The Pixel 2 smartphone series is set to be officially launched on October 4, Google confirmed on Thursday, with the Alphabet-owned company putting out a new teaser website which asks consumers are they “thinking about changing phones” and telling them that more details on the matter will follow on the aforementioned date. The latest turn of events is in line with Wednesday developments which saw a new billboard advertising the upcoming launch of Google’s next-generation Android flagships. The Mountain View, California-based tech giant picked a relatively symbolic date for its unveiling of the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2, with October 4 marking the first anniversary of the original Pixel launch.
Google is reportedly collaborating with two phone makers on the Pixel 2 smartphones, with the smaller device supposedly being produced by HTC, whereas the larger Pixel XL 2 is understood to be handled by LG Electronics. It’s currently unclear why the company opted for two hardware partners instead of just one, with its upcoming devices being thought to be vastly different in terms of features and design. Internal hardware should be their only common point, with both reportedly being powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC and 4GB of RAM, as well as packing at least 64GB of internal flash memory. The smaller Pixel 2 is understood to be a more direct successor to the 2016 devices and will feature an almost identical look with regularly sized bezels, as well as a 16:9 screen. On the other hand, industry insiders previously claimed that the Pixel XL 2 will boast a relatively bezel-free design and adopt a display panel with a tall aspect ratio of 18:9, i.e. 2:1.
Likewise, the Pixel 2 is expected to feature a 5-inch FullHD screen, whereas its bigger counterpart is understood to be coming with a 5.7-inch QHD panel. The two are presumed to be IP68-certified for dust and water resistance, in addition to featuring pressure-sensitive frames developed by HTC which are understood to be identical to the Edge Sense technology implemented into the U11 flagship. The original Pixel lineup was available for purchase in late October and the upcoming two devices are likely to follow that same release pattern, though it remains to be seen whether they end up debuting in more territories.
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