Google has announced the upcoming Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro with new custom silicon. What we previously called "Whitechapel" is now called "Tensor," so named because it shares DNA with the Tensor hardware in Google's data centers.

This new chip will enhance the Pixel 6's AI and machine learning (ML) and could be a game changer against the iPhone 13 and its rumored A15 Bionic chip. Google has already done amazing things with AI and computational photography, but this is a much bigger and bolder step forward that leaves Qualcomm's chip in the dust.

But of course, we should take a step back and temper our excitement. We don't know how this chip will perform, and we shouldn't expect it to surpass what Qualcomm and Apple currently have. But Google is hoping that Tensor will push the Pixel 6 into true premium flagship territory.

Tensor is not just an off-the-shelf chip with a co-processor for AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning); Tensor has been designed from the ground up for these applications and will deliver the most powerful AI/ML experience ever on a phone. Tensor applies to basically everything you do on a Pixel, from taking pictures to shooting video to translating/transcribing from different languages.

We've talked before about Google going its own way from Qualcomm, but now that we know more about Tensor, we have an even better idea of what the Pixel 6 could look like. Here's what we know and what it means for Google's next phone.

Tensor is the Tensor hardware in Google's data center. This is the mobile version of its ML hardware, which the company claims will unleash the true potential of AI/ML on cell phones. This SoC focuses on AI/ML potential rather than raw performance.

The core of the chip is the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), which handles all AI/ML tasks. This frees up CPU resources for other tasks, potentially leading to better performance and battery life. unlike Apple's Neural Engine in the A-series processors, the TPU is the core of the Tensor pipeline, so virtually all processes will go through the TPU.

Tensor is the result of Google realizing that it cannot put more hardware and power into an off-the-shelf chip like the latest Snapdragon. They had to build things from scratch for the ultimate goal of providing the best AI/ML experience for users, and Tensor is also fully customized to run Google's computational photo model.

Tensor could have huge uses for the Pixel 6; if Google is right about TPU, the possibilities are endless. Of course, the main focus is on computational photography, which is now expanding into videography. What we will see is everything the Pixel has done well so far, and getting better.

Google has said that with Tensor, it can create the Pixels it has always envisioned, smartphones that truly push the boundaries of what is possible. As the end of Moore's Law approached, progress was to be made beyond the number of cores and processor speeds. Indeed, what Google is trying to do with Tensor has the potential to significantly change the paradigm we have long accepted.

While Qualcomm has been blowing the lid off AI in its Snapdragon chips, it is Apple that has really taken it to the next level. in a world where Tensor is just an announcement, Apple holds the ML crown in cell phones. the A-series chips have the potential to do much more than just image recognition, natural language processing, and video analytics. The A series chips excel at AI tasks on the device, such as image recognition, natural language processing, and video analytics. In fact, some of the upcoming iOS 15 features, such as Live Text and Visual Lookup, rely on Apple's silicon for much of the work. This will result in a relatively seamless and smooth end result, without the need for an Internet connection.

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It remains to be seen how Tensor will compete with the AI/ML strengths of the A Series. At the same time, it could revolutionize AI/ML applications on smartphones. For example, Tensor could help capture a sunset with the right exposure using computational videography, or take a perfectly blur-free photo of a moving child. Cell phones, while incredibly powerful machines, still have their limitations, and focusing solely on raw power yields less.

But what else is there. Another notable improvement would be improvements to the Google Assistant to make the virtual assistant feel more natural and to make the process on the device seem smarter. Google is also talking about live simultaneous transcription and translation, which could make interpreting foreign languages easier. This could be very beneficial if one is traveling abroad and does not know (at all) the local language.

Even things we take for granted, such as speech synthesis, could benefit greatly from Tensor: Now Playing, Live Caption, Night Sight, etc., all things Pixels can do today, will likely be made even better or faster with Tensor. Of course, we'll have to wait until we get the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro later this year, but it will be fun to put the new phones through their paces. Also, as we've already talked about several times, Tensor could also support the Pixel 6 longer than any other Android phone.

Tensor will be coming to the Pixel 6 later this fall, and we couldn't be more excited. Now that Google is starting to get serious about smartphone design, Tensor will help them compete with the iPhone 13.

While we don't expect Tensor to dethrone Cupertino's upcoming A15 Bionic chip, we do expect the Pixel 6 to give the iPhone 13 a run for its money in AI/ML applications. Google finally seems to be trying to fight fire with fire, making the Pixel 6 more than just an Android phone, with the potential to be a game changer in the battle against the iPhone 13.

Google has paved the way for true computational photography, and other smartphone makers have successfully caught up with or even surpassed the Pixel line. But now Google is trying to get back in the ring to take it up a notch, especially with regard to video; the Pixel has never been the best phone for video recording, but the Pixel 6 may finally change that.

Seeing what Tensor looks like should prove to be one of the most exciting developments in technology this year. And Apple will finally have a reason to look over its shoulder.