The Google Pixel 5 has just made its way into the Android Open Source Project. This is the first time the device has been mentioned, and it has basically been confirmed that is going to be the name. Which should surprise absolutely no one.
Now the mention of the Pixel 5 isn’t a big surprise, and what is being mentioned for means absolutely nothing to us. But it is good to see that Google isn’t going to be skipping numbers like some other companies (Huawei, HONOR, Samsung, etc.).
The name appeared in a code change for the kernel on the Pixel 5. Which doesn’t mean much of anything for us non-developers. And even for developers, it doesn’t mean much.
Pixel 5 is still slated for an October release
We’re still expecting the Pixel 5 to be released in October, as it is every single year. Just because we are seeing the name pop up in AOSP now – in February – doesn’t mean that it is coming earlier than usual. It just means that Google is actually working on the device and likely, Android 11.
Smartphones are usually “final” nearly a year before they are announced or made available. Essentially, there are a number of prototypes that companies go for, and about a year before release, they start to finalize the hardware. With software being the final piece of the puzzle. So it’s likely that Google is already just about finished with the hardware – perhaps some minor changes coming.
This also lines up with the codenames we recently saw surface
There were three codenames that surfaced last month, Sunfish, Redfin and Bramble. Now, Sunfish is believed to be the Pixel 4a. Which was said to be running on a mid-range Qualcomm chipset – so it makes sense that it is a Pixel 4a. But that will likely be announced in May at Google I/O.
The other two: Redfin and Bramble are likely the Pixel 5 and Pixel 5 XL.
Bramble has been listed as using Linux Kernel 4.19, the same version as the “Pixel 5” listed on AOSP right now. But that’s not necessarily enough to confirm that Bramble is the Pixel 5 just yet.
Confirmation of anything other than a name right now, is pretty outrageous, since we are still eight months out from the official launch.
It’s only the start of Pixel leak season, so we are definitely going to see many more leaks coming in the next few months. So you better get prepared!