Microsoft is holding its customary fall Surface event on October 12th, and this year's presentation may be more jam-packed than most. Rumors have swirled of not just new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models, but a long-overdue Surface Studio refresh and even a mini desktop. But how likely are those to pan out? We'll give you an idea of what to expect.

Surface Pro 9

Dana Wollman/Engadget

It almost wouldn’t be a Microsoft hardware event without a new tablet, and the Surface Pro 9 could be one of the more important updates to the lineup in recent memory. Windows Centralsources claim the new model will merge the ARM-based Surface Pro X into the regular Pro family. If so, you’ll have your choice of processor architectures without having to switch form factors — a first for the Pro series.

You might get a significant speed boost, whichever chip sits inside. Those same sources believe Intel-based Surface Pro 9 models will use 12th-generation Core i5 and i7 U-series processors (considerably faster than the Pro 8’s 11th-gen parts), while ARM versions will reportedly come with the SQ3, a custom variant of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3. Microsoft may stick with the maximum 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage from before, although cellular models will apparently support 5G.

Just don’t expect much to change on the outside. Sources say the Surface Pro 9 will largely resemble its predecessor, complete with a 13-inch 120Hz display, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a front 5-megapixel camera, a rear 10MP cam and support for the Slim Pen 2. This may be an iterative design, but we liked the Pro 8 last year. It’s just a question of whether or not the pricing is reasonable. WinFutureclaims Europeans may pay the equivalent of $1,300 for a Core i5 version with 256GB of storage, but that might not reflect American pricing.

Surface Laptop 5

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Microsoft hasn’t touched the Surface Laptop since spring 2021, so it’s due for a refresh. Thankfully, one appears to be in the pipeline. Both Windows Central and WinFuture insiders claim a Surface Laptop 5 is in the works with some modest but meaningful improvements.

The 13.5- and 15-inch portables would ship with 12th-gen Core i5 and i7 processors that would represent tangible upgrades over earlier chips. However, the most notable change may be what you don’t get — WinFuture says there won’t be any AMD Ryzen-powered variants of the Surface Laptop 5. The machine may offer Thunderbolt 4 support for the first time, though.

Like its tablet counterpart, the Surface Laptop 5’s design might be virtually unchanged. Leakers don’t anticipate cosmetic updates apart from a possible sage green color option borrowed from the Laptop Go 2. That won’t be a problem if you like Microsoft’s minimalist aesthetics, but it may be disappointing if you wanted an eye-catching notebook like the XPS 13 Plus or MacBook Air M2 — especially considering the rumored $1,200 asking price in Europe.

Surface Studio 3

Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

To say Microsoft has neglected the Surface Studio would be an understatement. The most recent version of the all-in-one desktop was released in 2018, and its specifications are woefully behind the times. Windows Central recently offered some hope, though, as it hears a Surface Studio 3 is finally on the way.

The new PC will supposedly use the familiar (but still clever) chassis from the first two Studios, including its signature tilting, stylus-friendly 28-inch display. Microsoft will instead focus on the internals, upgrading to an 11th-gen Core i7 CPU (sorry, no 12th-gen here) with Thunderbolt 4 ports. There may be an improved webcam, too, along with Dolby Vision HDR visuals and Dolby Atmos audio.

You might have to deal with some conspicuous omissions. The Surface Studio 3 may ditch the SD card slot, and there could be just one configuration with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. As with its ancestors, the revised computer could be aimed squarely at creative pros who want a pen-friendly display and are willing to pay for the privilege. There’s no leaked pricing as of this writing, but with specs like those it’s certain to be expensive.

Wildcards: A mini PC and Surface accessories

Microsoft

These events sometimes include leftfield introductions (who would have predicted the Surface Laptop Studio?), but you may need to tone down your expectations this year. The biggest treat may be the release of the previously-teased Project Volterra, a compact desktop aimed at developers building ARM-native Windows apps with AI features. So, it won’t be the Surface equivalent to the Mac mini, then.

