AT&T to buy Time Warner for $85.4 billion
After no small amount of anticipation, it’s official: AT&T has announced that it’s acquiring Time Warner for the equivalent of $85.4 billion in cash and stock. The move gives one of the US’ largest telecoms control over some of the biggest names in movies and TV, including HBO, Turner and Warner Bros. That includes rights to broadcast MLB, NBA and NCAA March Madness games, we’d add. If you ask AT&T, this is a “perfect match” that mates top-tier content with a ton of distribution points. It can easily deliver quality shows over the internet (particularly on mobile), conventional TV or in theaters — it won’t have to jump through hoops to license material for playback on your platform of choice.
Developing…
Source: AT&T
Android and chill: The Pixel and exclusivity
The Pixel, phone by Google. Exclusively for Verizon. Not really.
I’ve noticed something during the past week. There are plenty of people who think the Pixel is a Verizon exclusive. This isn’t an accident, I’m sure.
I have no idea what language is on whatever piece of paper Google and Verizon execs signed about the Pixel. I’m pretty certain it wasn’t a note scribbled on a bar napkin and had enough lawyers look at it to make the room unhealthy, but nobody but those lawyers and a handful of others on the respective legal teams knows exactly what it says. But something in the wording apparently says Google had to say the Pixel was “only at Verizon” or other silly things.
They’re scaling that back. If you go to the Made by Google site it tells you that you can have “The best of Google on the next-gen network by Verizon” but it doesn’t say exclusive or only or anything of the sort anywhere on the page. Too bad it’s too late for some folks.
I’m not knocking on the other choices available that people have gone with because they thought they couldn’t use a Pixel. There are plenty of companies making phones that will appeal to plenty of people. The iPhone 7, the LG V20, the Galaxy S7 edge, hell even the Lumia 950 XL are great phones that nobody would have thought were possible just a few years ago. And there are plenty of people who would choose any of these over a Pixel. That’s a good thing. Having a choice is always better. But poorly worded advertising that takes a choice away is not.
Any Pixel, whether the smaller version of the XL model, will work with the SIM card you’re using now.
Let’s be clear — the Pixel is Google’s new phone that you can buy direct from the Google Store, Project Fi, Best Buy or Verizon. Any Pixel you buy from any of these places will work anywhere in the world. There are some differences that hardcore nerdly enthusiasts care about when it comes to bootloaders and update providers, but none of that will change the fact that any Pixel, whether the smaller version of the XL model, will work with the SIM card you’re using now.
I’m sorry if the wording Google used had you thinking that you couldn’t replace your AT&T Galaxy Note 7 with a Pixel. I want to hope that someone in a Google office somewhere is sorry, too. But there are definitely people somewhere who aren’t sorry because this is exactly what that wording was supposed to do. Google, Verizon, I get it. You’re both really good at making money and at the beginning of a newly rekindled relationship where the sex is awesome and you still like looking at each other. But that whole “exclusivity” thing was pretty lame.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
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The bottom line: Our quick verdict on the Lenovo Yoga Book
There’s nothing quite like the Lenovo Yoga Book. It’s a small, lightweight clamshell device running your choice of Android or Windows 10 as an OS. Take a tour of the hardware and you’ll find a 360-degree hinge, a screen and, uh, no keyboard. That’s right, instead of where the keyboard deck would be is a flat-touch sensitive surface that doubles as a digital notepad and sketchpad. It works as a keyboard too, except the buttons, as it were, are all virtual, ready to disappear when you’re done using them.
The design is nothing if not inventive, and Lenovo deserves credit for that, but it’s almost ahead of its time. That or just not very well executed. While digital artists might enjoy the doodling features, our reviewer was never able to master the keyboard. Even when she learned to type accurately, she could never do so quickly. And that’s a problem for a $500-plus device designed for being productive on the go. For that, you may as well buy, you know, a laptop.
