The Google Pixel 2 isn’t shaping up to be the radical reinvention some had hoped, according to a new leak.
The smaller-sized Google Pixel 2, said to be coming later in 2017 and codenamed Walleye, is said to be in a new image shared by VentureBeat today. It has a new design and hardware features like the fingerprint sensor sitting below the glass, larger single rear-facing camera and the missing 3.5mm headphone jack, all consistent with the Google Pixel 2 rumors we've heard so far.
But where things sharply diverge is on the front side of the purported phone, which is said to be made by HTC. While earlier leaks showed off a smaller top and bottom bezel, akin to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6, this new image shows bezels that look just as big as the current Google Pixel, if not bigger.
This leak adds credibility to some other rumors that we’ve reported on previously. Google is said to be tapping HTC for its BoomSound tech (as is made apparent by the dual-speaker ports seen in the leaked image) and the squeeze-friendly technology found in the HTC U11. Both features will give the Pixel 2 a unique edge over the iPhone 8.
Were you hoping for something more?
The flagship smartphone market (and really, the smartphone market at large) is always in search of the next big feature. Once it’s found, each of the major players usually leap onto it as soon as possible.
If the latest leak is to be taken as the real deal, it seems that Google has decided not to join the others. Google’s sophomore Pixel effort won’t be another device that features trimmed bezels or a dual-lens rear camera setup.
But harping on what it isn’t sort of detracts from what it is, or at least could be. Why be a “me too” device when the Pixel 2 could stick out with a different design? What’s more, the lack of a dual-lens camera might be disappointing for some, like ex-Googler Vic Gundotra, but today’s Pixel doesn’t need much help in the photo department as is.
VentureBeat’s leak suggests that the aforementioned design and hardware features, like the lack of a headphone jack, and a dual-lens camera, apply to all of the rumored Google Pixel 2 models. So, whether your heart is set on the smaller model rumored to be made by HTC or the larger LG-made Google Pixel 2, codenamed Taimen, one size should fit all when it comes to standout features.