Accessories may be the only other highlights. Windows Central’s Zac Bowden recently shared images of what he says are updated Surface Keyboard and Surface Pen models that could come with the Surface Studio 3 in addition to selling separately. A Surface Mouse revision may be available, too. Bowden further suggested that you could see a “premium” speaker as well as a Teams-oriented remote, but there’s little else known about them.

We wouldn’t count on other Surface computers or mobile devices. There haven’t been murmurs of a Surface Duo 3 phone, and Microsoft put the Surface Neo on ice in 2020. It’s also hard to imagine a Surface Go revision, for that matter. Barring surprises, this event appears focused on core Surface devices and not much else.

Cinewhoop drones are all the rage right now, as they can dive and twist and speed through unreachable places to produce spectacular footage. DJI has jumped on that trend with the Avata, an FPV drone that’s far removed from the company’s speedy DJI model actually called the FPV. Instead, the Avata is more about agility and has propeller guards that make it safe to fly around people.

It’s available with the new Goggles 2 that are smaller and lighter than the Goggles V2 that come with the DJI FPV drone. You can also get it with an updated Motion Controller that lets you steer the Avata by moving your wrists.

The system could help drone users get into the world of FPV and cinewhoop, but it isn’t cheap at $1,388 with the Goggles 2 and Motion Controller. To find out how it compares to the FPV and other drones, I enlisted my drone pilot friend Samuel to test it in a number of challenging scenarios.

Body

The Avata doesn’t look like any of DJI’s other consumer drones. To fly indoors, around people or in tight spaces, it has prop guards and a small, 7-inch square by 3.1-inch high body. At 410 grams it’s much lighter than the FPV, but a bit heavier than the 249-gram Mini 3 Pro. As such, it requires registration or a license in Europe, the US and many other countries.

The batteries use a flexible connector designed to limit crash damage. DJI claims up to 18 minutes of flight time, but we generally got around 10-12 minutes, or even less if we flew it extremely fast. That’s still good for an FPV drone (most are under 10 minutes), but DJI should be a bit more realistic in its marketing.

The Avata’s battery charges in about 45 minutes, and you can get two extra batteries and a charger with the $279 Fly-More kit. Samuel indicated that if he bought one for his photography business, he’d get six batteries at a minimum.

Steve Dent/Engadget

I’d also buy the largest microSD cards possible, because the slot tucked underneath is extremely awkward to access – particularly when removing a card. The USB-C port for transfers and charging is equally hard to get to. DJI normally excels with these types of features, but these are honestly serious design flaws. On the plus side, the Avata has 20GB of internal storage that can serve in a pinch.

Underneath are two time-of-flight sensors that can detect and map ground obstacles. However, the Avata doesn’t have any forward-facing sensors, so its main protection is the prop guards and rugged design.

The Avata Pro View Combo ships with the DJI Motion Controller as the only way to fly the drone. You can also use the FPV Remote Controller 2, but it’s sold separately for $200.

Also included in that bundle are the new Goggles 2 – not to be confused with the Goggles V2. They’re smaller and lighter than the latter, and use micro-LED instead of OLED panels, with 1080p resolution for each eye compared to 810p on Goggles V2. You can use the V2 with the Avata and FPV, but the Goggles 2 only work with the Avata.

The extra sharpness and small size are nice, but you can’t wear glasses underneath the Goggles 2. Instead, they have built in diopters to correct your eyesight. If you have astigmatism, DJI includes lens mountings that you can send back to have your prescription made.

Samuel wasn’t crazy about the diopter. While they gave him a clear view, he often had to remove the headset to see the drone, which meant he needed to put his glasses back on. He found the Goggles V2 easier as he can wear his glasses underneath.