Six futuristic designs that will change public transportation
By Cat DiStasio
As the world’s urban centers grow, getting around them becomes increasingly difficult. In some cities, traffic is congested all day long and rush hour can last for several hours. Fortunately, there are a number of innovations in public transportation specifically aimed at alleviating those woes. While traditional buses simply add to street traffic and subways aren’t feasible in all areas, engineers are looking to public transit options that can go over or around regular car traffic, making for some easier ways to get from Point A to Point B without spending hours sniffing exhaust. Elsewhere in the world, underwater floating tunnels will reduce the need for ferry rides, and a unique modular transport system could completely revolutionize long-distance travel for both people and cargo. Read on for all the details about the next generation of transportation, including some developments that will be up and running in less than five years.
The high-flying Caterpillar Train
This award-winning design for an elevated “Caterpillar Train” (cTrain) hints at a new era for mass transit. Rather than riding rails affixed to the ground level, the train car travels on an arch-shaped structure that carries passengers high above the street, leaving plenty of space for cars, trucks and standard street-level buses. Unlike typical raised rail transit, the cTrain’s thin arches wouldn’t block out the urban scenery, which is another added benefit. The design, developed by Jacob Innovations Inc., beat out 28 other entries to win the MIT Climate CoLab competition this year.
China’s “traffic-straddling bus”
In 2010, concept designs for an amazing “straddling bus” emerged, and the project was met with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Chinese developers actually built a prototype of the Transit Elevated Bus, and put it to the test on busy road. The electric bus is designed so that its undercarriage creates a tunnel through which regular car traffic can flow, eliminating the need for cars to stop behind the bus at every passenger stop. The TEB is two lanes wide, and up to four of the straddling buses can be linked together for a combined passenger capacity of 1,200. Although the bus requires a special track on either side of the roadway on which to run, its developers say the TEB can be road-worthy in less than a fifth of the time and cost of a typical subway line.
Mercedes-Benz’s self-driving Future Bus
Earlier this year Mercedes-Benz unveiled a futuristic self-driving bus that promises a safer, more efficient commute. The semi-autonomous Future Bus uses cameras and radar to navigate the roadways while giving the human driver a bit of a break. Its predictive driving style also lowers fuel consumption, which helps shave greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. So far, the Future Bus has only driven itself on a test track, but Mercedes-Benz is working hard to polish the technology so the bus can embark on the open road.
Hyperloop
While a full-fledged Hyperloop track from San Francisco and Los Angeles is many years away, the list of advantages is already miles long. Initially conceived by Elon Musk, the Hyperloop promises an ultra high-speed passenger and cargo transportation option that can travel up to 700 miles per hour. Last year, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies CEO Dirk Ahlborn said the ride might even be free for passengers, instead drawing income from cargo shippers and passenger upgrades. The pod-like transit system could be operational as early as 2019, when it would reduce the 380-mile trip from San Francisco to LA to a cool 30 minutes. If the ride happens to be free, that would just be icing on the cake.
Norway’s underwater floating tunnels
Norway is a land of innovation in many ways, and the country’s plan to build the world’s first floating underwater tunnels is just one example of how clever design is being put to use to solve everyday problems. Norway is a land of 1,100 fjords, and most people rely on a network of ferries to travel, but those are time-consuming and inconvenient. Now, the country is gearing up to add submerged floating bridges to the country’s already extensive network of underwater tunnels. These would be suspended 100 feet below the water’s surface and wide enough for two lanes of traffic. Floating the underwater tunnels is a smart response to the difficult terrain that makes traditional stationary tunnels a challenge to construct. The $25 billion project is expected to be open for traffic by 2035.
Clip-Air’s modular transport system
Perhaps the most amazing of all designs in this collection is Clip-Air, a modular transportation system comprised of capsules that can carry passengers or cargo, depending on their configuration. The modules can be transferred from truck to train to airplane, making for a seamless journey from origin to destination, without the need to haul tail across busy airport terminals in order to make your next connection. For passengers, the Clip-Air system would turn long-distance travel into a real dream, making it possible for people to relax, eat, and sleep while en route to the other side of the world. Cargo transport could be simplified as well, with less energy and time wasted unloading one form of transportation (like a semi truck) and reloading another (like a freight airplane).
