Google’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Android flagships will be more similar to each other in terms of size than their predecessors were, known industry insider Steve Hemmerstoffer said Sunday. According to his information, the Pixel 3 will feature a 5.3-inch screen, whereas the Pixel 3 XL will come with a 6.2-inch panel, whereas the 2017 lineup encompassed 5-inch and 6-inch models. The Pixel 3 XL is likely to have a physical form factor akin to that of its direct predecessor, with the increase in screen real estate mostly being attributed to the inclusion of a display notch, as per the same report. The smaller Pixel 3 won’t feature such a cutout but is expected to have an 18:9 aspect ratio, thus ditching the 16:9 widescreen format used by the Pixel 2. The notch will further elongate the screen of the Pixel 3 XL which is now understood to be a 19:9 affair.
Whereas the 2017 series of Android flagships was manufactured by HTC and LG Electronics, the upcoming line is said to be produced by Foxconn, a Taiwanese tech giant and the largest maker of Apple’s iPhones. The larger Pixel 3 XL should sport an LG Display-made OLED panel, with both being expected to debut with Android 9.0 P which should already hit the stable channel by the time the duo is announced. Previous rumors have pointed to an October launch, with the last two generations of the Pixel phones both being unveiled on October 4. A new iteration of the Pixel Buds is also said to be in the works, together with three Wear OS-powered smartwatches meant to debut as part of the Pixel brand.
Verizon is once again expected to be Google’s exclusive Pixel 3 carrier partner in the United States, though both devices should also be sold unlocked. The upcoming handsets may feature a dual-camera setup on the front, though several rumors are suggesting Google is still resisting the trend of including such an imaging system on the back. Should they follow the availability pattern established by their predecessors, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will hit the store shelves in late October.