Google Pixel 6 will have fast charging, but no charger

"Mini" revolution in sight on Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro: while fast charging has been enhanced, the in-pack charger will disappear

With Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Google is intent on again positioning its top smartphones at the top end of the market. It seemed obvious until a couple of years ago that none other than Google, one of the world's largest companies, could and should have top-of-the-line smartphones, but in 2020 for example, that was not the case.

Google's best smartphone presented last year, Pixel 5, is good in many ways, but it is not without a top-of-the-line chip: the Snapdragon 765G of the current Google phone allows you to easily perform many tasks and not to suffer on the performance side in several occasions, but it is a step below the best chips provided by the industry. For this year the plans are very different. Google, with the collaboration of Samsung, has decided to develop a chip in house, the Google Tensor, and place the Pixel 6 on top of the pyramid. To be a top of the range, however, it is not enough to have a powerful chip, it is necessary that the whole technical framework is up to the category, and from the Pixel 6 a lot is expected in every area.

On Pixel 6 fast charging (almost) twice as fast

One of the areas in which the predecessor has exposed the side of criticism is certainly that of charging: 18 watts maximum, unchanged power from the third generation Pixel. A limit for some, especially with a battery capacity certainly not exaggerated. According to the latest rumors, however, Google has taken note of the limit and will give answers with the new smartphones.

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in fact it seems that they will have fast charging at 33 watts. Someone will understandably frown: in 2021, 33 watts are undoubtedly few. Maybe not very few, but few. Yet you can look at the glass half full, because compared to the equipment of the previous year is still (almost) twice as much, and the modest charging power could be mitigated by the presence of a high capacity battery.

But no charger supplied

The positive news, that of the presence of a fast charging although not very fast, is balanced by the appendix to the indiscretion, let's call it so. According to the latest rumors, Google is going to remove the charger from the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. A warning was had with the recent presentation of Pixel 5a 5G: "it will be the last Pixel with the charger in the box", said Google, but many thought that at least for 2021 an exception would be made with the top of the range.

But the usual well-informed confirm: the charger will not be part of the equipment of Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The measure would fall in the vein inaugurated by Apple with the iPhone 12, probably the first smartphone to not have the charger in the box, "to reduce environmental impact," Apple said. Commendable at least the intention that has moved Apple and probably also moves Google (along with a good chunk of the competition), especially at a time when there is at least one smartphone in every home and consequently new chargers - in theory - we should not need.

Of course it gives and probably will always bother the idea of paying close to 1,000 euros for a smartphone and having to buy the charger separately.