Google could introduce face unlock feature with upcoming Pixel 7: Report

While the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro were the first flagship smartphones from Google, they lacked the Face Unlock feature. In a report, 9to5Google compiled all the information available about Face Unlock on Google Pixel smartphones. Back in 2019, Google launched the Pixel 4 with dedicated hardware to enable the Face Unlock feature, called Soli radar, pretty much like the Face ID setup on an iPhone.

However, Google removed the entire setup from Pixel 5 which was launched in 2020. However, with the Pixel 6 Pro, Google had plans to introduce a face unlock feature. 

Last year, just before the Pixel 6 Pro came out, a leaked marketing copy and Play Store listing suggested that the smartphone will come with a face unlock feature, but that did not happen either. This year in April, the publication reported that Pixel 6 Pro was supposed to come with Face Unlock, but Google pulled the plug on the feature at the last moment due to some accuracy and battery-related concerns. However, Google might launch the feature with Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

Google Pixel 7 Pro may have a brighter display

Google Pixel 7 Pro will reportedly feature a new Samsung S6E3HC4 panel. Although the panel has the same resolution as the one used on the Pixel 6 Pro, Android 13 beta's source code suggests that the display on the Pixel 7 Pro will be slightly brighter than that on the Pixel 6 Pro. Tipster Mishaal Rahman noticed the new piece of code, which suggests that Pixel 7 Pro might achieve up to 600 nits of brightness in the manual mode, which is about 20% higher than what users could set on Pixel 6 Pro.

Further, the tipster also suggests that the Pixel 7 Pro's auto mode could take the maximum brightness up to 1200 nits, which is almost 50% higher than the Pixel 6 Pro. In addition, the new S6E3HC4 panel could support advanced features like HLG imagery and HDR10. The refresh rate on Pixel 7 Pro could vary from 10Hz to 120Hz and the display might also support a native FHD resolution mode for increasing the effective battery life.