Google Pixel 2’s release might just be around the corner. A prototype is already being tested, which could mean that we can expect its launch date to be earlier than its predecessor’s.
The two Google Pixel handsets were released in October 2016. Now, the most logical step for the search engine company is to launch the follow-up a year later, which would be in October this year. However, the latest discovery by Slash Gear puts the release date much earlier .
A Google engineer previously commented that a patch set remained untested because he hadn’t gotten to testing it on a real device. About two weeks later, he confirmed that another patch set has now been manually tested on a “walleye” device. It looks unassuming if we don’t know that Google Pixel 2 are codenamed Muskie and Walleye.
Google Pixel 2 “Walleye” prototype seems to be used for testing Android code already https://t.co/544LEBO2C5 pic.twitter.com/cSgyTgAnQx
— android news (@galaxytop1) April 28, 2017
According to the report, the engineer’s comments might mean a variety of things, but the simplest explanation would be that Google already has a device that could eventually be the final version of the Pixel 2 Walleye.
If the tech giant is really aiming for an October release, six months would be quite a long period for testing a handset. Many believe that we will be seeing all the Google Pixel 2 devices months early, coinciding with the launch of Android O.
When Is Android O Releasing?
The first developer preview for the OS rolled out on March 21. This gives it a Q3 release date , IT Pro reports. To recall, Android Nougat’s previous was released in March last year. Then, five months later, the newest operating system was officially launched on Google’s devices.
We could be seeing the same pattern here. Android Marshmallow first appeared in May 2015 then released in October the same year, five months after. So it’s safe to say that Android O will be officially launched around August.
But could we also expect the Google Pixel 2 around that time ? As BGR noted, the upcoming handsets can’t go without the upcoming OS. Android O will likely be released first, then the newest Pixel 2 lineup shortly after. If they are indeed to be launched earlier than October, then a Q3 release date is also possible for the devices.
The Google Pixel 2 Family Will Be Extended
According to leaks and rumors, we would be seeing another powerhouse this year. There are two confirmed devices from Google this 2017 just like last year, but reports say that another one is arriving.
In the latest leak reported by Forbes , the third Google Pixel 2 handset is codenamed Taimen. Like the other two, it will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, hinting that all three devices will be high-end. As the taimen species of fish are much larger than the muskies or walleyes, with the latter being the smallest of the three, the third Pixel 2 may well have the moniker XXL.
The Google Pixel 2 Taimen is expected to be a challenger to the Galaxy Note 8 and the iPhone 8. Meaning, it could very well be a phablet with a bigger screen and more capabilities than the Muskie and Walleye.
Other than that, there’s not much that we know about the Google Pixel 2. There are talks of a curved display like that of the Samsung Galaxy S8 or the iPhone 7, but the feature cannot be confirmed yet. It would not be surprising, however, if Google chooses to go down that route as more and more mobile makers are adopting the feature.
Nevertheless, the Google Pixel 2 devices are definitely some of the most interesting smartphones this 2017. Let’s see how they will fare against Samsung and Apple’s devices.
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[Featured Image by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]