As we’ve gotten closer to the launch window for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, we’ve had something of a drip-feed of information both from official announcements from Google as well as unofficial information in the form of leaks. A new leak now provides some unconfirmed information about the pricing of the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro.
According to Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii, the Pixel 7 will retail starting at $599, while the Pixel 7 Pro will start at $899. These prices are exactly in line with what the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro cost when they launched last year, so it’s nice to see that Google is likely staying the course as other flagship devices are starting to see price hikes.
If it’s true that Google is keeping the new Pixel prices the same as in previous years, it would drastically contrast against the recently released iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, the two devices that are some of Google’s biggest competition in the space. Since the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro start at $799 and $999, respectively, the fact that the base Pixel 7 model retails for $200 less makes it a solid choice for anyone looking to stay current with their smartphone without breaking the bank.
Obviously, that’s not to say that one device is inherently better than the other based solely on their prices; however, it’s simply a fact that the buy-in cost for the Pixel is much lower than that of the iPhone. Neither Google nor Apple has increased their prices from last year’s models, so the contrast is still starker than ever if the leak is true.
Google recently announced that pre-orders for both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro would be going live on October 6 in a lighthearted video teasing the design of the Pixel 7 Pro. That’s the same day Google is hosting its next Made by Google hardware event, meaning you won’t have to wait long at all to pre-order the phones once Google shares all the official details. And assuming this pricing leak is correct, you won’t have to save up a ridiculous amount of money, either.
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.