Google Pixel 6 adds a fingerprint reader beneath the display, but drops the earpiece speaker under the display.

Google Pixel 6 adds a fingerprint reader beneath the display, but drops the earpiece speaker under the display.

Google offered us an early peek at the upcoming Pixel 6 line up that will debut later this autumn in an unexpected reveal yesterday. The new series is now ready to express its mid-range personality with in-house tensor soC, competent cameras, industrial design and several AI gimmicks.

The Pixel 6 is a significant improvement across its predecessor. It also removes the back mounted fingerprint scanner and opts for a fingerprint scanner beneath the display – exactly as a flagship is expected. Google has verified to The Verge that fingerprint scanners are available with Pixel 6 and Pixel 6.

In the second Developer Preview of Android 12 back in March, we first found proof of this, which included numerous suggestions that a future pixel phone will have a display scanner. This was also confirmed by leakage returns showing the absence of a hardware fingerprint scanner on the rear.

Google would not clarify whether the fingerprint sensor under-display is optical or ultrasonic. However, it is quite probable that the Android 12 code specifies support for "HBM" or high-brightness mode, which helps enhance the visual identification of fingerprints by raising the luminosity of the display near the scanner.

In addition, the under-display earpiece on pixel 5 seems to be dropped and replaced with a conventional earphone speaker (via 9to5Google). Again, we knew this from the leaked returns. This is certainly a nice improvement as many owners in Pixel 5 complained that the speaker was excessively loud and leaky all over the place.

The pixels 6 and 6 Pro are scheduled to be launched this autumn in at least eight nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and France. Both phones will carry screens of high refresh rate, enhanced cameras and provide numerous AI capabilities, like auto-sections on the device.