Google Pixel 3: What we know so far about the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

The Google Pixel 3 is likely to be the next flagship device from Google. It’s the Android phone that the owner of Android likes to use to show everyone else how it’s done, and both the Pixel and Pixel 2 did this in spades.

The Pixel lineup represents the best that stock Android has to offer, and so far the rumours suggest that the Pixel 3 will continue this trend.

We’ve had plenty of leaks to go on so far, so let’s have a look at what the rumour mill has had to say about the upcoming Google Pixel 3.

 

Google Pixel 3 Release Date: When will it come out?

In a move that’s almost surprisingly predictable, Google is expected to announce the Pixel 3 on the same date it announced the Pixel and Pixel 2 in 2016 and 2017 respectively, October 4.

This leak comes courtesy of FameBit (via 9to5Google) which is a service that companies can use to connect with YouTube content creators. A listing was posted here to ask for YouTubers to collaborate with.

Previous handsets have then launched on the 19th and 20th of October, so if this leak is accurate we’d expect a similar release date for the Pixel 3.

Google Pixel 3 Price: How much will it cost?

We don’t know how much the Pixel 3 will cost when it hits the shelves – or the Pixel 3 XL, for that matter. The Pixel 2 sold for £629 at launch, while the Pixel 2 XL commanded £799. One thing’s for certain, though: You shouldn’t expect to see a price drop this year, with rivals releasing smartphones in the £1000 realm.

Google Pixel 3 Design and Specs: What does it look like, and is it powerful?

The design of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL has been somewhat contentious, with conflicting rumours having sprung up throughout the course of the year. Although we’ve now got a pretty decent idea of what’s coming, let’s start at the beginning.

Initially there was a rumour being bandied around claiming that the Google Pixel 3 could be the third almost-all-screen smartphone to hit the shelves, following the OPPO Find X and Vivo NEX. And it seemed credible – the rumour stemmed from a set of renders (below) found in the first build of the Android Pie Beta.

But it doesn’t look like that’s going to be the case, as recent reports have revealed that Google has commissioned LG to manufacture the screen that will be on board the Google Pixel 3 and that it will in fact feature a notch, a detail that was later confirmed by the first wave of leaked hands-on images that hit the web.

 
A collaboration between Indian outlet MySmartPrice and tipster OnLeaks later built on that tidbit, showcasing a small Pixel-branded handset, believed to be the Pixel 3, with a standard screen – like the one found on the Pixel 2 – and a larger unit, said to be the Pixel 3 XL, with a taller, notch-clad, near-edge-to-edge panel.

Even more leaked images further corroborates these details, so at this point we’re pretty confident that the Pixel 3 will feature a fairly traditional design, while the Pixel 3 XL will feature a notched display in keeping with the popular 2018 design trend.

Next up is the phone’s camera. Unfortunately, as you can see from the photos and renders posted above, it look like the rear of the phone is getting a single-lens design. That might sound like it’s going to offer worse image quality than dual-lens competitors, but frankly the Pixel and Pixel 2 were both noteworthy for how excellent their cameras were, so we’re not too worried.

In terms of what’s on the front, a report from Bloomberg has claimed that the Pixel 3 will have dual-front facing camera design, though it’s unclear what the second sensor will be used for – some believe it will drive a Face ID-style face-recognition feature, while others have speculated that it could just be used to generate better images. We’re leaning towards the former, based on the phone having a dual lens on the rear. 

The best information we have so far about what’s under the hood of the phone comes to us via Ice Universe on Twitter, who’s said that we should expect a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 paired with 4GB of RAM.

Obviously the phone will be running Android Pie out of the box (it’s a Pixel device after all), but apparently it will use the software’s new gesture controls by default.

A final feature that we’ve stumbled upon pertaining to non-cosmetic hardware is that the Pixel 3 XL could be ‘squeezable’ like the Pixel 2, letting users initiate commands by squeezing the device’s frame for varying durations of time.