New Cases Reveal Google Pixel 2 Design, Headphone Jack Is History

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For a long time, the rumor mill was focused primarily on devices from Apple and Samsung. Now Google’s Pixel line has carved out its own space in the rumor mill. Not a single day goes without a new leak on Google’s upcoming Pixel 2 smartphone. Now a reputed accessories manufacturer has started selling cases that reveal the Google Pixel 2 design. The cases suggest that the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 will share the same design elements.

This could be the most accurate Pixel 2 design leak yet

British accessories maker Olixar has listed three FlexiShield cases and an Ultra-Thin Gel Clear case for Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 on MobileFun. The FlexiShield cases come in purple, blue and black colors. It has been priced at $5.99. The Ultra-Thin Gel Clear case costs $8.99. MobileFun has listed the accessories on both its US and UK websites, which indicates the retailer’s confidence in the cases.

Google Pixel 2 Design Flexi-BLACK
Image Source: Olixar / MobileFun

The listings show a phone that appears similar to the LG G6 on the front. The Pixel 2 doesn’t boast an edge-to-edge Infinity display like Galaxy S8. There is no physical home button on the device. The side bezels are almost non-existent, and the top and bottom bezels appear to be incredibly slim. Giant bezels on the original Pixel had drawn a lot of criticism.

Google Pixel 2 Design
Image Source: Olixar / MobileFun

Previous reports claimed that the new design would be exclusive to the larger Pixel XL 2. The regular Pixel 2 was said to have the same design as its predecessor. But the cases suggest both devices will have this new design. The Pixel XL 2 will reportedly be produced by LG Electronics, while HTC will be responsible only for the 4.97-inch Pixel 2. Last year, both the Pixel phones were manufactured by HTC.

Flexi-PURPLE
Image Source: Olixar / MobileFun

The rear panel of Pixel 2 appears to be made out of metal and glass. The fingerprint scanner sits right where it was on the original Pixel. The camera sensor and LED flash are arranged horizontally in the top right corner. While its main rivals are rumored to feature a dual camera system, the Pixel 2 will stick to a single camera lens. Google is expected to improve the camera through algorithm changes. The original Pixel had (and still has) one of the best smartphone cameras out there.

In the last few weeks, we have come across many Google Pixel 2 cases, but most of them are fake or inaccurate. So, why should you trust Olixar? Well, they have an impressive track record. Olixar had accurately revealed the designs for Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Apple’s iPhone 7 months before the devices were unveiled officially. We wouldn’t be surprised if the final Google Pixel 2 design resembles Olixar’s listings.

Removal of the headphone jack: A major change in Pixel 2 design

The case renders do not show the top and bottom of the device. But MobileFun confirmed to ValueWalk in an email that the Pixel 2 would drop the 3.5mm headphone jack. The Olixar cases have no cutouts for the audio jack. Last year, the search engine giant mocked Apple’s decision to remove the audio jack from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. A year later, Google is doing exactly the same thing for which it had made fun of Apple.

It is not yet clear why Google will ditch the traditional headphone jack. Maybe it has realized that the future belongs to wireless devices, not wired ones. Or maybe it wants to make the Pixel 2 more waterproof by getting rid of the headphone jack. The original Pixel phones lacked water-resistance. The Pixel 2 is said to boast of IP68 rating for water- and dust-resistance.

The beautiful Pixel 2 design will accompany a powerful performance

Folks at XDA Developers have learned from inside sources that the Pixel 2 will sport a 4.97-inch screen while its bigger sibling would come with a 5.99-inch display. A senior Google executive has already told the media that the successors to Pixel devices would hit the store shelves later this year. Recent reports claim it will be powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 836 octa-core SoC, which will be an iterative upgrade over the current SD835 that powers the Galaxy S8.

The Pixel 2 is expected to come with 4GB RAM, which may not seem sufficient to many Android users. Other premium Android phones offer 6GB or even 8GB RAM. Expect Pixel 2 to deliver top-notch performance even with 4GB RAM. Google controls both the software and hardware of Pixel devices. It will optimize the software to deliver the best Android experience. Also, the Pixel 2 will run pure Android. There will be no bloatware to slow it down.

The Pixel 2 family will run Android O out of the box. The software is currently available to developers for beta testing. Developers recently found hints within the Android O source code that the Pixel 2 would offer an Always-On display. Supply chain leaks indicate that the phone could also feature an HTC U11-like squeezable frame that would launch apps or offer shortcuts depending on how hard you squeeze the phone.

Pixel prices slashed ahead of Pixel 2 launch

The Pixel 2 is expected to launch in October, about 12 months after the original Pixel phones hit the store shelves. It will help Google capitalize on the holiday season sales. The new phones will continue to target the premium segment, competing directly against the upcoming iPhone 8 and Galaxy Note 8.

Ahead of the Pixel 2 launch, Google has dropped the price of its current Pixel phones by as much as $200. The 32GB Google Pixel is available on Verizon for just $420. The 32GB Pixel XL is retailing for $540.

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