Google branded their Pixel line of smartphones as "the best smartphone for Android around," and they are continuing the legacy with the eventual release of the Pixel 2.
Pixel 2: successors to 'the best Android phone'
Roughly a year after the original Google Pixel came out, the Pixel 2 is being released. The new phones promise to improve on everything that we liked about the original while facing fierce competition from the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and the Galaxy S8. First off, the phones promise to deliver on the usual expectations from a smartphone. It will have a camera that will take superb, quality photos.
Bigger storage space and long battery life are also offered, as well as better ways of delivering software updates. The second-generation Google phones will come in two variants: the Pixel2 and Pixel 2 XL. As its name implies, the XL will be the bigger of the two.
According to a report by The Verge, the XL variant will be getting a new screen design. It will feature the "bezel-less" design that most smartphones have today. Meanwhile, the "regular" Pixel 2 will sport a design that is similar to the original.
Both models will include the 'squeeze' feature
This is all as far as differences go, and both phones will have more or less similar features. Both will have "optical image stabilization" for their cameras, which will reduce unnecessary blur when taking pictures.
Furthermore, the phones will also have the "squeeze" option. This is a new feature that lets users tell the phone what to do when squeezed from the sides.
The Pixel 2 phones' water-resistance rating is IP67, which is equivalent to the latest iPhones. For comparison, Samsung's latest phones are rated for IP68 water-resistance.
There are hints that Google will completely remove the headphone jack and replace them with USB-C connectors. There are also rumors of installing stereo speakers on the phone. However, both of these stories are unconfirmed.
The home screen is also reportedly changed, although reports are not conclusive on whether the changes are final.
Some early renderings of the phones' home screen show that the search bar was moved from the top of the screen to a dock on the bottom. There is also a "minimalistic widget" that offers placeholders for things like weather updates and the calendar. The Google Pixel 2 is expected to be released on October 19, while the Pixel 2 XL is expected to arrive on November 15.