Apple’s October 27th event is reportedly all about laptops
We hope you weren’t expecting a new iMac or Mac Pro at Apple’s “Hello Again” event… you might be disappointed. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who has a mostly good track record for Apple rumors) now expects that the October 27th media gathering will focus solely on MacBooks. The highlight would be a long-rumored MacBook Pro redesign with USB-C ports and OLED touch strips. They would use Intel’s Skylake-based processors, he says (what, no Kaby Lake?), but they’d get longer battery life, up to a 2TB solid-state drive and a possible “MagSafe-like” power adapter from either Apple or a third party.
And those rumors of a refreshed MacBook Air? They’re on the right track, if you ask Kuo, but it’s not clear that you’ll get the same ultraportable with a few tweaks. He simply says that there will be a “13-inch MacBook” — it could be a slightly larger, hopefully more capable version of the 12-inch MacBook you’ve known since 2015. While there could be a spruced-up Air (particularly if Apple wants to court the sub-$1,000 crowd), it seems unlikely that Apple would reserve stage time for an update minor enough that it could be covered by a press release.
Everyone else would have to be patient. Kuo believes that new iMacs and a stand-alone 5K display are in the cards, but not until closer to the middle of 2017. There’s no mention of Mac mini or Mac Pro updates, either, although those could conceivably arrive without taking up any event time. Whatever happens, the absence of desktops would make sense. Intel isn’t releasing desktop Kaby Lake processors until January — Apple can’t use chips that aren’t ready yet. If MacBooks are all you see, though, it’ll still show that Apple hasn’t forgotten its original business.
Source: MacRumors
New MacBook Pro and 13-Inch ‘MacBook’ Coming Next Week, iMac and Display Not Ready Yet
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report outlining his expectations for next Thursday’s “Hello Again” event where Apple is expected to make a number of Mac-related announcements.
In line with long-standing rumors, Kuo believes the highlight of the event will be a redesigned MacBook Pro in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, adopting an OLED touch bar and Touch ID sensor, USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, and the same butterfly keyboard design introduced on the MacBook in 2015. Kuo also adds several new tidbits to the rumor mix:
Our new predictions also include: (1) Intel’s (US) Skylake processor; (2) the same panel resolution but better display quality and energy efficiency thanks to an oxide panel; (3) a new option of 2TB SSD storage capacity; (4) adoption of a similar processor as Apple Watch to control the OLED touch bar more energy-efficiently in the new MacBook Pro models; and (5) a Type-C & MagSafe-like adapter rolled out by Apple or a third-party supplier, given positive reviews for the MagSafe charging design.
Beyond the MacBook Pro, Kuo says Apple will also be introducing a “13-inch MacBook,” a claim he has shared previously. Rather than being a slightly larger version of the current 12-inch MacBook, however, this is likely to be a MacBook Air, which would align with other rumors claiming that only the 13-inch MacBook Air will be seeing an update with new USB-C ports.
On the desktop side, rumors have indicated that Apple is working on updated iMac models with discrete AMD graphics options, as well as a new standalone external 5K display, but Kuo says those products will not be ready until the first half of next year. It is still possible, however, that Apple could announce them at next week’s event.
We also expect Apple to launch new iMacs (21.5-inch and 27-inch) and Cinema Display (27-inch) in mid- 1H17. We cannot say for certain whether Apple will announce the new iMacs and Cinema Display on October 27 as the shipping schedule is not imminent.
Apple’s event is being held at the company’s Cupertino campus and kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on Thursday. MacRumors will have full coverage both here on the site and on our @MacRumorsLive Twitter account, and Apple will be offering a live video stream of the event.
Related Roundups: iMac, MacBook Air, Thunderbolt Display, MacBook Pro, Retina MacBook
Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo
Buyer’s Guide: iMac (Don’t Buy), MacBook Air (Don’t Buy), Displays (Don’t Buy), Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy), MacBook (Neutral)
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Moto G4 Play review: Under priced
If there’s one thing Motorola has been great at doing since the original Moto G, it’s creating a great phone for a very great price. Even under new Lenovo ownership, the same holds true for the Moto G4 Play. If you’re looking for a great valued, brand new smartphone under $200, you can’t go wrong with this phone.
