Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Google’s move from Qualcomm processors to its own Tensor chips in the Pixel series has been a contentious one. Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 series is a far stronger chip than its predecessors, but many users still bemoan the difference in performance compared to the latest Snapdragon. As we start to look ahead to next year, I, too, want to see an improvement made to the Pixel 11 and Tensor G6, but not the one most of you are thinking about.
What improvment do you want from Tensor G6? 62 votes Performance 29 % Efficiency 52 % Thermals 8 % AI 3 % Imaging 6 % Something else (comment) 2 %
It’s hard to love one of the Pixel’s best camera features
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Taking photos on a Pixel is still one of the best parts of enjoying the phone. While the gap is smaller than it was when the original Pixel was released, I feel that Google has the best camera experience of any phone, so long as you’re taking photos. Video capture is where it gets a little tough. My Pixel 10 Pro does take solid video, but it still pales in comparison to an iPhone 17 Pro. That changes, however, when you use Video Boost.
Video Boost, which debuted in 2023 with the Pixel 8 Pro, sends the video you capture with your phone to Google’s servers, where AI analyzes the file and improves exposure, reduces graininess and noise, stabilizes camera shake, and adjusts color, dynamic range, and more. The results vary based on the conditions you took the video in; something recorded in bright natural light will need less help than something taken in the dark, but the resulting video almost always looks better and can even rival what you’d get from an iPhone. That all sounds good, so why wouldn’t you use it?
It feels like Google doesn't want us to use Video Boost.
As I mentioned, Video Boost works by offloading the video to Google’s servers. If you’re on a cellular connection or slow Wi-Fi, that process takes time, and once the video has been uploaded, Google’s servers aren’t fast. Last week, I recorded a video of my cat with Video Boost switched on, and it took more than two hours before I got the notification to say it was ready. That wait is bad enough, but even worse, it feels like Google doesn’t want us to use Video Boost.
By default, Video Boost is turned off in the Pixel camera app. That’s not so bad, right? Surely it’s easy to turn on and forget about? Sadly, that’s not so. Turning Video Boost on is fairly simple. You open the camera, tap the settings button in the bottom left, and set Video Boost to on. The difficulty and annoyance come from the fact that it only stays on for that session in the camera app. Every time you close the camera app, the feature defaults to being switched off, unlike most other Pixel Camera settings that stick forever. So, the next time you want to record a video, you’ll need to remember to switch it on, and it isn’t possible to use Video Boost on something that’s already been recorded.
... continue reading