In short: Google’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL were sighted in a premature protective case listing from accessory manufacturer Totallee. Both devices are alleged to be identical from the back, with the image that can be seen above being in line with previous sightings of the two Android flagships. A lime power button can also be seen on the right edge of the handsets, as can a single rear-facing camera accompanied by a dual-LED flash unit. Both the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are depicted in white in the new protective case listing, with recent rumors also pointing to black and “Sand” variants being in the works.
Background: Google’s 2018 flagships leaked in an extensive manner over the last several months, in part due to the fact that one pre-production batch of the devices was stolen from Foxconn and ended up being sold on the black market. AndroidHeadlines exclusively shared renders of the new Sand color that Google is working on earlier this week, with the images in question providing additional confirmation that the company’s larger 2018 smartphone will be embracing the recent trend of display notches, whereas the smaller one will essentially look like last year’s Pixel 2 XL. Dual front-facing cameras will be part of the package as well, though it’s still unclear why the company decided against using a two-sensor system on the back.
Impact: While Google will only be officially unveilings its latest Android smartphones on Tuesday, October 9, there’s little mystery surrounding the two devices. As far as their design is concerned, only the larger Pixel 3 XL will debut significant changes, largely due to the inclusion of a display notch that’s likely to be a polarizing feature among tech enthusiasts, as evidenced by the public reception of a number of other handsets featuring such cutouts that debuted over the last year or so.