The Goggles 2 let you fly the Avata with no mobile phone, as they have a mini-version of the DJI Fly app built-in. If you want to let others have a view, you can connect a smartphone via USB-C port on the side, though. The Goggles 2 control the Avata via DJI’s Ocusync O3, providing a 50Mbps video feed from up to 6.2 miles away. However, we noticed that the Goggles V2 provide a stronger feed over a longer distance, probably because of the larger antennas.

Performance

Steve Dent/Engadget

The Avata is a blast to fly, but it’s not as fast as some FPV drones. It tops out at 60 MPH in manual mode, well under the 87 MPH of DJI’s FPV. And that’s in manual mode – sport and normal modes are considerably slower at 31 MPH and 18 MPH, respectively.

It has awesome maneuverability though, letting you fly in places you’d never take another drone. We took it around handball players during a practice, between our legs, through the small gap in a sign, around a castle rooftop and indoors with people and fragile things around. It’s also tough. We had a number of crashes that would have killed an open-prop drone. It can also bounce off a person without doing them any harm.

Considering that the Avata might be the first FPV drone for many people, selling it with the Motion Controller is a good idea – but not as the only option. DJI should also sell a bundle with the FPV Controller 2, which offers more precise control for advanced users. As it stands now, you have to pay an extra $199 to get it.

The Motion Controller is easy to use – you simply point it where you want to fly and pull the trigger to speed up. To climb, tilt the controller upward and apply power, and reverse that for descents. A large button on top brings it to a hover, and the red button lets you take off and land.

Steve Dent/Engadget

It has some limitations, though. You can’t transition vertically or fly backwards with the Motion Controller, so you have to use a button to land. It also lacks precision, especially indoors. In fact, we found that without a GPS lock inside, the Avata was sometimes unflyable with the Motion Controller.

If you have some experience, the FPV Controller 2 is a better option. It allows you to engage manual mode to cruise faster, fly low to the ground and zag between trees or rooftops. Inside, you can fly precisely between rooms, objects and people, just like you may have seen in some of those cool cinewhoop FPV videos.

Manual mode also opens up flips, dives, climbs, hairpin turns, rolls and other tricks. Just bear in mind that there are no sensor safeguards. While Avata drone is tough, it’s not unbreakable and could really hurt someone at 60 MPH. It’s also more unstable, so flying it requires serious skill. It is a ton of fun, though, with the speed and lack of safeguards providing a real adrenaline rush that you don’t get from other drones.

Video quality

Most so-called Cinewhoop FPV drones use external cameras like the GoPro Hero Bones (or just regular stripped-down GoPros), but the Avata has one built in. It uses the same size 1/1.7-inch sensor as the new Action 3 camera, with 64 percent more area than the FPV.

Like the Action 3, it has normal, wide and ultra-wide options with up to a 155 degree field of view. And on top of the built-in gimbal and RockSteady smoothing, it has the HorizonView option to keep things level, even if the drone is tilting heavily.

The gimbal and RockSteady stabilization keep video smooth despite wind or abrupt maneuvers. And the HorizonView option worked as advertised, keeping things level for even when we were slaloming between trees.

It supports 4K video at up to 60 fps or 1080p and 2.7K at 120 fps with the Goggles V2, but only 100 fps with the Goggles 2. It’s not ideal that it has slower speeds than the headset it’s sold with, but it’s apparently due to the higher resolution. The sensor has 48 megapixels for shooting photos, if you ever want to do that.

Considering the camera’s small size, image quality is solid. Video is sharp and colors are accurate, though they can be a bit oversaturated. If you need a bit more dynamic range, it has DJI’s D-Cinelike mode.

It’s not bad in low light for shooting cityscapes or well-lit interiors, with an ISO range up to 12800 in expanded mode. You still need a decent amount of light, though, or video will get blocky and grainy in a hurry. If it gets too bad, it’s unfixable in post, so make sure to have enough light if shooting indoors.

Overall, it’s a very solid camera, though not up to, say, GoPro’s standards. The camera is part of a holistic package though – combined with the Avata’s small size and maneuverability, it gets shots no other off-the-shelf drones can.

