The Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro are coming on October 19, but I just saw both unreleased smartphones on full display ahead of the official launch event.
For the past few weeks leading up to the Google Pixel 6 event, the Google flagship store in New York City has had both versions of its upcoming smartphones in the window. Tom's Guide reported a second-hand account of the company's clever tease in September, but I finally had the chance to visit the phones myself.
- Google Pixel 6 release date, price, Tensor chip, specs and news
- Samsung Galaxy S22 reportedly delayed — here’s the new date
- Plus: OnePlus' OxygenOS is dead as we knew it — and that makes me sad
I arrived at the store mostly by accident. As I was walking between meetings, I looked up to my right and there the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were, encased for a passerby like myself to see.
In the crowded Chelsea neighborhood, folks weren't lining up to marvel at Google's new handsets. It's not like it's the Mona Lisa, but I bet if Apple put out the iPhone 13 before it came out in the Fifth Avenue's glass cube crowds would consistently gather.
Regardless, I appreciated the Pixel 6's unassuming display for the sake of examining and photographing the phones up close. I even captured a TikTok (have you followed Tom's Guide on TikTok yet?) — check it out below.
@tomsguide How do the upcoming #google phones look? 👀 #pixel #phone #tech #nyc #technology #city #foryou #fyp
♬ levitating x promiscuous DJ Lilli - DJ Lilli
Both upcoming Pixels have a color-block design, complete with a horizontal camera array. Of all the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro colors, the Pixel 6 on display is a salmon pink while the Pixel 6 Pro is a pale yellow with gold accents. I would've like to see the Sorta Sage hue in the regular Pixel 6, since the color is currently on-trend, but I guess I'm lucky to have seen the phones at all.
The phone's rounded edges look particularly attractive on display. It lends a softness to the design that makes the Pixel 6 seem like a pleasure to hold. Of course, the phone experts here at Tom's Guide will need to go hands-on with the new phone to verify or deny.
Similarly, the physical display hides the phone's display, so I can't say how bright or responsive or rich it looked. I have used beta versions of Android 12, so I can imagine what it might look like on the Pixel 6. Still, without seeing the new Google Pixel 6 Tensor chip in action, there's no telling what experience users can expect.
Sure, it was a pleasant surprise to see the phones ahead of their official launch, but it left me wanting to know the whole picture — not just what I can see behind the glass.
Luckily it won't be long now until we know everything the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro have to offer. The Pixel Fall Launch 2021 event is taking place on October 19 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.
