Google Announces the First Pixel Phones

Google introduced the first Pixel and Pixel XL phones in October 2016, replacing the Nexus line as its flagship Android hardware. HTC manufactured the devices, but Google controlled the branding, software experience, and much more of the product design.

The Pixel shipped with Google Assistant deeply integrated into Android and placed unusual emphasis on computational photography. Google’s HDR+ system combined multiple underexposed frames to improve dynamic range and reduce noise rather than relying only on a larger camera sensor.

Pixel established a different relationship between Google and Android hardware. Nexus had mainly been a reference platform for developers; Pixel was a consumer product through which Google could coordinate software updates, cameras, machine learning, and eventually custom Tensor processors.