In January the first information related to the upcoming Pixel 2 surfaced online. We were told the successor of Google’s 2016 flagship phone will probably be waterproof and might come in a more affordable variant as well – something which probably got Nexus nostalgics quite excited.
While this information apparently came from a “reliable source”, we now need to rectify it. Google itself denied it has plans to make a budget-friendly Pixel this year.
Google’s head of hardware Rick Osterloh (ex-Motorola) talked to AndroidPit in a recent interview and revealed that the Pixel will continue to stay premium. Meaning that the same high-end price-tag will apply to the Pixel of 2017. He goes on to say that Google intends to leave other Android OEMs tackle the lower-end market (like Nokia and Motorola).
Osterloh didn’t give a specific answer when inquired about the Pixel 2’s launch date. However, the phone should probably make an appearance this fall.
The next Pixel will certainly come with a newer SoC, better camera and maybe even an edge-to-edge display.
In recent weeks, Google’s product lead for the Pixel, Krishna Kumar took to the Pixel User Community to poll users about the features they would like to see in the next-gen Pixel.
Most users opted for slimmer bezels, front-facing speakers and water-resistance. Users also asked Google find a way to keep up with demand better than it did last year.
This is going to be my next phone.