Google Pixel and Pixel XL available in Australia

The launch date for the Google Pixel and Pixel XL recently arrived and now Google’s first “Made by Google” branded smartphones are ready for the general public.

As noted previously, the Pixel phones will be available in Australia through the local Google Store online, with JB Hi-Fi to be the exclusive retailer and Telstra, an exclusive telco through which the handsets will be offered on postpaid plans.

This year is an entirely new play for the search giant, with Google Australia’s YouTube channelreleasing a couple of adverts for the handsets screening on Australian TV at some point, both advertising their place on the nation’s largest telco.

Highlights of the Pixel include unlimited Google Photos backup at original quality, including 4K video for the life of photos and videos captured on the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. There’s Google Assistant, Google’s AI designed to be more conversational and context aware than its competitors, as well as the ability to download and install software updates in the background, much like Chromebooks — requiring only a restart for changes to take effect. Its cameras have also been vastly improved — at least according to early reviews by independent benchmarks from the likes of DxOMark — and it’s all offered in two sizes, with very minimal differences between, resulting in two smartphone which compliment one another, something which doesn’t often end up being the case these days.