Curiously, the first Google Pixel isn’t a smartphone but an ultra-premium Chromebook. The tech giant introduced the now-legendary moniker by launching the Chromebook Pixel in 2013. Featuring a stunning all-metal design with a colorful light strip integrated into its lid, high-end hardware specs, and a hefty price, the Chromebook Pixel made its rivals within the same platform look cheaper and more generic.
In 2015, the tech giant then introduced the Pixel C Android tablet, which had a similar all-metal build as the Chromebook to go with a matching keyboard cover. At the time, the slate was the best with Android on board, besting its rivals in design, craftsmanship, and performance, like the Chromebook Pixel.
A year later, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones arrived with a sleek unibody design, top-shelf hardware, and performance to match. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL took things up a notch by introducing an official rating for water and dust resistance alongside a host of hardware and performance upgrades the following year.
The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL brought more welcome improvements in late 2018, while the budget-friendly Pixel 3a and 3a XL — the first to rock the “a” moniker hit the shelves in mid-2019. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL arrived at the end of 2019 with dual rear cameras and display panels with higher refresh rates than their predecessors.2021 was a pivotal year for the Google Pixel lineup.
Following the compact Pixel 5 with mid-range specs that arrived in 2020, Google gave its smartphone lineup a thorough design and hardware revamp with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in 2021. The phones introduced a distinctive design with a camera bar running across the back panel and proprietary Google chips, both of which became defining features of all Google Pixels that came after.
