Yuen Kuan Moon, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Singapore, Singtel, said, “We’re excited to bring the Pixel 2 XL to Singapore. It is a device that many Android fans here have been eagerly waiting for, and we are sure they will be amazed by its innovative features. With our extensive 4G network speeds and new Combo plans, coupled with our unlimited data options, customers will enjoy the optimal Google Pixel 2 XL experience – they can take and upload as many selfies as they want and ask Google Assistant endless questions!”
On the fastest mobile network in Singapore, the Pixel 2 XL, a Cat 11 4G LTE device, allows customers to experience data speeds of up to 500Mbps islandwide.
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| Source: Google blog post. The Google Pixel 2 in Just Black. |
A Google blog post has shared that high-quality portrait shots with background blurs (bokeh) can be taken from both the front and back cameras, and new motion photos will capture a few seconds of video around the shot to enrich the moment around the picture. Video is also smoother through combining both optical and electronic video stabilisation.
"The Pixel 2 camera is powered by our computational photography and machine learning (ML) capabilities which make all these great features easy, fun and fast for you to use," said Mario Queiroz, VP and GM for Phones, Google, in the blog post.
The company is also committed to enhancing camera features. One example "coming soon and exclusive to Pixel" will be augmented reality (AR) stickers, basically graphics that can be superimposed onto real life surroundings for photos and videos.
Pixel 2 owners will get an exclusive preview of Google Lens that builds on Google’s advancements in computer vision and ML, combined with the Knowledge Graph which underpins Google Search.
"From day one, on your Pixel 2, you’ll be able to look up landmarks, books, music albums, movies, and artwork, by clicking on the Lens icon in Google Photos. You can also use Google Lens to copy URLs and contact info from a picture of a poster or business card. We’ll add capabilities on an on-going basis, including to use of Lens in the Google Assistant," Queiroz explained.
The integrated Google Assistant will makes tasks—from sending a text or making a call, to finding an answer—faster, easier and hands-free, Google said. "You won’t need to edit the text messages you dictate as often as you do with other assistants. With Pixel 2, you can access your Google Assistant with a new feature called Active Edge. Just give the phone a quick squeeze—even when it’s in a case—and ask the Assistant for what you need," Queiroz said.
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| Source: Google blog post. The Google Pixel 2 in Kinda Blue. |
The Pixel 2 is water- and dust- resistant to the IP67 standard and there will be monthly security updates from Google. It comes in two sizes: the 5" version has a cinematic OLED display, and comes in Just Black, Clearly White and Kinda Blue. The 6" Pixel 2 XL has a pOLED 18:9 display comes in Just Black and Black & White. Both phones are powered by Android 8.0 Oreo and come with an always-on display to show notifications without having to touch the power button.
Alongside Pixel there are new cases and accessories, such as customisable Google Live Cases, and a range of other cases, cables, headphones and more from over 25 partners in the “made for Google” programme. "The 'made for' products will feature a badge on the packaging so you know they've been certified to meet Google's compatibility standards," said Queiroz.
Interested?
Customers can register their interest in Singapore with Singtel for Google Pixel 2 XL from 9am today. Google says most people will be able to copy their contacts, apps, messages, photos, and even their iMessages from their old phones to Pixel in 10 minutes or less.
In India, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will be available online exclusively on Flipkart and in retail stores, with Pixel 2 being available for sale starting 1 November 2017, and Pixel 2 XL available starting 15 November 2017. Both will be available in 1,000+ stores across the country. The Pixel 2 64GB will cost Rs61,000, Pixel 2 128GB is set at Rs70,000, Pixel 2 XL 64GB at Rs 73,000, and the Pixel 2 XL 128GB at Rs 82,000. Preorders start on 26 October 2017.
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will also be available in Australia.
*Free, unlimited original-quality storage for photos and videos taken with Pixel through the end of 2020, and free, unlimited high-quality storage for photos taken on Pixel afterwards.
**Approximate battery life based on use of the included charger and a mix of talk, data, and standby use with the ‘always on’ display feature turned off. Actual results may vary - see website for details.
