Google may have already shared a lot about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, but there are still quite a few unanswered questions the company will address at its proper launch later in the year. However, an accidental post from Google’s Android chief Hiroshi Lockheimer may just have revealed the position of the phone’s in-display fingerprint sensor — and it marks a change from rear-mounted fingerprint sensors (and the short-lived face unlock of the Pixel 4).
In an image shared on Twitter, the senior vice president posted a screenshot of the lock screen of an Android 12 phone with an in-display fingerprint sensor in a bid to show off the Material You interface. Eagle-eyed users quickly noticed that the elements on display matched what the Pixel 6 would be expected to show. The folks over at 9to5Google note that this could be a coincidence. Phones like the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra andOnePlus 9 Pro can be used on Android 12 at the moment, and they have in-display fingerprint sensors, albeit with differing positioning. However, the fact that the image was deleted rather quickly does make it more likely to be a Pixel 6. Google did also accidentally reveal the Pixel 5a’s camera in a similar manner earlier in the year.
Hiroshi Lockheimer apparently posted (and then deleted) a screenshot from what's likely the Pixel 6 Pro (the image resolution was 1440×3200.) The phone is connected to Verizon 5G, likely the carrier's sub-6GHz network. Also shown is the position of the UDFPS.
H/T @jspring86az pic.twitter.com/Pessh7RvNV
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) August 24, 2021
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are Google’s 2021 flagship devices, and the first true flagships since the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. Google is going all out with the hardware, no longer content to rely on its software to carry its products. With screens going as high as 6.7-inches, QHD displays, 120Hz refresh rates, large batteries, and 33-watt fast charging, these are competitive smartphones. The company has also done a lot of work with its Google Tensor chip, which it plans on using to help create a product that can reflect its hardware ambitions more than Qualcomm’s third-party chips will. It’s a drastic change from older products, and the in-display sensor is just one more way Google is setting these phones apart from older ones.
A launch date has yet to be given, however, Google will likely launch the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro at a dedicated hardware event in October if previous trends hold.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.