Wrap-up

Steve Dent/Engadget

In sum, the Avata is a fun, rugged and maneuverable little drone that produces great footage, but it does have some weird flaws and limitations. The Goggles 2 limit the slow-motion and aren’t ideal if you wear glasses. Plus the Motion Controller isn’t ideal for precise FPV flying, and the microSD slot and USB-C port are poorly positioned.

It’s also fairly costly. Though the base drone is $629, it’s $1,388 with the Goggles 2 and Motion Controller, plus another $279 with the Fly-More kit. If you add the FPV Remote Controller 2, that’s another $199. By comparison, the FPV bundled with the Goggles V2 and older Motion Controller costs $1,300.

Still, there aren’t many other ready-to-fly drones that can do what it does. If you want a highly maneuverable and relatively safe Cinewhoop-style drone without building one yourself, it’s really in a class by itself.

Acer has unveiled a new lightweight laptop that targets on-the-go professionals in a world where more and more people are choosing to work from home or away from the office. The Swift Edge is a 16-inch OLED laptop with a magnesium-aluminum chassis that's only 0.51-inch thin and only weighs 2.58 pounds. That's lighter than the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air that weighs 2.73 pounds or the 16-inch LG Gram that weighs 2.62 pounds. 

Its screen is a 4K OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, surrounded by a narrow bezel that gives it a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio. The model is powered by AMD Ryzen 6000 and Pro 6000 processors that come with integrated RDNA2 graphics, allowing users to play modern games in 1080p. It also comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 memory that's upgradable to 32BG and either 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. The device's 54 Wh 3-cell battery can last up to 10.5 hours based on the company's video playback tests and up to 8.5 hours based on its web browsing test results. 

Other features include an FHD (1,920 x 1,080) webcam and support for Microsoft's Pluton security processor architecture, which provides additional protection for Windows 11 PCs. In addition, the laptop has a fingerprint reader and a Noble Wedge Lock slot. Acer's first Swift Edge laptop will be available this month in North America for prices starting at $1,500. In Europe, Middle East and Africa, prices begin at €1,499, while in China prices start at RMB 7,999.

Meta is warning 1 million Facebook users that their account information may have been compromised by third-party apps from Apple or Google’s stores. In a new report, the company’s security researchers say that in the last year they’ve identified more than 400 scammy apps designed to hijack users’ Facebook account credentials.

According to the company, the apps are disguised as “fun or useful” services, like photo editors, camera apps, VPN services, horoscope apps, and fitness tracking tools. The apps often require users to “Log In with Facebook” before they can access the promised features. But these login features are merely a means of stealing Facebook users’ account info. And Meta’s Director of Threat Disruption, David Agranovich, noted that many of the apps Meta identified were barely functional.

“Many of the apps provided little to no functionality before you logged in, and most provided no functionality even after a person agreed to login,” Agranovich said during a briefing with reporters.

Meta

Of note, Meta found malicious apps in both Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store, though the vast majority were Android apps. Interestingly, while the malicious Android apps were mostly consumer apps, like photo filters, the 47 iOS apps were almost exclusively what Meta calls “business utility” apps. These services, with names like “Very Business Manager,” “Meta Business,” “FB Analytic” and “Ads Business Knowledge,” seemed to be targeted specifically at people using Facebook’s business tools.

Agranovich said that Meta shared its findings with both Apple and Google, but that it was ultimately up to the stores to ensure the apps are removed. In the meantime, Facebook is pushing warnings to 1 million people who may have used the apps. The notifications inform users their account info may have been compromised by an app — it doesn’t name which one — and recommends resetting their passwords.

Google started teasing its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones, the Pixel Watch and even the Pixel Tablet months ago. Finally, we’ve got all the specs (and prices). The Engadget team even got to briefly test everything but the tablet – which is coming out next year.

