Tech

Google teases potential launch date for the Pixel 6

In a series of ads that are um... Certified Lover Boy inspired, the tech giant gears up to drop the latest iteration of its smartphone.

Google

Information surrounding Google’s latest edition of its Pixel phone, the Pixel 6, has been trickling out of the woodwork and has largely revolved around the in-house Tensor chip that will power the device. Today, however, a couple of ads were published both on the company’s social feeds and its YouTube channel, giving us an expected release date.

Towards the end of this video promo we get at least an idea of when the phone will come out, which will be this Fall. No exact date has been pinned down yet, although a theory, courtesy of Android Police is floating around that revolves heavily on the promotional material released on Google’s official product Instagram.

According to the outlet, there is more to this promo graphic than meets the eye. Aside from lifting the template set by the album art of Drake’s latest project, Certified Lover Boy, you’ll notice a date on some of the clock widgets that reads “Tues 19.” The speculation is that the Pixel 6 will be available for pre-order on October 19, the only date left this year where the 19 falls on a Tuesday. Coupled with the fact that Google typically releases a slew of products during the spookiest month of the year, a mid-October drop date at least makes sense. Maybe CLB-inspired Pixel merch will follow?

Return to form? — The Pixel 6 is supposed to put Google back on the map as far as high-end Android smartphones go. In addition to a new design, the latest entry to the Pixel family will be powered by an internally developed processor and will apparently have a telephoto lens for its camera.

In the video promo, the message that seems to be conveyed is that the Pixel 6 will go beyond the traditional expectations of a smartphone. “What if your phone saw you for who you are,” the ad proposes. That messaging feels more creepy than comforting, especially given how much Google knows about us already.

One thing that cannot be denied is the variety of metallic colors the Pixel 6 will be available in look pretty sleek, and Android 12 is shaping up to be just as good looking. Whether the Pixel 6 can make up for the missteps of recent Pixel devices, though, remains to be seen.