What you need to know
- Google has reportedly placed its largest order yet for its latest flagship phones.
- The company is said to have requested more than 8 million Pixel 7 units from suppliers.
- Google is supposedly aiming to double its smartphone sales in 2023 compared with this year.
Last year's Google Pixel 6 series launch was marred by delays and stock shortages just weeks after its announcement, but the search giant may be working to avoid a repeat this year.
Citing sources familiar with the plan, Nikkei Asia reports that Google has placed a huge launch order for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The goal is to double its smartphone sales for 2023 compared with this year by requesting more than 8 million units of its Pixel 7 phones from suppliers.
The move suggests that the search giant is deeply invested in its latest answer to the best Android phones. But its lofty goals don't end with the high-end models: the report says Google also plans to request about 4 million units for a budget Pixel phone that will supposedly launch early next year. It is unclear which model is being referenced, but it's most likely the Pixel 7a. The Google Pixel 6a was unveiled last May, so it's safe to assume that its successor will debut around that window next year.
Google's latest Pixel phones take some design cues from the Pixel 6 series and make a few tweaks here and there. It features an upgraded Tensor chipset with enhanced machine learning capabilities for imaging. Other than that, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro feel like incremental upgrades over their predecessors, per our own Chris Wedel.
That said, the Nikkei report suggests that Google has very high hopes for the devices despite the economic slowdown. The large launch order means that the new phones will have a bigger inventory than last year's models, which had spotty availability.
If you want to be among the first to grab a unit, the Pixel 7 is available now for preorder. The standard model starts at $599, while the Pro variant retails for a starting price of $899.
With the Google Pixel 7, Google has finally delivered a premium product at a low price point, introducing refinements from last year's model in the form of the Tensor G2 chipset and smarter functions.
The Pixel 7 Pro is built on the same platform as the Pixel 7, but it has a larger 6.7-inch screen with a faster 120Hz refresh rate and a higher resolution panel. You also get a 5x optical zoom zoom lens on the back and a larger 5000mAh battery that should easily last a day.