The Pixel 7 Pro is probably the more exciting of the two phones, thanks to its three-lens camera system on the back. This year that includes an upgraded telephoto camera with the same Quad Bayer PD technology as the main 50-megapixel sensor. It has a 5x optical zoom, and the high-resolution sensors mean you can pull a 10x zoom cropped picture at 12.5-megapixels.

The Pixel Watch – rumored for years – is finally launching next week. It will last up to 24 hours with its always-on display, and it can be fast-charged to 50 percent in only 30 minutes. Can Google make WearOS a compelling smartwatch option? Stay tuned.

It was a long morning of announcements from Google. We’ve pulled together the biggest stories below.

– Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

• Boston Dynamics and other industry heavyweights pledge not to build war robots

• Researchers discover star being consumed by its smaller, deader neighbor

• The Pixel Tablet will attach to a speaker base to double as a smart display

• Google’s Tensor G2 chip gives a modest speed boost to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro

• Google Pixel 7 camera app adds Cinematic Blur

• Google's Guided Frame helps visually impaired users shoot better pictures

• Google's latest Pixel devices feature more recycled materials than ever

Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro hands-on

Slicker design, same great pricing.

It’s the second generation of Google Pixel phones powered by its in-house Tensor chips. Next-gen chips come with a next-gen design, with new aluminum camera bars across both the Pixel 7 ($599) and Pixel 7 Pro ($899). The finishes of the two phones vary slightly, with the Pixel 7 getting a brushed aluminum look while the Pixel 7 Pro has a shiny, polished chassis. Engadget’s Sam Rutherford prefers the matte finish. The Pixel 7 has a 6.3-inch 90Hz OLED screen, making it a tiny bit smaller than the outgoing Pixel 6. You’ll have to wait a little longer for our full verdict on the new camera array, but we already noticed a smoother zoom experience and more detailed shots.

Continue reading.

Now TikTok is copying Instagram with Photo Mode

Very retro.

We’re all used to seeing Instagram copy TikTok. Now, in a new twist, TikTok is copying Instagram with a new feature called Photo Mode. The update allows TikTok users to share multiple still photos in a post, along with captions of up to 2,200 characters.

The new photo posts, which can also feature music, will appear in users’ For You page alongside videos. Social networks are all converging. If you didn’t notice, in the last six weeks alone Instagram,TikTok and Snapchat have come up with their own take on French upstart BeReal (Instagram’s hasn’t formally launched yet). Twitter introduced a TikTok-style feed for full-screen videos. And YouTube Shorts, itself a TikTok clone, added TikTok-style voice-overs.

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Watch the first trailer for the new CG 'Super Mario Bros.' movie

Chris Pratt, Jack Black and Anya Taylor-Joy star in the CG blockbuster.

Nintendo

Yes, we got our first peek at the incoming Mario movie. The clip shows Bowser (played by Jack Black) terrorizing a penguin kingdom in his quest for an invincibility star. Mario (Chris Pratt) soon makes an abrupt entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom, while his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) appears briefly, too. Super Mario Bros. is expected to premiere April 7th, 2023.

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Google Pixel Watch hands-on

Its first smartwatch.

Engadget

Finally, it’s here. The Pixel Watch, priced at $349. And Engadget’s Cherlynn Low says it’s “one of the most beautiful smartwatches” she’s ever seen. (Though I’m not sure I agree.) The device is only available in one size, 41mm, but many straps knowingly tread the styles of its Apple rival. On that note, it’s about the same size as the small Apple Watch. The device feels like a polished pebble, thankfully covered in a custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which gives some assurance it’ll survive a fall or scrape. Read on for our early impressions.

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Judge in Twitter v. Elon Musk postpones trial to October 28th

A new trial could be scheduled in November.

The Twitter v. Elon Musk trial is now on hold as the two sides hammer out a deal for Musk to complete his buyout of the social media company. On Thursday, Judge Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, chancellor of Delaware’s Chancery Court, stayed the trial until October 28th, following a motion from Musk's lawyers to call off the trial. However, if the two sides cannot close by the end of the month, a trial could be back on.

