Google Pixel phones have not always been around. It all started with the Nexus series of phones for Google way back in 2010, but after years of making merely good phones that were sold in very limited quantities, Google decided to build a truly great, premium phone that would bring a no-compromise camera and the clean Android experience that many were dreaming of.

This is the history of the evolution of the Google Pixel series of phones, starting with the very first Pixel launched in October of 2016 that surprised us with its amazing camera system and going to the latest models.

We describe concisely the most important moment in the history of the Pixel, the landmark moments such as the arrival of the Night Sight mode that changed the way we capture images at night. So let's waste no time and get started with...

Google Pixel phones history:

  • Google Pixel and Pixel XL (2016)
  • Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL (2017)
  • Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL (2018)
  • Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (2019)
  • Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (2019)

Google Pixel and Pixel XL

October 2016

Codenames: Sailfish and Marlin

Screenshot 2020-02-15 19.42.17.jpg

Screenshot 2020-02-15 19.42.55.jpg

Google killed the Nexus program in 2016 and replaced it with a brand new type of Google phones: the Pixel.

The Pixel is a more ambitious project than the Nexus: Google claims it wants to sell the phones to the masses and not just to limited amounts of developers and enthusiasts, and Pixel phones are now premium products with a premium, flagship price.

While the Pixel retains the clean Android interface with the promise for quick updates just like the Nexus did (a rarity in the Android ecosystem), its killer feature is an amazing camera that is among the best of any smartphone. Google came out of nowhere with a camera that relies heavily on software to come up with photos with an incredible dynamic range and great ability to capture images in nearly complete darkness.

The Pixel was also the first phone to come with the powerful Google Assistant. Not only this, Google has carefully optimized Android on the Pixel and it runs smoother than on any other device that we have tested as well. All of these features combined, make the Pixel something special and long-lasting.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2

October 2017

Codenames: Walleye and Muskie

Screenshot 2020-02-15 20.03.17.jpg

Screenshot 2020-02-15 20.03.44.jpg

The second-generation Pixel phones bring a couple of important changes: a brighter screen (this fixes the biggest issue the original Pixel had), a better camera and dual front speakers for more immersive sound experience.

Strangely, however,, just a year after the original Pixel which Google proudly advertized to be versatile with support for the headphone jack, it has removed the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Pixel 2 series.

Apart from that, the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL continued the legacy of clean software coupled with the most powerful chip on the market, the Snapdragon 835 at the time. They also came with the offer for free full-size image backups to Google Photos for 2 years.