Google is readying itself to launch the next set of Pixel smartphones, tentatively called Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2, and a fresh tip now gives us a date to look forward to. Popular tipster Evan Blass tweeted on Thursday that the second generation Pixel smartphones will be unveiled on October 5.
The tweet by Blass also mentions that the Pixel handset will pack Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 836 SoCs, corroborating a report from last month. This would make the Pixel smartphones to be the first to sport Qualcomm’s latest SoC. The Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 will be unveiled following the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 and the upcoming LG V30, apart from the anticipated September launch of Apple’s tenth anniversary iPhone. Notably, while these phones are being tipped to sport near bezel-less displays, there have been contradictory reports on whether Google will be keeping the bezels for the new Pixels. While the HTC-manufactured Pixel 2 is expected to feature a EdgeSense style frame, the Pixel XL 2 is expected to be made by LG, and sport a bezel-less 18:9 display.
The Pixel 2 was recently spotted on the US FCC website, which indicated that the model will be manufactured by HTC. The documentation also revealed that the Pixel 2 will sport a squeezable frame similar to the HTC U11. The website further spotted the device running on Android 8.0.1 Oreo, which is expected since the Pixels are among the first to receive the latest Android version.
Additionally, the Pixel 2 is expected to come with 64GB and 128GB of built-in storage options and will support NFC, Bluetooth, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The smartphone will sport 4GB of RAM and the handsets have also been tipped to sport an ‘Always On’ display mode. The Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 are rumoured to feature a 4.95-inch full-HD and 5.99-inch QHD (1440×2560 pixels) displays that will be manufactured by LG. Furthermore, the Pixels are also expected to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Google’s upcoming hardware event in October will likely see the unveiling of a few more products apart from the Pixel flagships. Earlier this week, it was reported that Google may be working on a new Chromebook Pixel and a mini Google Home speaker. While details for both are minimum at the moment, the mini Home speaker is being tipped as an answer to Amazon’s Echo Dot, which is currently leading smart speaker sales.