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Apple iPhone 14 Plus review

It’s an iPhone, but bigger.

If you want an iPhone with a big screen and better battery life without forking over a ton of money for a Pro Max model, the new iPhone 14 Plus is exactly what you've been waiting for. Like the standard model, the iPhone 14 Plus features two rear cameras and an A15 bionic chip, but with a larger 6.7-inch screen. It has the kind of prodigious battery life most handsets can only dream about.

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Meta has sued companies doing business as "HeyMods," "Highlight Mobi" and "HeyWhatsApp" for stealing over a million accounts using unofficial WhatsApp Android apps, Bleeping Computer has reported. The malware-infested apps were available on several APK sites and even the Google Play Store, according to the complaint. 

"After victims installed the Malicious Applications, they were prompted to enter their WhatsApp user credentials," according to the suit filed in the US District Court in San Francisco. "The Defendants programmed the Malicious Applications to communicate the user's credentials to WhatsApp's computers and obtain the users' account keys and authentication information."

The apps in question are called "Theme Store for Zap" and "AppUpdater for WhatsPlus 2021 GB Yo FM HeyMods" among others. The latter app was installed more than a million times for the Google Play Store, according to Bleeping Computer. 

WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart warned users not to download the fake apps, saying they "were just a scam to steal personal information stored on people's phones." He added that Meta's findings were shared with Google, and in July, Google Play Protect was updated to detect and disable the fake apps. "We're also taking enforcement action against HeyMods... and will explore legal options to hold HeyMods and others like them accountable," he said. 

Meta said the developers effectively breached their agreements, though jurisdiction isn't clear as the complaint indicates that the companies are organized under the laws of three different regions (Hong Kong, Beijing and Taiwan). In any case, Cathcart gave some advice that applies universally to any app: "If you see friends or family using a different form of WhatsApp please encourage them to only use WhatsApp from a trusted app store or our official website directly at http://WhatsApp.com/dl."

With a solid blend of power and portability Apple's 2021 iPad Mini tablet is a popular choice — but it's not exactly an impulse buy at $500. If you've been eyeing one, the 64GB model is now on sale at Amazon for $400 (20 percent off) in three colors, matching the lowest price we've seen. 

With its fresh and modern design, solid performance and improved cameras, the iPad mini 2021 earned a solid 89 Engadget review score. It has similar specs to the iPhone 13, with the same speedy A15 Bionic chip that delivers a big jump in performance over the fifth-gen model. It comes with a larger 8.3-inch display with higher 2,266 x 1,488 resolution than the previous models, and eliminates the physical home button, moving the Touch ID sensor to the power button. The volume buttons, meanwhile, are at the top to make room for Apple Pencil 2 that can be attached to the side magnetically.

Other features include USB-C charging and upgraded cameras with support from Apple's Center Stage feature, keeping you in the center of the frame during video calls. The main downsides are the lack of a headphone jack, limited 64GB of storage on the base model and fairly high price compared to tablets with comparable specs. Amazon has certainly taken the edge off the price, but it's best to act soon before the deal ends.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

The days of Spot being leveraged as a weapons platform and training alongside special forces operators are already coming to an end; Atlas as a back-flipping soldier of fortune will never come to pass. Their maker, Boston Dynamics, along with five other industry leaders announced on Thursday that they will not pursue, or allow, the weaponization of their robots, according to a non-binding, open letter they all signed.

Agility Robotics, ANYbotics, Clearpath Robotics, Open Robotics and Unitree Robotics all joined Boston Dynamics in the agreement. "We believe that adding weapons to robots that are remotely or autonomously operated, widely available to the public, and capable of navigating to previously inaccessible locations where people live and work, raises new risks of harm and serious ethical issues," the group wrote. "Weaponized applications of these newly-capable robots will also harm public trust in the technology in ways that damage the tremendous benefits they will bring to society." 

