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Google Pixel 7 Pro Drops To $502, Samsung 15W Qi Charging Pad $39, Garmin Smartwatches, More

Today's best deals come headlined by Google Pixel 7 Pro at $502. This new Amazon low is paired with a price cut on Samsung's official 15W Qi wireless charging pad at $39 as well as Garmin's new nap-tracking Venu 3 smartwatch at $400. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

Google Pixel 7 Pro drops to just $502 Amazon is now offering the Google Pixel 7 Pro for $502. This drops the unlocked 256GB model down from its usual $999 price tag. It's the best we've ever seen at Amazon and comes within $30 of the all-time low from Woot – an offer we've only seen once before. We break down how this smartphone stacks up against the newer roster below the fold, and our original hands-on review. This might not be the latest smartphone on the block, but there's no arguing with a $371 discount. The Pixel 7 Pro arrives as last year's flagship from Google and is still one of the company's more capable releases to date. It packs a 6.7-inch QHD+ 120Hz screen on the front, with a triple sensor camera array around the back comprised of a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide lens, and upgraded 48MP telephoto zoom capabilities. All of that comes Samsung's official 15W Qi wireless charging pad drops to $39 Amazon is currently offering Samsung's official 15W Qi Wireless Charging Pad for $39 in both Grey and White styles. Today's offer drops from the usual $60 price tag and marks one of the best prices to date. It's an extra $3 below our previous mention and comes within $8 of the all-time low from Black Friday, too. This is an official Samsung wireless charging pad that can dish out 15W speeds to your new Galaxy S24 series smartphone. It includes everything you need in the box to start charging, including a USB-C cable and its companion wall adapter. Garmin's new nap-tracking Venu 3 smartwatch at $400 Amazon is now offering the Garmin Venu 3 Smartwatch for $400. This is $50 off the $450 you would more regularly pay and matches the all-time low. It's still one of the first overall discounts since launching last fall, and is also only the third time it has dropped down to this best-ever price. We break down what's new this time around below the fold, as well as over in our launch coverage. Garmin Venu 3 debuts following a 2-year gap since its predessor first hit the scene. The refreshed build doubles down on its health tracking tech, most notably allowing you to track naps on top of overnight sleep. It's all part of the new Body Battery feature that can take a comprehensive look at your daily fitness and well-being in order offer advice on feeling rested and recharged. There's also heart rate monitoring, workout tracking, and 14-day battery life packed into a 1.4-inch AMOLED display. Best trade-in deals 9to5Google also keeps tabs on all the best trade-in deals on Android smartphones and more every month. Be sure to check out this month's best trade-in deals when you decide it's time to upgrade your device, or simply head over to our trade-in partner directly if you want to recycle, trade, or sell your used devices for cash and support 9to5Google along the way! Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more! Review: Razer's new top-tier Viper V3 Pro gaming mouse tips the scales at just 54g [Video] Review: Insta360 X4 ushers in the 8K era with a bigger battery and easy-to-use mobile editing [Video] Review: Is the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race sim bundle an all-in-one gimmick? [Video] FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

New Google Leak Reveals Powerful Pixel 8a Features With AI Camera

A new lower-cost Pixel 8a smartphone will soon join Google's Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8 (pictured).

AFP via Getty Images

Google's forthcoming Pixel 8a is expected to deliver powerful AI camera capabilities along with seven years of guaranteed security updates, according to a new report.

May 1 update below—This article was originally posted on April 30

Many features of the Pixel 8a have already been leaked, but now, thanks to four recently leaked promotional images, we know even more about Google's forthcoming mid-range smartphone.

As recently reported by Android Headlines, the Pixel 8a is expected to boast a selection of powerful photography-based functions thanks to what Google calls its "AI-mazing" camera. These include Pixel favorites such as Night Sight, Best Take, and the Pixel 8-series exclusive Audio Magic Eraser.

The images also promote some of the Pixel 8a's AI features, including call screening with Call Assist, automatic email summaries, and the recently introduced Circle To Search function, which lets you perform web searches by circling any item displayed on the screen.

The report goes on to confirm earlier leaks, such as Google's home-grown Tensor G3 processor, the same chipset found on the current Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and a requirement for some of Google's most potent AI-based features. Also expected is a slight increase in battery capacity and a more significant bump in charging speed, tipped to run at around 27W according to leaked retail packaging—up from 18W on the current Pixel 7a.

The leaked images also reveal that the Pixel 8a will offer the same IP67 dust and water protection as the Pixel 7a and match the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro with seven years of security updates.

Also listed for the Pixel 8a is Google's ill-fated VPN by Google One. The service is due to be discontinued for most users by June 10, 2024. However, Google has stated that the VPN service will remain available on the "Pixel 7 and up. " It's good to see that this will include the Pixel 8a, too.

Notably, the report does not mention Google's Gemini Nano on-device AI model, initially available only on the Pixel 8 Pro but later extended to the regular Pixel 8. With Tensor G3 under the hood, the Pixel 8a may technically be capable of running Gemini Nano. Still, whether Google will enable the feature on the lower-priced model remains to be seen.

With the Pixel 8a expected to launch at $500 to $550, Google must differentiate the product from the often-discounted Pixel 8, currently available at $549. We expect to find out at the device's official unveiling this May 14 at Google's annual Google I/O developer conference.