Build
The Moto G4 Play contains the same materials used on the outside on the regular Moto G4, which I ended up really liking. The back is a textured plastic that feels like rubber and gave me a good grip on the phone. The Motorola “M” dimple is back, and although it’s really subtle, it’s a good reference point for your index finger as you make calls. I’ve grown to prefer all-metal phones such as the HTC 10 and Nexus 6P, but after a couple days I didn’t mind the relatively “cheap” plastic feel of this phone. For the asking price, this phone feels solid.
I tried twisting the phone and bending it a bit, but didn’t feel any creaks or movements with the outer body. Motorola advertises this phone as water resistant too, but don’t go dipping this phone into a full tub of water. It’s meant to withstand rainfall and spills, but not full water submersion.
The body is definitely manageable to hold with one hand, but with wider bezels than most 5 inch phones on the sides and top, it’s not as easy to hold as the Nexus 5 for example (on the right in the image below), a phone that came out in 2013. However, I can’t complain for the price, and I was certainly able to use this phone one-handed without much hand adjustment.
Display
Motorola sure knows how to put a decent display on an affordable device. A good comparison would be with the Nexus 4’s display, as they both look near identical, despite the G4 Play having a slightly larger 5 inch display and newer Gorilla Glass 3.
The colors look quite natural, but slightly more washed out than the regular G4. Color saturation matches just about all lower-end LCD displays, however the darker colors look lighter than they should be. There’s a noticeable light bleed coming from the back lights of the panel, but this is only apparent when the phone is viewed from the sides or bottom. If you’re worried about the lower 720p display, don’t be. Everything looks very crisp on it, and I really enjoyed scrolling through wallpaper apps trying out the sharpest offerings.
Performance
This is the aspect of the G4 Play that shocked me the most. This Snapdragon 410-powered phone actually runs really fast and everyday tasks felt very snappy to me. If I were to compare every day performance of this phone with another, it would be just slightly slower than the Nexus 5 powered by the Snapdragon 800. It sounds crazy, but I am using them side by side and the differences are extremely minimal.
Gaming performance was frustrating with the G4 Play, as games took a very long time to load, with an average of 88 seconds to load my Fallout Shelter game, with similar longer than average loading times with other games. Other than that, frame rates held up well enough and I didn’t notice any crazy slowdowns during intensive games like NOVA 3.
Multitasking on the G4 Play was a pleasant experience, with the 2GB of RAM providing just enough space for you to switch between your most recent 5-6 apps on average with no hesitation or reloading. Anything more than 6 apps though you’ll see some of them close and reload when you open them.
Performance is much better than I expected with this phone, and it shocks me that I can get very similar UI navigation speeds in a phone that costs a fraction of today’s highest end devices. You won’t be sorry with the Snapdragon 410 on-board.
Battery
Like the Moto G4, the Play version offers fantastic battery life. With this 2,800mAh battery, I’ve been consistently getting at least a day and a half of moderate to heavy usage. Using a lot of Snapchat, way more Groupme than I’d like to admit, occasional SMS texting, web browsing, lots of Reddit and an hour or two of YouTube and Netflix a day, I have not felt worried about getting through a day with this phone.
The only downside is this phone has a big battery but no fast-charging capabilities. This means charging this phone to 100% takes quite a bit of time and I recommend you plug it in at night regardless of what’s left after a day. And with Android Marshmallow, standby battery life is just as phenomenal as other phones, only draining 1% on average at night off the charger.
If you’re on the go more than the usual person and aren’t often around a charger or don’t want to wait for the slow charging, you’ll be glad to know the battery is removable so you can buy a new one to swap out whenever (after you power down the phone, of course).
Camera
You might be thinking you’ll be getting the world’s crappiest smartphone camera in a phone at costs $150 unlocked, and at first I was under that impression as well. But as I took more shots throughout my testing, I became more and more impressed with what a camera of this cost can get you.
Photography is not my expertise, but I’d like to talk about these photos I’ve included here. Shots in full daylight lack a bit of detail when zooming in, and blurriness is evident with the lack of OIS. I had to stand and hold the camera very still to get a crisp shot, but when I did I was happy with it.
