Google confirms Tensor 2 and color options for the Pixel 7 series

To the tune of the Night Before Christmas: It was the night before iPhone 14 and while someone played the bugle, we didn't hear so much about Apple; instead, we heard about Google. The monthly Pixel update improved my phone's battery, big news even though readers were expecting iPhone flattery.

Yes, 24 hours from now you will be hearing the smartphone equivalent of New York's WINS radio station. All iPhone 14, all the time. And of course, you will be hearing about the Apple Watch Series 8, the new Apple Watch SE (2022), and the Apple Watch Pro. But Tuesday, well, Tuesday was Google's day to steal some thunder from the crew in Cupertino. First, Google announced that it will hold its next "Made By Google" event starring the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro on October 6th (a Thursday, by the way).

Also making an appearance will be the long-awaited Google Pixel Watch, a device that in years past was typically MIA leaving Google fans wondering if they would live long enough to see such a device.

The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will both be powered by the second-generation semi-custom Google Tensor chip. Not wanting to have to determine Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence features for its phones based on what it could do with off-the-shelf Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, Google decided to add custom features to the processor. As a result, the Tensor chip isn't the most powerful or energy-efficient, but it allows the Pixel phones to offer features such as Magic Eraser, which removes distractions and unwanted people from photos.

Another feature called Camouflage changes the coloring of an item to make it less likely to stand out like a sore thumb in a photo. AI features for the camera allow users to freeze the action in the foreground of a photo while the background is blurred. Another feature allows you to blur action in the foreground of a photo while the background is frozen.

Today, Google updated its online store to show off the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7 in the colors that they will be available in. For the Pixel 7 Pro, those options are Obsidian, Hazel, and Snow. For the Pixel 7, the color options are Obsidian, Lemongrass, and Snow. The company also made it clear that the Google Tensor 2 will be under the hoods of these phones. Google writes about its sophomore effort as chip designer: "With the next-gen Google Tensor processor, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will bring even more helpful, personalized features to photos, videos, security, and speech recognition."

Also making news today, Google released the monthly update for compatible Pixel phones. The big news is that the update exterminates a bug that caused many a Pixel to heat up like pavement in Miami during the summer. And that caused these units to suffer through severe battery drainage. But Google says that it fixed this issue and handful of others with the update making the rounds.

Also today, Google sent out Android 12L for the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. This is a version of Android 12 created for phones with larger screens. With this update, Google ends its support for those two models which were released in May, 2019. Since their release, the mid-rangers received updates from Android 9.0 Pie to Android 10. Then came the updates to Android 11 and lastly, Android 12.

While we might not know officially until the Android 14 Developer Preview is released next February, the Pixel 4,Pixel 4 XL, and the Pixel 4a could lose support next year. The Pixel 4a (5G) will continue to receive support through the release of Android 14.