Google Pixel 2 Rumor Roundup

The Google Pixel 2 could be launching later this year. Is the Pixel 2 worth waiting for? Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about the Google Pixel 2 in our rumor roundup.

Pixel 2 Release Date

Last year’s Google Pixel was announced on October 20. Most are assuming the Pixel 2 will be announced around the same time.

In fact, Google has pretty much confirmed that the Pixel 2 will be announced around that date, saying,

“There is an annual rhythm in the industry. So, you can count on us to follow it. You can count on a successor this year, even if you don’t hear a date from me now.”

If that’s not an obvious confirmation, I don’t know what is.

There Will Be a Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Google hasn’t always been linear with its naming. We went from the Nexus One to the Nexus S, for example, and the Galaxy Nexus to the Nexus 4. For casual Google smartphone fans, it was all very confusing.

Conventional wisdom tells us that Google will name its next two smartphones the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. However, this isn’t certain.

Android Police reported in June 2017 that the smaller phone (the “Pixel 2”) is currently code-named Walleye, while the larger phone (the “Pixel 2 XL”) is code-named Taimen.

There Could Be a Third Version of the Pixel

That same Android Police report linked above tells us that a third phone was in the works. That phone was code-named Muskie – but it has since been shelved.

What would a third version of the Pixel have looked like? We have no idea. The obvious answer is that it was a Pixel 2 Mini.

Pixel 2 Pricing

Typically, flagship phones go up in price year-after-year. In rare cases, they stay the same price. And in virtually no cases, they drop in price.

Most reports tell us that the Pixel 2 will be at least $50 more expensive than last year’s model, which suggests pricing that looks like this:

Pixel 2: Starting at $699

Pixel 2 XL: Starting at $799

Pixel 2 Design

The Pixel became popular for its iPhone-like front – even if it wasn’t particularly creative. That design may have looked good in 2016, but in 2017, the Pixel 2 is competing with beautifully designed phones like the LG G6 and Galaxy S8. Many suggest that the Pixel 2’s design will change to compete.

Android Police has a leak of a supposed Pixel 2 XL rendering, where the phone appears to have a 2:1 screen like the G6 and S8 along with thinner bezels and smoother 3D edges. The report, however, indicates that the glass will be flat, not curved.

Photo Courtesy of AndroidPolice.com

Display

We don’t know many details about the display. However, many expect the Pixel to use an LG display because Google recently invested a reported $900 million into the company. Our best guess for the Pixel’s displays and sizes include:

Pixel 2: 4.97-inch, 1080p LG AMOLED display

Pixel 2 XL: 6-inch, 1440p LG AMOLED display

Pixel 2 Tech Specs

The Pixel featured a high-end chip, the Snapdragon 821, that delivered impressive performance. This year, the Pixel 2 lineup is rumored to be incorporating the Snapdragon 835 chip.

In terms of memory, both phones are expected to come with 4GB of RAM – the same amount in the original Pixel.

Few rumors have been released about storage space at this time. However, it’s rumored that the Pixel 2 will come with a 64GB version as a base, which means that a 32GB version may not be available.

No Headphone Jack?

One of the wildest Pixel 2 rumors comes from our friends at 9to5Google. That report claims that the Pixel 2 will remove the 3.5mm headphone jack and switch to stereo speakers instead.

Other Rumors

Other notable rumors about the Pixel 2 include the inclusion of IP68 water-resistance – something that wasn’t included in the original Pixel but is quickly becoming standard among new handsets.

In terms of camera, the Pixel was famous for its image quality, and was one of the few smartphones in recent years that surpassed the Galaxy S’s camera quality in certain areas. The Pixel 2 will stick with a single camera instead of a dual setup, and Google has invested particularly heavily into nighttime photography techniques – so you can expect spectacular low light performance similar to what we see on the original Pixel.

The only other notable thing to say about the Pixel 2 is that, like most Android smartphones, you will likely be able to root the Pixel 2.

Watch for the Pixel 2 to be announced before the end of October 2017, with a release date coming soon after!