Shots with HDR, such as the second photo above, don’t seem to capture the correct lighting in dark areas, and detail falls short because of this. HDR processing time took about two seconds as well, which is more than I’d like to wait. The graffiti wall shot pleasantly surprised me by keeping the correct lighting of the shot and the right amount of detail when looking at the wall. I also appreciate the outdoor shot of my campus, as the detail of the back building and the bushes looks pretty good for a camera of this price.
As you see with the night time shot, you might as well not bother taking pictures when the sun goes down. The lights in the field are way blown-out, the shutters on the houses are barely captured, and there is absolutely no detail found on the grass. However, finding a good phone that can take good pictures at night, even at expensive prices, can still be difficult.
Software
With the G4 Play, Motorola clearly did a great job optimizing the software to take full advantage of this Snapdragon 410 chip, as this phone handles everyday tasks with no problem, and barely any hiccups. Navigation is far more fluid than it has a right to be at this price, and that more than likely has to do with Android Marshmallow on-board and Motorola’s dedication to optimizing software correctly.
The software is nearly stock Android, giving the user a clean, and clutter-free experience. The default homescreen launcher is Google Now Launcher, giving the user a clean homescreen with easy access to Google Now and an app drawer that contains all your apps.
Motorola added a few features not found on stock Android, but I’m disappointed they did not include some of the gestures that made other Moto phones great, such as twist for camera and chop for flashlight. Whether this is because of the lower-end CPU or something else, I really wish it had it anyway. Moto display is back, providing convenient pre-lockscreen notifications, but it doesn’t look as good as it does on other Moto phones because of the more noticeable light bleed coming from the display.
Motorola also included a screen shrink option for those wanting full range of the display with one hand. To activate this, simply swipe up from the navigation bar. To deactivate, you just have to touch any part of the black area above the display.
Conclusion
The Moto G4 Play impresses me almost as much as when the original Moto G came out years ago. For $150, you can grab a customizable phone directly from Motorola’s website that offers a crisp 5 inch 720p screen, a front facing speaker that gets fairly loud, speedy performance that almost matches flagship devices, incredible day-and-a-half to two-day battery life, and a solid build. The phone’s cameras are lackluster if you compare pics with other phones, but in daylight it’ll get the job done just fine. There’s also no quick charging, but the large battery makes up for this.
I recommend this phone, hands-down if you’re looking for a new phone under $200.
A Guide To Waterproofing Your Google Pixel
So the Pixel’s not waterproof — there are workarounds!
For most people, the Google Pixel’s lack of waterproofing isn’t a total dealbreaker, and most folks will pick up a Pixel or Pixel XL without giving waterproofing a second thought.
Then there are those of us who have dropped our phones in the toilet at some point or have a loved one who has (like a certain writer’s wife), so we know the perils that can come from a not-so-waterproof phone. Even if you’ve had cell phones since the 90s and have never had a phone damaged by water, you might believe waterproofing your phone is just good sense.
And it is, just in case.
Get a waterproof case
The most logical option for waterproofing your Pixel is to slap on a waterproof case. This way you still get full use of your phone without having to hide it away from the elements. Here are some of the best waterproof cases you can get:
LifeProof FRĒ
The LifeProof FRĒ is your answer to protecting your Pixel or Pixel XL from everything. LifeProof claims these cases are waterproof, dirt-proof, snow-proof, and drop-proof (from up to 6.6 feet), so you’ll never have to worry about your Pixel — it’s in good hands.
LifeProof’s FRĒ is rated IP68 for ingress protection, which is as high as it gets, meaning that you’ll have to work pretty hard to get any dirt or dust in there, and your Pixel would have to be submerged in 3 feet of water for more than half an hour to risk damage. Each case also passes the U.S. Military Standard test for drops and vibrations, so you’d be hardpressed to rattle your Pixel’s cage.
This is likely the best case for you if you’re looking to waterproof your Pixel and protect it from whatever else might befall it.
For now, the FRĒ only comes in Asphalt Black.
See at LifeProof
Grab a sack… A waterproof sack!
