Google Pixel 7 and its Pro variant’s camera sensors might have been revealed. New reports have come in that shed more light on the hardware that will feature on the next Pixel flagship smartphones. A piece of code within Android also hints at a third smartphone and foldable device in the works.
According to a series of tweets by developer Kuba Wojciechowski, Google has attempted to keep the names of the sensors hidden within their Android codes. The developer was able to identify many of these and match them with part lists on GitHub. The camera sensors have been spotted for the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and the Pixel Tablet.
📸 I have obtained info about camera hardware configurations on several upcoming Google Pixel devices. While this isn't as important as Google's software - obviously - it still reveals some interesting changes. Thread 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/sPCcT6WjPaJuly 25, 2022
Both the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro could feature Samsung’s GN1 sensor for the primary camera and a Sony IMX 381 sensor for the ultrawide lens. And as reported previously, the smartphones may come with an 11MP front-facing camera supported by the Samsung 3J1 sensor. There do not seem to be any changes from last year’s models. The company is also reportedly keeping the same display panels as the Pixel 6 series as well. The Pixel 7 Pro may sport a brighter screen but other than that, we might not get to see major updates.
The developer was also able to identify a third smartphone codenamed “Lynx” that features the same GN1 sensor along with a Sony IMX712 sensor. It has been pointed out that the mystery device could just be another smartphone used by Google internally. The company often does so to test out camera hardware offered by suppliers.
And it’s not just the Pixel smartphone camera details that are hidden within the Android codes. The camera sensors on the upcoming tablet as well as the rumoured foldable are also hinted at. The developer has also been able to find that the Pixel Tablet could sport the IMX355 sensor on the front and rear cameras. This is one similar to the front-facing camera on the Pixel 6.
Google’s foldable smartphone is yet to be unveiled. Yet there is a possibility that the company might keep the same Samsung GN1 sensor along with the IMX363 for telephoto and IMX355 for selfies.
Tensor is all we need?
While none of the hardware details is confirmed at this point, it does appear that the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro don’t provide much of an upgrade in terms of the feature set. If Google’s Tensor chipsets are the only serious upgrades to the smartphones, then it looks like the company has found a balance.
The chipset could be the only hardware required to enhance the functionality of the cameras on future Pixel devices. It will also help the company keep the hardware the same across all their products thus controlling their costs.