April 30 update—Pixel 8a expected to match Pixel 7a launch price

Fears of an increased Pixel 8a launch price may have been unfounded, according to new information from OnLeaks in a recent Smartprix report and covered by Forbes contributor Janhoi McGregor. According to the report, the entry-level 128GB Pixel 8a will go on sale at the same $499 price tag as the Pixel 7a did at launch.

However, Google is also expected to launch a new 256GB Pixel 8a variant at a higher price of $559—$10 more than the current price of the 128GB Pixel 8. This gives potential Pixel customers a tricky choice between the higher-spec Pixel 8 or a newer Pixel 8a but with double the storage.

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Google Pixel 7 Pro Vs Pixel 6 Pro: What's The Difference?

At Made by Google (event recap here), the second major 2022 Google launch event after May's Google I/O, the company revealed its new phones and wearables products. Principle among which is the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the latest flagship, which updates its Pixel 6 Pro predecessor in a number of ways.

Although the hardware won't launch until 13 October, so a full week after the announcement, if you're pondering whether a pre-order is worth it – particularly from the angle of a Pixel 6 Pro upgrader (the standard Pixel 7 versus Pixel 6 compared here) – then let me take you through the key differences between the two Pixel Pro handsets and what's new in the Pixel 7 Pro in particular. 

Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Price

When the Pixel 6 Pro launched in late October 2021 it came with a £849/$899/AUD$1299 asking price. Which, given the glut of four-figure flagship phones out there at the time, made it pretty great value. 

The Pixel 7 Pro's price is – and I'm almost shocked by this – exactly the same price at launch: £849/$899/AUD$1299. That's impressive given the current market, as even Apple's iPhone 14 saw a price increase in the UK and Australia due to weak market conditions against the US Dollar.  

You can check out T3's Google Pixel 7 Pro deals feature to see what's up for grabs. The pre-order bundle – with Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro – is available at a cut-price deal, for example, if you want to bag the full range. 

Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Colours

The Pixel 7 Pro comes in three colours: Obsidian (black), Snow (white), Hazel (sorta greyish), meaning it doesn't get the Lemongrass (yellow-green) finish of the standard Pixel 7. 

You'll probably also notice that Google has got a lot more 'serious' about its naming conventions (well, not entirely: its Japanese promotion transformed those four finishes into actual boxes of crisps), because the Pixel 6 Pro came in the more playfully-named Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, or Stormy Black. 

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Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Design

The Pixel 7 Pro is almost identical in terms of size to the Pixel 6 Pro. The newer handset is a millimetre less tall and almost a millimetre wider, which I suspect you won't notice whatsoever as you'd need some advanced machine to measure for that. 

Pixel 6 Pro dimensions and weight: 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm / 210g

Pixel 7 Pro dimensions and weight: 162.9 x 76.6 x 8.9mm / 212g

In terms of actual finish it's a similar story between the two, both using Gorilla Glass and aluminium frames. The Pixel 7 Pro, however, has a single piece aluminium enclosure, including the camera bar, that's also made from 100 per cent recycled content.

Both handsets are IP68 dust- and water-resistant too. 

And it would be remiss of me not to mention the Pixel 7 Pro's inclusion of Face Unlock on the font camera. That's a feature that's long been rumoured, complementing the fingerprint option for easy sign-in and security. 

Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Display

The reason the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro are so similar in size is because they use precisely the same screen: both feature a 6.71-inch AMOLED panel with 1440 x 3120 pixels of resolution across the 19.5:9 aspect ratio.

Also expect 120Hz fast refresh, and support for HDR10+ high dynamic range, meaning super-bright content viewing is possible on either handset. So if you were hoping for a big screen upgrade then, well, the only key difference is the Pixel 7 Pro's 25% brighter output. 

Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Processor

The Pixel 7 Pro features Google's latest Tensor G2 chip, while the older Pixel 6 Pro features Google's previous-gen Tensor chip. 

The key difference is process: Tensor G2 is 4nm, while the original Tensor is 5nm; meaning the newer chip should bring speed and battery gains. 

Pixel 7 Pro vs 6 Pro: Cameras

At a glance the Pixel 7 Pro's and Pixel 6 Pro's camera specifications look much the same: both feature a 50-megapixel main camera, a 48MP telephoto, and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. 

So what's the main difference? The Pixel 7 Pro's zoom is 4.8x, up from 4x, delivering a 120mm equivalent zoom; its ultra-wide is even wider-angle, too, delivering 125-degrees, up from 114-degrees. 

A key new Pixel 7 Pro feature is Macro Focus. This, as the name suggests, allows for close-up focusing at up to just 3cm from the lens. 

There's also been an increase to Super Res Zoom: the Pixel 7 Pro offers 30x compared to the Pixel 6 Pro's 20x.

Face Unblur also gets a boost, with Photo Unblur now available to try and get any photo sharper. 

Worth the upgrade?

So is the Google Pixel 7 Pro an epic upgrade over the Google Pixel 6 Pro? As you can see from the information above, it's a fairly gentle generational shift, introducing a new and more powerful processor, a new finish, and marginally upgraded cameras.

I look forward to reviewing the Pixel 7 Pro, though, as I suspect its mixture of design, finish, Android 13, and solid cameras are likely to make it one of the best Android phones of 2022. Sure, if you can get a great cut-price Pixel 6 Pro deal then that may tempt you, but for me it's got to be about Pixel 7 Pro in Hazel.  

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