The group cites "the increasing public concern in recent months caused by a small number of people who have visibly publicized their makeshift efforts to weaponize commercially available robots," such as the armed Spot from Ghost Robotics, or the Dallas PD's use of an EOD bomb disposal robot as an IED as to why they felt the need to take this stand. 

To that end, the industry group pledges to "not weaponize our advanced-mobility general-purpose robots or the software we develop that enables advanced robotics and we will not support others to do so." Nor will they allow their customers to subsequently weaponize any platforms they were sold, when possible. That's a big caveat given the long and storied history of such weapons as the Toyota Technical, former Hilux pickups converted into DIY war machines that have been a mainstay in asymmetric conflicts since the '80s.    

"We also pledge to explore the development of technological features that could mitigate or reduce these risks," the group continued, but "to be clear, we are not taking issue with existing technologies that nations and their government agencies use to defend themselves and uphold their laws." They also call on policymakers as well as the rest of the robotics development community to take up similar pledges. 

There weren't a lot of surprises in store at today's Google event in Brooklyn — after all, the company started teasing its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, the Pixel Watch and the Pixel Tablet months ago. Regardless, we now have all the details on Google's latest hardware, all of which you can pre-order now in advance of the October 14th launch date (with the exception of the Pixel Tablet, which Google still says will launch sometime in 2023). In the meantime, here's what you need to know about these new phones and watch.

The Pixel 7

Google

Just like last year's Pixel 6, the Pixel 7 is priced at $599, making it a phone that should give you a great bang for your buck. The display is just a tiny bit smaller than last year's model, at 6.3 inches, but it has the same 1,080 x 2,400 resolution. Also like last year, there are two camera modules on the back: a 50-megapixel standard camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide option. The front-facing camera got a nice upgrade, though — it's a 12-megapixel shooter with bigger pixels and a wider field of view than last year's model. It can also be used to unlock your phone, but there's still an under-display fingerprint sensor if you prefer.

As expected, the new Tensor G2 chip is on board here, enabling a handful of notable features as well as improving overall performance. For example, the Pixel 7 has a new feature called Photo Unblur, which uses the chip's AI smarts to do exactly what it says — make your blurry photos more legible. You can even do this to older photos in your Google Photos library, so you can touch up old memories that you might have shot on other phones or cameras. It also powers the Super Res Zoom features so you can shoot 2x photos that come in at a full 12.5-megapixel resolution, a trick that Google's had around for a while now. But as usual, the results will probably be better this year than before.

From a design perspective, the Pixel 7 largely keeps the look from last year's model, with the prominent camera bar on the back. It comes in three colors (snow, obsidian and lemongrass) and the aluminum body is made from 100 percent recycled material.

The Pixel 7 Pro

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Of the two new phones, the Pixel 7 Pro is probably the more exciting thanks to its three-lens camera system on the back. Both the 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and the 48-megapixel telephoto camera have been upgraded; the telephoto camera has the same Quad Bayer PD technology as the main 50-megapixel sensor. What this means is that, combined with the aforementioned Tensor G2 chip, the Pixel 7 Pro's Super Res Zoom capabilities should be significantly improved. 

The camera itself has a 5x optical zoom compared to the main camera, and the high resolution sensors mean you can pull a 10x zoom picture here at 12.5-megapixels. Overall, Google says you can zoom in as far as 30x if you want — we'll have to review this phone before we can say how good these shots look in reality, but it'll be fun to see just how well this camera can perform in the wild. The ultrawide camera also has a new macro photography mode, thanks to the wider field of view and autofocus feature.

Video shooting has also been upgraded, as all the cameras on the Pixel 7 Pro (and the Pixel 7, for that matter) can shoot 4K video at 60 fps. There's also a new Cinematic Blur feature that automatically blurs the background in videos to make your subject pop more, not unlike what you can do with photos in portrait mode.

