Google’s upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL flagship phones are launching on Oct. 4. The rumor mill has revealed almost everything on the upcoming Pixel phones from their specifications to pricing. Here is a rumor roundup on the upcoming Pixel smartphones.

Design and Display

The leaked renders of the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones have revealed that these phones will be arriving with a two-tone design on the back panel. One-third of the rear panel will be made up of glass and the remaining portion is pegged to be made up of metal. Last year’s Google Pixel phones had the fingerprint scanner placed inside the glass portion. However, upcoming Pixel 2 phones are rumored to feature the fingerprint reader in the metallic portion.

The IP67 certified chassis of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will protect them from damage from water and dust. The Pixel 2 duo are unlikely to feature the standard 3.5mm audio jack, but are pegged to arrive with dual stereo speakers on the front panel. The Pixel 2 is expected to come in colors like Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White whereas the Pixel 2 XL may be available in Black & White and Just Black color variants.

The Pixel 2 is speculated to resemble the original Pixel phone whereas the Pixel 2 XL is rumored to have a full-screen design like the LG V30. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are rumored to feature a pressure-sensitive frame like HTC U11. The feature is rumored to be called Active Edge. Squeezing the Pixel 2 or 2 XL may allow users to perform certain actions such as activating Google Assistant and dismissing alarm.

The Pixel 2 is speculated to arrive with a 4.97-inch OLED display that will support FHD resolution. The Pixel 2 XL is rumored to be fitted with a 5.99-inch OLED display that may deliver a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels along with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Pixel 2 XL’s display is expected to support Wide Color Gamut and offer a screen-to-body ratio of around 80 to 85 percent.

Chipset, Storage and Battery

The Snapdragon 835 SoC along with 4 GB RAM are rumored to be present under the hood of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. These phones are expected to arrive in storage sizes like 64 GB and 128 GB. Like the original Pixel phones, the Pixel 2 duo are unlikely to feature a microSD card slot. The Pixel 2 may come equipped with a 2,700 mAh battery whereas the Pixel 2 XL may house a 3,520 mAh battery.

Camera and Software

There is no information available on the exact camera configuration of the cameras that will be available on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. However, both the phones are going to feature the same rear and front cameras. The rear cameras of both phones are speculated to carry support for Optical Image Stabilization.

The Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL are rumored to arrive with Android 8.1 Oreo preinstalled. It is expected to bring some new features like a redesigned Pixel launcher, portrait mode feature on Google camera app, and Always-On Display. Google Lens that will allow users to point the cameras of the Pixel 2 phones to any object to get relevant information is speculated as one of the killer features of Pixel 2 duo.

The presence of e-SIM inside the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will allow users to easily switch between networks of different carriers of the U.S. through Project Fi. The search engine will be providing free unlimited storage on Google Cloud until 2023 for Pixel 2 and 2 XL buyers.

Pricing, Launch Event and Livestreaming

The 64 GB and 128 GB Pixel 2 are rumored to be respectively priced at $649 and $749 and the same storage models of Pixel 2 XL are speculated to respectively cost $849 and $949.

The launch event of the Pixel 2 duo will be held at San Francisco begin on Oct. 4 at 9 AM PST in the U.S. The event will be livestreamed here. It can be viewed at 5 PM BST, 9:30 PM IST and 12 AM on Oct. 5 in China.

Through the Oct. 4 launch event, Google is also expected to unveil Google Pixelbook, Home Mini smart speaker and Daydream View VR and Google Assistant powered headphones. The rumor mill is also talking another Google phone called Ultra Pixel that is expected to rival with Apple iPhone X. However, it may not get unveiled with Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

The post Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL Rumor Roundup: Specifications Features, Price, Launch Event & Livestream Details appeared first on Gizmochina.

Google has released the latest version of Google app on the Play Store. The APK teardown of the latest Google app with version 7.10 has revealed that Google could be working on Google Assistant enabled headphones. The alleged headphones are codenamed as Bisto

The Bisto codename had first appeared in April in the strings of the beta version of 7.0 Google app. At that time, it was speculated as portable audio device. Its references were removed, but it returned again earlier in this month which suggested that it could be referring to a pair of headphones. Here is a reference from the code of the latest Google app that clearly hints the upcoming Google Assistant enabled headphones codenamed as Bisto.

<string name=”bisto_magic_pairing_assistant_prop_text”>”Your headphones have the Google Assistant. Ask it questions. Tell it to do things. It’s your own personal Google, always ready to help.”</string>

Read More: Android 8.0 Oreo OTA Update Now Available for Android Beta Program Devices; How to Get it Now?

Its seems that users will be able to ask queries through the mic of Bisto headphones and Google Assistant will provide answers along with their alerts. Users will be also able to reply to notifications through verbal responses. The headphones are also expected to come with a Google Assistant button as well as another button at the top.

One of the strings provides some information on directions by stating: “To hear them, press the Google Assistant button. Press the Google Assistant button. To hear them, press and hold the top button. Press and hold the top button.” The Google Assistant button can be long pressed to talk to the headphone and the top button can be used to for enabling verbal alerts.

Another string reveals some troubleshooting information: “Your headphones won’t be available for a few minutes. Try restarting your headphones. To troubleshoot, visit the Help Center. Can’t update headphones. Bisto firmware update New features and fixes are available. Your headphones have been updated and are ready to use,” Other strings contain information for setup and update process for Google Bisto headphones.

There is no information on the release date of the Google Bisto headphones. Also, it is not known how much the Google Assistant enabled earphones would be costing.

It seems that the Google Assistant enabled Bisto may run on Android Wear. Speculations are rife that the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones would be unveiling in October this year. The search engine giant is expected to announce an advanced Chromebook and mini Google Home. It is likely that Google may announce Bisto headphones in October alongside the Pixel 2 duo. More information on the rumored headphones from Google are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.

(source)

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