That does not seem like a meaningful measure for security.
Deleted Comment
I had to buy a new phone and I am really happy that Pixel 6 looks promising, otherwise iPhone would have been the only choice. I really wish Samsung would get its act together on software and updates, as they have really compelling hardware. For now, at least from the preview of Verge it looks like I will probably pick up a Pixel 6.
It seems that CPU design for phones and for data centres are quite different problems, or do you see them as facets of the same problem?
At least that's what Apple seems to have done between M1 and A series processors.
(Disc: I work for Google, but not in Cloud nor Pixel)
Still limited by the same TDP. Just as data point and prospective Apple spend more TDP budget on its mobile CPU core than any current ARM Server CPU core.
I am most interested in their choice of GPU. Would it be AMD?
What's the useful advantage to a flush back? I don't really see any. As long as I can hold the phone, and it can lie on a table or stand without wobbling, it seems to do what it needs to.
It's not like you're stacking phones on top of each other the way you do books or magazines. (And heck if you work in repair or provisioning and actually do stack phones, it's easy enough to turn every other one 180°.)
Also I don't know where you're getting "fraction of a millimeter" from. Camera bumps are significantly more than a whole millimeter. And their function is depth, not volume -- you can't redistribute it across the whole case or anything. You'd have to make the entire phone thicker, and then heavier as well if you're putting anything into the new extra space.
As phones they couldn't be more different. The Fold3 aims to completely change the way we experience phones, while compromising on standard phones essentials (camera).
On the other hand, the Pixel6pro looks to be a final evolution of the classical smartphone, maximizing for battery, camera, software-smoothness and hitting all the essentials correctly.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/google-pixel-fold
I agree with you, but at this point I'm used to cases anyway. If nothing else, I like being able to flip the phone over on its screenside without the screen touching the surface.
Regardless, I'm sure someone will make a case that mostly flush.
For example, reading over some paper documents, whilst using your phone's calculator.
Guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up for a surge of small phones spurred by the iPhone 12 Mini. Which is a real shame, since I'm way overdue for an upgrade but 99% of phones are way too large.
First they have the Nexus 7, Nexus 4, Nexus 10, and then ... Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9, ... oh wait they aren't versions, they are number of inches ... -____-
And then they have Google Hangouts, Google Hangouts Meet, google Meet, Google Chat, Google Hangouts Dialer, Google Duo, Google Uno, uh ....
And then now TensorFlow and then Tensor ... is that like TensorFlow without the flow?
(Disc: Work for Google, not on Pixels)