Everything We Know About The New Google Pixel 2 Devices
The launch of the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is scheduled for October 4th. Two of the most anticipated Android smartphones of the year have a lot riding on them after Apple unveiled the iPhone X with a new design and a whole lot of technology crammed into it. With months of leaks and renders finally culminating into the official reveal, let’s take a look at what we know so far about the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
Display
The most recent leak by Android Authority sheds light on the display of the two Pixel smartphones and corroborate what we have all been expecting. The Pixel 2 will have a 5 inch 1920 x 1080 px display while the Pixel 2 XL will have a tall 18:9 aspect ratio curved Quad HD screen. The screen size of the Pixel 2 XL is expected to be 6 inches.
Design
The design of the 2016 Pixel smartphones was one of the most polarising features of the phone. The “glass window” at the back bothered some people, while others felt indifferent towards it. The new Pixel 2 lineup is expected to retain the glass window albeit, a smaller size. The fingerprint sensor will be placed outside the window this time around. The thick bezels will be present on the smaller sibling, the Pixel 2. Google will reportedly add front-firing stereo speakers to the thick bezels. The Pixel 2 XL, on the other hand, will have a more 2017 flagship design with thin bezels and a tall display. The stereo speakers will be present but, they won’t be front-firing ones. The phones are expected to be launched in two colour variants, All Black, and Black and White. The front of both the colour variants is expected to be black.
Price
One of the most important aspects of any smartphone is its price. There isn’t any definitive proof or leak that sheds light on the pricing strategy that Google will adopt for the new Pixel lineup. However, there are reports of Google dropping the 32GB variant and launching the new Pixel devices in 64GB and 128GB variants only. This may translate into a higher starting price than the previous generation Pixels. Also, Google may bundle unlimited Google Cloud storage till 2023 for consumers who buy the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL which the company may use to justify the steep pricing.
The 3.5mm Headphone Jack?
Yes, with each passing day it looks more and more likely that Google will dump the 3.5mm headphone jack on the new Pixel smartphones. The leak is a few weeks old and was corroborated by Android Authority’s credible source. It will be interesting how Google will deal with the news especially after its not-so-subtle dig at Apple last year during the launch of the 2016 Pixel.
Camera
The information about cameras on both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is a little hazy. Both the phones will have what Google is calling, “Pixel Cameras.” Unlike a lot of 2017 flagships, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have a single camera at the back. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have a Wide Colour Gamut and Google Imaging Chip, as well as Optical Image Stabilisation. Whether OIS will be present in both the cameras is yet to be seen.
What’s Under The Hood?
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have specifications worthy of being 2017 flagships. Both the phones will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, even though there were rumours of a Snapdragon 836 debuting. The devices will have 4GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage but, looks like microSD card slot will still be missing. The Pixel will be powered by a 2700 mAh battery while the Pixel 2 XL will be powered by a 3520 mAh battery. As expected, both the phones will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and will be the first one in line to receive the Android P update in 2018.
Active Edge And Google Assistant
The new Pixel smartphones are also expected to have the Active Edge feature which was first experienced on the HTC U11. This feature allows you to squeeze the frame of your phone to launch an app or trigger an action. It is being said that Active Edge will work closely with Google Assistant this time around to make the experience of using Google’s AI assistant more immersive and interactive.
The launch of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is just a few days away. The leaks will always be leaks and never tell us the whole picture. Stay tuned to iGyaan as we will bring you the full coverage of the event to your screens.
