The Pixel 7 even takes things a step further, learning a trick from the latest iPhone. The 50MP sensor the Google Pixel 6 and 7 share offers decent quality without losing much quality as long as you don't go too close and as long as it isn't too dark. The Pixel 6 can deliver, to an extent, as it manages to crop in at a decently high quality when you stick with about 2x zoom. The lens distortion creates a subtle but important difference. That's also the reason why moving closer with the camera doesn't always cut it, either. Google acknowledged on stage that 2x zoom on the Pixel 7 comes closest to our vision, which is why many customers opt for the cropped-in images at the expense of quality. This begins with portrait shots that create a more flattering image when you go for a 2x zoom on the Pixel 6, but that's also true for buildings, some landscapes, and smaller motives like my latest coffee. I don't know about you, but I want to get subjects closer to my camera in most circumstances rather than further away. My Pixel 6 could not have done this at this quality level, and neither will the Pixel 7 be able to. As much as I like my trusty Pixel 6 for its software and experience, I've increasingly started yearning for a telephoto camera (it doesn't even have to be periscope-I'm reasonable!). It opened a whole other world of mobile photography for me. I don't want to go in-depth about these devices in particular, but one thing I absolutely loved was the ability to zoom in using their telephoto and periscope zoom cameras. I had the chance to review some fine flagships over the past year, including the Honor Magic 4 Pro and the Vivo X80 Pro.

There is one thing I will never get an update for, though, neither on the Pixel 6 nor the Pixel 7: the camera hardware. I've experienced some software issues like auto-rotate refusing to work, but all of my woes have long been fixed with updates. Mobile connectivity has often been cited as a problem for the Pixel 6 series, but for me, in Germany, it's just fine.

It's been my companion on vacations, events, travels, and many more happy and also not-so-happy occasions in my life. I bought a Google Pixel 6 right after the launch event last year, and it has done me an incredible service over the past 12 months.

Zoom camera test