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Google Pixel 7 vs older Google phones: Should you upgrade? – Android Authority

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Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

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Google returned to proper flagship territory last year with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro and continues the trend with the Pixel 7 series. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are iterative updates, but that’s not necessarily bad for a company whose biggest problem is consistency. Of course, you get the expected upgrades with faster processors, a more refined design, and the latest software package.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro aren’t massive overhauls and don’t stray from the formula Google established last year. This brings up the interesting question, is the Pixel 7 series worth the upgrade if you have an older Google phone? We pit Google’s latest against everything that’s come before to find out.

Read more: Everything you need to know about the Pixel 7 series


Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 6a

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

The Pixel 6a is Google’s latest addition to its popular “a” series. Like the other devices in the line, the Pixel 6a borrows the best elements of its flagship namesake, including the new design language and the Tensor processor, while cutting costs everywhere else to make it one of the most affordable Pixels you can get your hands on. The Pixel 6a and the Pixel 7 series are in two completely different smartphone categories, so it’s no surprise that the latest flagships are objectively better phones.

The Pixel 7 series gives you better build quality, a faster processor, more RAM, higher storage options, and wireless charging. And the smaller phone’s dual camera setup with its 50MP primary camera is better than the 12MP cameras you get with the 6a. You can also make the jump to a three-camera system with the 7 Pro. The 7 and 7 Pro also have larger displays with higher refresh rates. The only thing common between the three phones is the software, with all of them eligible for the latest versions of Android for the next three years, along with security updates for the next five.

See also: The best affordable Android phones you can get

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are definitely better compared to the Pixel 6a. But if you’ve already bought the latter this year, you’re probably not looking to upgrade. Yes, the Pixel 6a isn’t as good, but it’s got good cameras, solid performance, an excellent software experience, and even extras like water resistance. More importantly, it’s half the price of the standard Pixel 7. The Pixel 6a is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly phone. But if you want the latest and greatest, the Pixel 7 series is the way to go.

Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 6 series

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The Pixel 6 series and the 6 Pro, in particular, was Google’s return to the flagship space after its mid-range predecessor. The series brought a much-needed upgrade to the Pixel line, with the 6 series featuring an all-new design, a homebrewed processing package, more RAM and storage than previous devices, and a superior camera system, especially with the Pro.

For seemingly the first time, Google decided to stick with the tried and tested formula with its latest Pixels. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro carry a lot of the design language and hardware from their predecessors, so it’s not the overhaul that some hope for year after year. While the spec sheets might look the same, key upgrades across the board exist.

Read more: Pixel 7 vs Pixel 6 | Pixel 7 Pro vs Pixel 6 Pro

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro come with displays that are 25% brighter, making the vivid colors pop even more. The new and faster Tensor G2 powers the two phones, and the more refined design with a metallic bar and single-tone colorways make for a less flashy but still premium look. And even though the camera hardware is similar, you get plenty of new and exciting camera features with the latest Pixels.

The Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have a lot going for them, but if you already have their predecessors, there’s no reason to upgrade. In fact, we include the 6 and 6 Pro as viable alternatives to get instead of the latest Pixels if you want to jump into the Pixel world while saving some money. Newer is better in this case, though. It also helps that the new Pixels are available in many more countries this time. So while you don’t need to upgrade, if you were waiting to buy a new phone, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are the way to go.


Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5a

Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority

The Pixel 5a was an exciting addition to the “a” line. Instead of being a cheaper alternative to its flagship counterpart, like other phones in the series, it replaced the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a 5G. Despite being released last year, the 5a has the same processing package as Google’s 2020 releases, looks the same, has similar hardware, and offers an identical software experience.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are, unsurprisingly, solid upgrades over the Pixel 5a. The new design stands out, the Tensor G2 chip offers better performance, and you get a superior camera package. Of course, there are also flagship extras like more RAM, storage, wireless charging, and a better IP68 rating for dust and water resistance (compared to IP67 for the Pixel 5a).

Even then, it’s probably too soon to upgrade from the Pixel 5a unless you can get a good deal on a trade-in. The Pixel 5a will get a couple more Android software upgrades and four more years of security updates, so it won’t be left behind. It’s not the most powerful and will start to show its age sooner than a flagship. But until it does, you can safely hold on to it.


Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 5

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

The Pixel 5 was Google’s attempt at doing something different during a time when true flagships were only getting more expensive. It was a mid-range device through and through, but Google’s AI smarts for the camera and the software experience made for a far better phone than the specs or its price point would suggest. It’s no surprise that despite falling well behind the competition on the specs sheet, the Pixel 5 was still an incredibly popular device in 2020.