As for the rest of the hardware, the Pixel 7 Pro sports the same 6.7-inch screen as the Pixel 6 Pro. Like last year, it supports variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, compared to the 90Hz the Pixel 7 tops out at. Naturally, it also has the same Tensor G2 chip as the Pixel 7; the Pro does come with 12GB of RAM, compared to the 8GB in the standard model. It comes standard with 128GB of storage, but you can step up to 256GB or 512GB if you're going to shoot a ton of video or otherwise save a lot of content on it. 

At long last, the Pixel Watch

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The Pixel Watch has been rumored for years, and we finally know a lot more about it ahead of its launch next week. It comes in a single 41mm size case, but you can get it in three stainless steel finishes (silver, black and gold). As for other customization features, Google says it'll launch with 20 different bands and 19 different watch faces. It has a Gorilla Glass 5 crystal on top, a haptic crown and a second side button, the same essential controls you'll find on the Apple Watch.

Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of Fitbit integration here for activity and health tracking. Notably, the Pixel Watch continuously tracks your heart rate every single second, and it also has an ECG app and can track your sleep quality overnight. GPS means it can track activities like running without your phone, and Google says there are a total of 40 different exercise modes you can use to log different workouts.

Google says the Pixel Watch will last up to 24 hours with its always-on display, and it can be fast-charged to 50 percent in only 30 minutes. The basic model costs $349, while the LTE-capable Pixel Watch costs $50 more. While the Pixel Watch is naturally designed with Pixel phone users in mind, it'll work with any phone running Android 8.0 or higher. You'll also get six free months of Fitbit Premium and three months of YouTube Music Premium. 

A quick update on the Pixel Tablet

Google

After a very brief tease earlier this year at I/O, Google gave us a little more detail on the upcoming Pixel Tablet. Unlike the other devices announced, the Pixel Tablet won't arrive until sometime in 2023. Unsurprisingly, we know it'll use the Tensor G2 chip found in Google's latest smartphones, but we didn't get any other spec details. We did, however, learn a bit about it's design. Google’s vice president of product management Rose Yao told Engadget that the company developed a new “nano-ceramic coating” that she said is inspired by “the feel of porcelain" for the Pixel Tablet. She said it feels like the coating on a Le Creuset dutch oven, with tiny pieces of ceramic embedded in the tablet's recycled aluminum frame. Ultimately, this should make for a device that has a good grippy feel.

Another neat feature we saw for the first time is the Pixel Tablet's docking station, which essentially turns the device into a Nest Hub. This magnetic stand holds and charges the Pixel Tablet and also provides it with improved speakers for a better audio experience, whether that's listening to tunes or making video calls. Unsurprisingly, it also has a photo frame feature, again similar to the Nest Hub.

There's no word on release date or pricing yet, so we'll have to be patient; hopefully we'll hear more about the Pixel Tablet early in 2023. But, it wouldn't surprise me if we have to wait until May for the next I/O conference to get all the details on this device.

Google showcased the Pixel 7 lineup and Pixel Watch today, which of course meant it had updates on the Assistant front. For one thing, Google's Recorder app will be more helpful for those who use it to transcribe conversations between multiple people. Starting later this year, the app will automatically add speaker labels on Pixel 7. It will transcribe each person's words separately. 

Other AI-powered transcription services, such as Otter, generate labels for speakers too. It's not yet clear if the speaker labels will be available on Pixel 6 or earlier devices at a later date. In addition, Pixel 7 will be able to transcribe audio messages.

Meanwhile, Google announced some updates to At a Glance, an Assistant-powered feature that automatically surfaces helpful information. You may see weather alerts if rain or snow is likely to fall in the next hour. That could help you know when to look for cover or whether to grab an umbrella as you head out. Other At a Glance updates include notifications of package deliveries from your Nest doorbell, as well as travel information, such as the weather forecast for your destination, flight updates and which baggage claim carousel to go to.

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Follow all of the news from Google's Pixel 7 event right here!