The Google Pixel 6 is about to launch, and a new report suggests that Google is quite excited about the prospect of its upcoming phone But will phone buyers share that excitement?

The information that Google is optimistic about the Pixel 6 was reported by Nikkei Asia, which claims that Google has asked its suppliers to increase the production capacity of the new phone by 50% over the number of Pixel units produced in 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 craze It claims that it has requested to raise the number

According to Nikkei Asia, Google sold 7 million Pixel units in 2019, a record high, which would be quite a boost for Google (It is unclear whether this 7 million units refers only to the flagship Pixels or to the A-series, which launched in 2019 and proved popular)

Of course, we won't be able to assess the prospects of the Pixel 6 until we get our hands on the phone, and according to the latest rumors about the Pixel 6's release, that doesn't seem to be until mid-October Nevertheless, there is reason to be excited about Google's new flagship phone - at least on paper

Here's why Google expects big sales for the Pixel 6 and why smartphone shoppers will want to try out the new phone

The most exciting feature surrounding the Pixel 6 is one that Google has already confirmed: the Pixel 6 will feature a Google-designed processor, rather than the Qualcomm chipset found in previous Pixels Dubbed Tensor Google's chip is one of the most anticipated features so far for Pixel phones and has the potential to make the Pixel 6 as competitive as the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S flagship

Since Tensor is a newcomer to the processor world, there will be questions about how its performance compares to the standards set by Qualcomm's 8 series chipsets and the pace-setting performance offered by Apple's A series chips We are particularly interested in how Tensor compares to the Snapdragon 888 that powered some of the best Android phones in 2021 and the A15 Bionic that will almost certainly debut in the iPhone 13 this month

The real story of Tensor, however, comes from its name, which it shares with hardware in Google's data centers This is because Tensor's real strength lies in the artificial intelligence and machine learning enhancements on the device, which will be included in the Pixel 6

We are eager to see what this supercharged AI means in everyday experiences It is clear that computational photography, already a Google strength, will be greatly enhanced by Tensor But on-the-fly translation and transcription, better video effects, and more appropriate app suggestions may also be enhanced the onus is on Google to explain the benefits that Tensor will bring to the Pixel 6, and whether it succeeds or not will determine how excited consumers should be about the move to this new processor It will be significant in determining how excited consumers should be about the move to this new processor

When it comes to photography, Google has never focused on camera hardware, preferring to let its AI-powered processing software do the heavy lifting, and both the Pixel flagship and lower-end models like the new Pixel 5a routinely ranked among the best phones with cameras on a daily basis

But Google's competitors continue to add lenses, and rumors of the Pixel 6 suggest that Google is finally ready to follow suit, at least with one of its next models: the Pixel 6 Pro (the larger of the next two models) will have a foldable, 4x optical zoom telephoto lens will be added This camera will be joined by an all-new main sensor that captures 150% more light and an ultra-wide angle shooter

However, the addition of a telephoto lens suggests that Google is serious about keeping up with other top camera phones, especially the Galaxy S21 Ultra and its powerful zoom feature

It's been a while since one of Google's smartphones ranked in our best smartphone battery life list, after the Pixel 5 put up below-average numbers in battery tests, and the Pixel 5a has the largest battery of any of the company's phones, Improving battery life is clearly on Google's mind

Rumors suggest that the standard Pixel 6 will have a 4,614 mAh battery This is not as large as the Pixel 5a's 4,680 mAh power pack, but close enough given that both models will likely have similarly sized screens The Pixel 6 Pro, which is expected to feature a larger 671-inch display, should have a 5,000 mAh battery, according to rumors

These larger battery sizes may not translate into extended battery life for the new Pixel models However, it is possible that the Pixel 6 will last longer than Google's current flagship models

Here's the wild card for the Pixel 6 Google has always tried to price its flagship models slightly lower than what Apple and Samsung charge for them; in the case of the Pixel 5, Google actually scaled back some specs and kept the starting price at $699

It is unclear how much Google intends to price the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, and we won't know before then, as both models will likely launch in October But if Google can keep the price of the standard model in the neighborhood of the Pixel 5's, it will likely fuel smartphone buyers' excitement as much as the Tensor chipset that is currently on the tongue