Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 6 Pro launched, but Google Store crashes

Within minutes of the launch even that rolled out the latest smartphones by Google, Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro, users faced a bad experience - Google Store crashed.

This undated and unlocated handout image courtesy of Google and released by Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California, on October 15, 2021 shows the Google Pixel 6 smartphone. - Google on October 19, 2021 debuted its flagship Pixel 6 smartphones, the latest effort in a market the tech giant has failed to conquer. Android-powered Pixel phones are Google's offerings in a sector dominated by Apple and South Korean electronics colossus Samsung. (AFP)

Within minutes of the launch even that rolled out the latest smartphones by Google, Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro, users faced a bad experience - Google Store crashed as people sought to take a closer look at the phones and perhaps even to pre-order. It is still unclear whether the traffic surge caused the website to crash or it was something else - from an internal bug or hackers at work. Google has not responded to requests for a comment on the site crashing. What it caused was for buyers to be delayed or denied and other people to experience a very sluggish website or a totally unresponsive one.

Google had just launched its two new phones -- the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Both the smartphones have undergone major design changes, received a custom processor and of curse, the camera got special attention with a number of eye-ball grabbing upgrades.

Google Pixel 6 price starts at $599, Google Pixel 6 Pro price starts at $899. The smartphones will be available for sale in stores from October 28.

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During the launch event, Google Pixel product MD, Peter Prunuske had this to say about the new smartphones, "Pixel is the best entry point into Google's helpful offerings and services. So, we're trying to work across Google to make sure that everything works flawlessly on Pixel."

The Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro differ only slightly in size, memory and camera specs, with both built around Google's Tensor system-on-chip, a custom semiconductor that took four years of development. Tensor is optimized for Google's strengths in image processing and artificial intelligence, helping deliver faster and more accurate speech recognition and better battery life, says Bloomberg.

Google also launched the Pixel Pass, a subscription service starting at $45 per month for U.S. customers that will include access to the premium versions of YouTube and YouTube Music.