With the arrival of new hardware, smartphone makers tend to bring exclusive features. Some of the companies keep these aforementioned features exclusive to highlight the newer devices as the best option for those who want modern features or technologies. Google could easily use this with its Pixel 6 smartphones and the features that arrived with them. The fact is that both handsets use a new exclusive Tensor chipset. This is way different from the Snapdragon chips found on older Pixel smartphones. Despite this, the company seems to be evaluating bringing Pixel 6 features to older Pixel devices.
According to a fresh report by Android Authority, Google wants to bring many of the Pixel 6 features to older Pixel smartphones. However, this will be evaluated and will only happen where technically possible. This may take a little time to happen as the development will need to adapt these features. It’s better late than never, anyway. It’s certainly amazing to see this, as Google is the only company that is capable of offering the same level of support with Android that iPhone users get with iOS. Just like Apple, the company is now behind the hardware and software used in the Pixel lineup.
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Pixel 6 series Tensor chip is the big challenge in bringing AI features to older Pixel smartphones
In previous iterations, Google has brought Astrophotography, Cinematic Pan, and Call screening to older Pixel smartphones after launching them on newer ones. This may be more difficult with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro as these devices have a different architecture. However, the company will work on that.
Despite the different segments, we can cite Apple’s example with its recent macOS releases. The company changed the architecture of its chipsets and added support for iOS apps with macOS Big Sur. As this feature is technically impossible on Intel-based Macs, there are still a lot of features that are available between the two architectures. The latest macOS Monterey also brings improvements and features for both architectures. Google may trail a similar path with its Pixel 6 smartphones and older Pixels that are still under the supported channel. Of course, once these devices lose their support, we’ll start to see the company focusing on features that are “Tensor-ready”.
The big deal with the Tensor chip is that it has been built with special AI capabilities. “Some technologies will require additional technology investments. That includes Live Translate, as our on-device language models are engineered to run on Pixel 6’s proprietary Tensor chip on TPU”. This is something that the older Pixel phones don’t have.
Time will tell if the company will be capable of making these features available on older Pixel smartphones. We still think that not everything will reach them. After all, having all the special AI features available on older Pixels smartphones would make the whole Tensor change pointless. For now, we need to wait and see what the future has in tow for Pixel owners.
