Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 to launch on October 4, suggests Google billboard

Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 

Apple has already shown its cards and they are called the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. Now it's Google's turn. the company is expected to launch the Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel 2 in the first week of October. Though there is nothing official about it, a Google billboard in Boston suggests that the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 will be launched on October 4. That will be the global launch and the phones will arrive in India sometime after that.

The Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 will succeed last year's Pixel phones and will be in a way official Android phones. A lot of information about these phones, including renders possibly showing the final design of the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2, has leaked in the last one month.

Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 specs, features and price

For months now, there have been rumours and leaks related to the Google's upcoming Pixel phones. Earlier there were rumours that Google will launch three pixel phones this year. But that doesn't seem likely. the broad consensus among tech pundits now is that Google will launch two new Pixel and that these two phones are currently codenamed Taimen and Walleye. The Taimen is the bigger phone and Walleye is the smaller one. Earlier, there was also a device named Muskie that too had a big screen. But Google reportedly decided to cancel the Muskie in favour of Taimen.

As far as specs and features of the Pixel 2 phones are concerned, here is what that has been rumoured so far.

-- The Taimen will have a large 6-inch screen. It will be made by LG and it may possibly have a lot of similarities with the LG V30, another phoen that has a 6-inch OLED screen. Final name of the Taimen will be Pixel XL 2.

-- The Pixel 2 aka Walleye will have a 5-inch screen. This will be made by HTC and may have a lot of similarities with the HTC U11, although the U11 has a bigger 5-inch screen.

-- Apart from the screen size, not much difference is expected between the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2.

-- Both new Pixel phones are likely to come with stereo speakers.

-- Both the Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel XL 2 will come with a metal frame that supports the "squeezable" gesture similar to what we have on the HTC U11.

-- The Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL2 are likely to come with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. They will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 -- the rumours of Snapdragon 836 were a little far-fetched -- and they will most likely have a design that is more durable compared to the Pixel phones last year when it comes to dealing with water and dust.

-- The Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel 2 are likely to sport a slightly tweaked design compared to the current Pixel phones. It will still be all metal-and-glass design. But the half glass cover on the rear is going to be smaller in the new Pixel phones. And yes, it seems that Google is getting rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack in the Pixel phones.

--  The Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel 2 are likely to sport a 12-megapixel camera on the rear. It seems that Google is not yet joining the dual-camera bandwagon. Instead it is going to use the single camera with a large image sensor, something similar to the camera in the current Pixel phones that are considered the best in the business.

-- Both the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 will come with Android Oreo aka Android 8 installed on them. They will also get the Android P update next year.

Tough competition

All in all, it seems that Google is going to play safe with the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2. But when the two devices hit the market, they will face formidable challenge from other phones. Not only the Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel 2 will have to compete with the likes of the Galaxy S8 and the LG V30 but also the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X.

The competition is yet again going to be fierce for the Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 phones. But yet again, just like what it thought last year, Google would be hoping that stock Android, a flawless camera and fast performance will help the Pixel XL 2 and the Pixel 2 in the market even if it lacks more buzz-worthy features like the dual-camera or the edge-to-edge display.