The Google Pixel 2 price and release date have been leaked online, ahead of the device range’s unveiling in the next 24 hours. It is now reported that the smartphone version of the Google Pixel 2 will launch at $650 on October 19. This will be $200 less than the Google Pixel 2 XL, which will debut at a pretty hefty price tag of $850.
Meanwhile, Google fans will have to wait a little while longer to get their hands on the premium version of the Google Pixel 2 range, as the Pixel 2 XL will not arrive in stores until November 11.
Further pricing
Further information on the Google Pixel 2 price and release date has also been made available, with the pricing for other models also now in the public domain. Thus, the 128 GB versions of both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL cost $100 more than the entry-level handsets, with the most expensive version of the Pixel 2 generation retailing at $950.
If the Google Pixel 2 price and release date can be considered slightly surprising, it is nothing that hasn’t been predicted previously by the Google-following community. News that the Pixel 2 XL would cost $200 more than its cousin already broke recently, while the staggered release date of the two smartphones has also been reported on by ValueWalk.
There’s no doubt that the price tag of the two devices indicates that Google is veering into serious smartphone territory. Certainly the Pixel 2 XL can no longer be considered a mid-range device, with the 128GB version costing only $50 less than the recent iPhone X. For that kind of money, consumers will expect something outstanding, so the pressure is definitely now on Google to deliver.
Active Edge
The Active Edge technology that has been strongly linked with the Pixel 2 generation is the sort of functionality that buyers of the smartphone will wish to see. This innovative system, similar to one already included in the HTC U11, will enables users of the Google Pixel 2 to activate certain software by squeezing the edges of the device.
This certainly sounds like a nifty system, but it may not be without its controversy. With HTC only involved in the manufacturing of the smaller Pixel 2, it could be that Active Edge will be excluded from the more premium release. While this may hardly seem to make sense, the fact is that LG will be enlisted to produce the Google Pixel 2 XL, and this could effectively banish Active Edge from this smartphone.
Design leaked
Nonetheless, the Google Pixel 2 price and release date will at least to be more justified by the displays and design of the two handsets. It is firstly suggested that the Pixel 2 XL will benefit from an extremely impressive six-inch curved display, which could even exceed Quad HD resolution. The screen actually has the potential to deliver one of the highest pixel per inch ratings in the smartphone industry.
Meanwhile, even the smaller Pixel 2 will benefit from a full HD display, while the Snapdragon 835 processor will power both devices impressively. Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL should certainly be slick performers when they are released, and a new leak has also provided a real insight into the physical design of the two handsets.
It seems that the Pixel 2 XL will diverge quite significantly from its predecessor, at least according to the notorious leaker Evan Blass. The Twitter contributor has posted images online of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, suggesting that the next generation device will benefit from slimmed down bezels and a new curved appearance, or at least this will be the case for the premium iteration.
Analysts sceptical
However, despite the efforts of Google to deliver an attractive package for Google Pixel 2 consumers, some experts are dubious about the potential of this device. Now that the Google Pixel 2 price and release date are out of the bag, this scepticism may grow further still, with the pricing for the Google Pixel 2 XL particularly eye opening.
Indeed, Thomas Husson, Vice President and Principal Analyst of Forrester, believes that the Pixel 2 will struggle to compete at such an elevated price point. “Google’s positioning in the smartphone space is still unclear and there is a good reason for that: it can’t compete too directly with handset brands using Android in the high-end segment,” Husson commented.
Husson also suggest that supply chain issues could have a detrimental impact on sales of the next gen Google device. “I’d expect the new Pixel smartphones to showcase what is possible with Google’s latest software (like Oreo OS, Google Assistant, Google Lens). Despite the acquisition of key HTC assets, Google still needs to invest billions of dollars on sales and marketing and to build a global distribution network, should it want to become a serious player in that game,” Husson asserted.
Pixel 2 specs
Regardless of this, both the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will benefit from that spec upgrades when they hit the stores. Both devices will be fitted with larger batteries, while the RAM memory in the Pixel 2 series should be equal to that of the Galaxy S8 from Samsung. Google is also set to abandon the 3.5 mm headphone jack, in a move that will likely become common in the smartphone market place in the coming years.
E-SIM technology should also be part of the Pixel 2 portfolio, although it is slightly disappointing that most analysts believe that the smartphone from Google will not feature a dual-camera. However, considering that the photographic capabilities of the original Pixel release where praised highly, this shouldn’t be too much of a disadvantage.
With the Google Pixel 2 price and release date now public knowledge, the will be a huge amount of people eying the unveiling event in the next 24 hours hoping for an outstanding device.
