Google has made the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro official, but we still don't know when the flagship phones are going to get a full unveiling or go on sale. Now a new leak from China suggests September 13 will be the big day.
The prediction comes from a reliable source on Chinese social network Weibo (via NotebookCheck.net), and seems plausible based on what we know so far. Google itself has suggested a window between September and November 2021.
What makes the date even more likely is that the iPhone 13 is rumored to be making an appearance on September 14 – and we're sure that Google would love to get its own flagship phone for 2021 out a day in advance.
- What we know about the Galaxy S22
- iPhone 13 release date and rumors
- Take a look at the Google Pixel 5a
Premium prices, premium specs
From what we've heard so far, both officially and unofficially, it sounds like the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro mark Google's return to the flagship end of the phone market. Last year's Pixel 5 was more of a mid-range affair, if you remember.
This time around we've got camera upgrades, a brand new processor, and a radical redesign. Google hardware boss Rick Osterloh has already revealed that these phones will come with premium pricing attached, so you can expect the components inside them to offer a high level of performance.
A recent rumor hints that the phones will come with ultra-wideband too, the ultra-precise location tracking technology built into the iPhone 12 and the Galaxy S21 – another sign that these are going to be top-tier handsets.
Analysis: Google is back in the flagship game
As we've mentioned, the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro are shaping up to be flagship-level phones – though it sounds as though the Pixel 6 Pro is going to cost more and offer more than the standard version (a larger screen and an extra camera are two rumored differences).
With the Google Pixel 5a serving the mid-range rather well (in the US and Japan at least), Google has been able to go all out with the Pixel 6 phones, so expect something that goes head-to-head with the iPhone 13 in terms of performance and features... and the launch week, if the latest rumor is to be believed.
Earlier this year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai talked about "deep technology investments" in hardware devices on the way from the company in 2021, so we're thinking that the Pixel 6 might come with some surprises – perhaps new and innovative features related to artificial intelligence, perhaps.
Whether it's going to be enough to make a mark in terms of sales remains to be seen. While the Pixel phones have consistently earned high scores from reviewers and users, to date they remain a niche product in terms of overall market share.