Universal waterproof phone bags are an awesome way to keep your Pixel totally dry and are perfect for folks living the active life or vacation. Waterproof bags aren’t practical solution, so you likely won’t use one every day, but for times when you’re at the beach, hiking, or know you’ll be out in heavy rain, they’re excellent for keeping your phone a phone and not a brick.
JOTO universal dry bag
JOTO’s waterproof bag is rated IPX8, which is as good as it gets for ingress protection. It basically means that your phone can be safely submerged in this bag for an indeterminate amount of time. JOTO even says it’s good to 100 feet deep!
There’s a clear window on the front and back, so you can continue to use your Pixel and even take photos with the case/bag on. These bags fit phones up to 6 inches diagonally, so your Pixel XL is good to go, but you might have to remove a protective case if you have one on already.
The snap and lock closure is easy to use, and while securing your Pixel tightly, it’s easy to put it in and take it out without much fuss. There’s also a handy lanyard attached, so you can secure it to your swim trunks or cargo shorts and off you go!
See at Amazon
Best practices
If you don’t feel like shelling out $90 for a LifeProof case and a waterproof bag doesn’t really suit your lifestyle, then you’ll just want to do your best to your keep your Pixel as dry as possible.
Don’t take it out in the rain
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the urge to check a text while walking down the street on a rainy day can sometimes overcome you. Yes, the Pixel has an IP53 rating, so a little rain won’t bring it down, but if you’re looking to keep it pristine, inside and out, then keep it pocketed in the wet weather.
Bring a comic book!
Don’t bring your Pixel into the bathroom with you. Yes, playing Two Dots on the can is a great way to… “pass” the time (badum tshhh!). Not only is it grody, but what if you’re running a bath while you’re on the John? You rest your phone on the edge of the tub just for a second so you can finish off and wash up. As you stand, you knee grazes your phone. Splash! Au revoir, Pixel.
OK, so maybe it’s not that dramatic, but just leave your phone outta the bathroom and bring a comic book instead, huh?
If it gets wet, dry it off
That may seem like another no-brainer, but if your Pixel gets a little wet, wipe it down with a soft cloth or, at the very least, the sleeve of your shirt, especially if your phone’s in a case. No, it’s not likely that that water will get inside and do any damage, but do you want to take that chance?
Having water air-dry off of your phone is generally a bad idea anyway, since water dries things out as it evaporates, so if there are any plastic components that get wet, the air-drying can make them brittle in the long run.
Front pockets only
If you have to pocket your Pixel, make sure it’s the front pocket only. There seems to be this trend (especially among women) or folks keeping their phones in their back pockets. My wife kindly explained to me that women often do this because their jeans aren’t made with big front pockets because they’re so tight. Fair enough. Put it in your purse or anywhere else that’s not your bra (#cancerawareness).
If you go to sit on the toilet with your phone in your back pocket, you may just drop it in when you pull your pants up or down. Trust me. It happens. And you might have even just bought her an awesome case that was probably a little more expensive than cool phone cases should be, and when she got a new phone, she got the next iteration, so the awesome case didn’t fit.
Front pockets or purses only (or jacket pockets or whatever; just no parking in rear)!
In summation
Your best option for waterproofing your new Pixel or Pixel XL is the LifeProof FRĒ, but if that’s too expensive for you, get a waterproof bag for traveling, and just be careful otherwise.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
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Camera comparison: Google Pixel XL vs. Galaxy S7 edge
Google has made a huge stride in camera quality, but can it take on Samsung head to head?
Though Google’s new Pixel phones have seriously impressive imaging that put its previous Nexus phones to shame, we have to remember that before they arrived it was well-observed that Samsung led the pack with the camera on the Galaxy S7 edge (and of course Galaxy S7 and Note 7).
Now that we’ve had a Pixel for a little while, it was only natural to compare it head-to-head with the camera that is leading the pack among all Android phones. Here’s how the camera experience on the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge compare.
Performance and interface
Pixel XL (left) / Galaxy S7 edge (right)
Before you even get to looking at photo quality, it’s important to have a camera that can open quickly, perform well and have an intuitive camera interface. Both phones have the speed part down, with a double press of the power button (Pixel XL) or home button (Galaxy S7 edge) taking you to the camera in about a second. Shot-to-shot performance is on par between the two, and extremely fast — even when shooting in HDR or taking burst shots. This is how every phone should perform.
