The Pixel and Pixel XL- the first handsets designed inside and out by Google and manufactured by HTC, were definitely not perfect. But they were both great high-end smartphones featuring terrific cameras, great build quality, and stock Android software that’s extremely popular among a lot of users.
Although, we hope Google will improve the issues of their generic design, high price tag, and lack of proper water resistance in its new release.
To begin with, So far, we haven’t heard any rumors regarding the release date of the Pixel 2 series, however, Google normally unveils its new devices in the fall.
How many products are they launching? It was initially rumored that Google would, just like last year, take the wraps off two Pixel devices. The smaller of the two is codenamed Walleye, while the XL variant goes under the Muskie moniker. We then heard reports that the company is also working on a third device, dubbed Taimen, which is expected to be even larger than the Pixel XL.
However, it looks like Google has changed its mind and will in fact only release two smartphones this year. According to a report by Android Police, the tech giant has decided to cancel the Muskie device. This means that only Walleye and Taimen will be announced, with the former being the successor to the Pixel, while the latter will be a larger version of the Pixel XL.
New rumors have now popped up online suggesting that the online search giant will actually be joining forces with LG, at least for the larger of the two devices.
Just like their predecessors, Walleye (Pixel 2) and Taimen (Pixel XL 2) will offer high-end specs. According to the latest rumors, the smaller of the two devices is expected to sport a 4.97-inch display with Full HD resolution. It will be powered by the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset and have 4GB of RAM. When it comes to storage, a 64GB version is mentioned, but we’ll likely see a larger option as well.
Pixel 2 is said to feature two front-facing stereo speakers, which is more than a welcome addition. Unfortunately, it will come at the expense of the 3.5 mm headphone jack. This means you’ll have to plug in your headphones with the help of an adapter that will likely come included in the box. Rumors also suggest that Google will not be following in the footsteps of LG, Huawei, OnePlus, and others in the camera department. This means that the Pixel 2 won’t have a dual-camera setup on the back.
The larger of the two devices, the Pixel XL 2, will be similar to its smaller brother in a lot of ways. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 835 chipset, have 4GB of RAM, and sport the same camera. It will also be waterproof, but it won’t have two speakers on the front due of a different design — more on that later. Rumors claim that it will have 128GB of storage, but just like with the Pixel 2, we’ll probably see at least one more additional storage option.
The Pixel XL 2 is also rumored to be water and dust resistant. It is expected to be either IP67 or IP68 rated, meaning it will survive being submerged in 1 to 1.5 meters of water for a period of 30 minutes. As a refresher, the current Pixel generation is only IP53 rated, which basically means it won’t die on you if it’s sprayed with water here and there, but definitely isn’t suitable for anything more than that.
