Google packed plenty into its new Pixel 10 lineup: a foldable with full IP68 water resistance, magnetic wireless charging, and more AI flourishes than you can shake a stick at. But one feature slipped in with little fanfare: the Pixel 10 lineup is the first is the first to ship in the US with Bluetooth 6.
Connectivity standards march on
This one could turn out especially meaningful
The Pixel Watch 3 debuted Channel Sounding well before Bluetooth 6 was in the cards.
Bluetooth 6 introduces something called Channel Sounding. Put simply, it makes Bluetooth location tracking actually useful. Current Bluetooth location relies on signal strength, which is notoriously imprecise. Channel Sounding instead measures how long a signal takes to bounce between devices, enabling location data that’s accurate down to the centimeter.
In practice, that means the Pixel 10 (and Pixel Watch 3, thanks to an update) can pinpoint a lost device’s position with the same kind of accuracy Apple’s AirTags deliver via Ultra-wideband (UWB). Channel Sounding could eventually eliminate the need for dedicated trackers altogether, since any Bluetooth 6-enabled device, whether phone or accessory, could serve as a node in a tracking network.
The predictable catch is that both devices need Bluetooth 6 hardware for the feature to work, and adoption is going to be slow. Apple’s iPhone 17 and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 are rumored to support it, but that still leaves years before Bluetooth 6 is everywhere. Until then, UWB continues to hold the edge for ultra-precise tracking.
For now, Google’s latest Pixels stand alone in supporting the new spec. But if Bluetooth 6 does for location tracking what Bluetooth as a whole once did for cables, we’re looking at the early stages of something far bigger.
Other big Bluetooth 6 upgrades
Improvements beyond just precision tracking
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are among the high-end earphones with LC3 codec support, although it took a firmware update to arrive.
Channel Sounding may grab headlines, but Bluetooth 6 isn’t just about finding your phone in the couch cushions. The new spec also brings faster scanning, more reliable LE audio streaming, better latency handling, and smarter power management. Over time, that could make everyday Bluetooth connections less of a headache with fewer random drops, quicker device switching, and longer battery life.
One major change is Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) enhancement. ISOALs previous implementation already helped Bluetooth juggle more data per packet for features such as LE Audio. Bluetooth 6 smooths out the latency tradeoffs that came with it. That will lead to data transfers, firmware updates, and audio streaming feeling snappier and working more consistently, especially on wearables and low-power devices.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 also boast LC3 support.
There’s also LC3plus codec support. While optional, this high-res audio codec promises up to 96kHz/24-bit playback with latency as low as 7ms. If it takes off, it could mean Bluetooth headphones that rival wired setups for fidelity — though, as always, real-world performance will depend on adoption.
Decision-based Advertising Filtering is less eye-catching but just as important. It lets devices bail on redundant scanning tasks early, speeding up pairing and saving battery. Similarly, a new Monitoring Advertisers feature prevents a phone from endlessly pinging a device that’s out of range, another quiet win for efficiency.
Individually, these may sound incremental, but harnessed together in Bluetooth 6, they represent a serious effort to clean up the messy, sometimes frustrating state of wireless connections. And with the Pixel 10 family leading the charge, it’s the first glimpse of where wireless tech is heading.
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Google Pixel 10
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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128GB / 256GB
- Battery
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4970mAh
- Operating System
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Android 16
- Front camera
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10.5 MP Dual PD selfie camera
This striking-looking addition to the Pixel line offers a slew of Gemini features, an 5x telephoto lens, and seven years of updates, making this a smartphone that will last you a while.
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Google Pixel 10 Pro
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- RAM
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16GB
- Storage
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128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB with Zoned UFS / 1 TB with Zoned UFS
- Battery
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4870mAh
- Operating System
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Android 16
- Front camera
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42 MP Dual PD selfie camera
Google’s latest Pro Pixel packs a faster yet efficient Tensor G5 chip, an upgraded ISP, and a brighter display. Plus, an array of new AI features that make it one of the best Android phones to launch in 2025.
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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
- SoC
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Google Tensor G5
- RAM
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16GB
- Storage
-
128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB with Zoned UFS / 1 TB with Zoned UFS
- Battery
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5200mAh
- Operating System
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Android 16
- Front camera
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42 MP Dual PD selfie camera
The Pixel 10 Pro XL packs all the same features you’ll find on its less expensive siblings, along with a few exclusive features like a 6.8-inch display and faster charging.