Both UIs get the job done, but Samsung offers many more options.
Google’s camera interface is still pretty simple. To many people that means it’s lacking features, but it definitely hits on the points most people need. You can use tap to focus and now adjust exposure with a slide, as well as toggle on grid lines, switch between HDR modes and swap to the front camera with a double flick of your wrist. Google’s implementation of switching to lens bur, slow-mo and panorama modes is super simple as well — I don’t have any complaints there.
Samsung’s main camera interface is just as simple as Google’s, but wins hands-down when it comes to the ability to tweak your shots, offering a full Pro mode with complete manual control over the camera. That’s a big differentiator for some who want to make changes to very specific parts of the camera or perhaps mount the phone to a tripod for interesting shots. Samsung also has a larger array of shooting modes available by default, with even more waiting to be downloaded — but nearly everyone will stick with the main modes in either camera.
Camera quality
Now let’s look at the output. As I do with all of my camera comparisons, I keep things smple to help reflect how the cameras perform in the hands of the average user. I kept both the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge with their respective “auto” HDR settings turned on — then I took out one, snapped a photo, took out the other, snapped a photo. No tripods or lighting or burst mode or editing; just the direct output from the camera as it shot it.
You’ll also notice a variety of situations in the samples below; indoors, outdoors, dark, light, the whole spectrum. Here are my results, set side-by-side.
Pixel XL (left) / Galaxy S7 edge (right) — click images to view larger
In general, the Galaxy S7 edge still tends to take warmer and more saturated photos, which is something we’ve expressed in previous critiques of its camera and is just as apparent here next to the cooler, less-saturated and slightly more natural Pixel XL camera. The Galaxy S7 edge also tends to over-smooth certain parts of images, which comes across a bit more pleasing to the eye at a glance but isn’t as impressive as the sharp lines the Pixel XL was able to produce. Most of the differences really aren’t noticeable until you zoom way in on photos, though.
The biggest thing that stands out is how similar the photos are between the two.
When it comes to low-light performance, the Pixel XL seems to have jumped past the Galaxy S7 edge if only because of its consistency. The GS7 edge’s tendency for warmer photos is more pronounced at night, and its smaller pixels don’t take in as much light as the Pixel XL’s, which leads to a bit more grain and chroma noise in really dark parts of photos. The Pixel XL isn’t immune to grain and noise of its own, but the grain feels a bit more “natural” in these shots, rather than being over-processed and blotchy. Both phones were definitely still capable of taking a slightly blurry shot if you didn’t keep your hands steady at night.
Across this variety of situations, the biggest thing that stands out to me is how similar the photos are between the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge. I don’t think there was a single photo I took in this comparison with either camera that wouldn’t be considered a “good” (or better) photo if I had shown it to someone on its own. It’s only when you start to set the photos side-by-side that you notice a few differences.
I’m personally a bigger fan of the way the Pixel XL tends to be a bit more natural, cooler and sharper, but the GS7 edge takes photos that are arguably more pleasing to the eye with their more-saturated and warmer colors. The only true “win” for the Pixel XL here is in its consistency of handling low-light photos with its HDR+ software … everything else is basically a wash.
Bottom line
These are two expensive phones with impressive cameras worthy of the price, that much is clear. Both can launch the camera in the blink of an eye, take great photos in just about every situation and manage even the toughest scenes. They trade punches in certain areas of emphasis, but the end result in either one is a great photography experience.
Samsung has a slight advantage in terms of its camera interface when it comes to customizations, shooting modes and full manual controls. Google is catching up in this respect, and offers a slick experience for just about everyone — save for those who need those extra tweaks.
Each phone can take amazing photos, and you have to zoom in, analyze and nit-pick in order to find issues in either one. Google may have a slight advantage in its tendency to keep things looking more natural and sharper, but how much that matters is basically a personal preference at this point.
Both the Pixel XL and Galaxy S7 edge have fantastic cameras — you can’t go wrong here.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
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