Because of its mid-range nature, it’s no surprise that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are better than the Pixel 5. The vanilla Pixel 7 is a closer comparison, with similar features like a 90Hz display, dust and water resistance, and wireless charging. The Pixel 7 brings more power to the table, has a more modern design, and has a much better camera package. It’ll also get more software upgrades, which is to be expected with a newer phone.

The Pixel 5 holds up quite well a couple of years later and will get another major software upgrade and a few more years of security updates. You don’t need to upgrade from the Pixel 5 unless you want to.


Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 4 series

David Imel / Android Authority

Google made a lot of interesting but ultimately divisive choices with the Pixel 4 series. The unsightly notch from its predecessor was gone, but the forehead returned, this time with a lot of tech in tow. The Motion Sense and Soli radar system helped with Face Unlock. But that led to Google completely removing the fingerprint scanner from these phones. Seeing how every future Pixel brought back the fingerprint sensor, it was obviously not a great decision at the time.

The Pixel 4 and 4 XL were the first in the series to come with a dual-camera system and 90Hz display refresh rates. The camera proved to be the only saving grace for otherwise poor devices. They were costly, had plenty of software bugs and glitches, and to say that the battery life was disappointing is putting it kindly.

The Pixel 4 series hasn’t aged well, so it’s probably time for an upgrade.

The Pixel 4 series is three years old, and flagships usually last longer. Unfortunately, these phones haven’t aged particularly well, with people still complaining about battery-related problems and software issues. It’ll get Android 13, but that’s also the end of the road as far as major upgrades go.

So if you’re looking for an upgrade, now is a great time. The Pixel 7 series is better in every way, and while it likely won’t be a stranger to its share of bugs, Google has done a much better job of refining and improving the overall experience.


Google Pixel 7 vs Pixel 3 series and older

The high price points of the Pixel 3 series were a huge point of contention when the phones were released in 2018 and led, in part, to the introduction of the “a” series. Of course, other phones were priced similarly, but most offered a lot more to justify their thousand-dollar price points. That’s not to say that Google didn’t try, though.

The Pixel 3 wasn’t a vast improvement, but the Pixel 3 XL introduced a handful of new features, even if not all of them were greeted kindly. The colossal notch looked out of place even on a 2018 phone. But it did house a dual-camera setup to cover all your selfie needs. You also have the premium build quality, dust and water resistance, and wireless charging. The phones weren’t bad, but just far too expensive.

See more: How Google’s Pixel pricing has changed over the years

Now is the perfect time to upgrade if you’ve held onto your Pixel 3 or 3 XL. The older Pixels will no longer receive major Android upgrades (the last was Android 12) and will reach the end of the security update cycle next year. The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro bring a lot of what might have enticed you to the Pixel 3 XL a few years ago. You’ll get a new design, fantastic cameras, beautiful displays, and a smooth software experience. They are also cheaper than the Pixel 3 series was at launch if that makes your decision easier.


Should you upgrade to the Google Pixel 7 series?

Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Whether you should upgrade has always been easy to answer for the Pixel line because every phone is different and new. The Pixel 7 series is the first that is an iterative update, similar to what we’ve seen from Samsung and Apple over the years. That’s definitely not a bad thing. But it also means you don’t have to upgrade to the latest Pixels if you have the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro. Yes, you’ll get a better camera experience and a faster processor. Everything else is mostly the same, though. So unless there’s a great trade-in deal on offer, you don’t need to make the jump yet.

You can also safely hold on to the Pixel 6a, Pixel 5a, and Pixel 5 for at least a year or two. The Pixel 7 series is better than these phones in every way. But most of these would be recent purchases. Even if they are mid-rangers, you don’t need to upgrade your phone every year or two. But if you are still rocking a Pixel 4 or Pixel 3 series phone, now is the time to jump to the latest that Google offers.

Google Pixel 7

Tensor G2 processor
Upgraded camera
Low price

Google Pixel 7 Pro

Best Google camera
High-quality display
Big battery


Will you be upgrading from an older Google smartphone to a Pixel 7? Let us know in the comments!

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

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Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

  • You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
  • This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
  • In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

 

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Tight deadlines on software projects can put safety at risk: survey

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TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.

Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.

The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.

The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.

The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.

Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.

“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.

The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.

“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”

The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.

However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.

That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.

“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.

“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”

The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.

About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.

“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.

Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BB)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Beware of scams during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event: cybersecurity firm

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As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.

In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.

The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”

“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.

“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”

Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.

Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.

In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.

The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.

Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.

“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.

“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.

Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.

Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.

“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.

“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”

Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.

As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.

But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.

Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.

The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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