While the Google Pixel 2 continues to show great success for the relative newcomer to the smartphone scene, rumors and leaks are already coming out about the Google Pixel 3. We’ve compiled everything we know thus far about the upcoming smartphone that may prove a big win for Google.
Although the Pixel and Pixel 2 were the first smartphones to come from Google, they were generally well-received by critics and have been considered a massive success – especially considering how little experience Google has in actually designing and manufacturing a phone. The phones managed to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple, despite the fact that these companies had been in the game for quite a bit longer. As the developer behind the Android operating system, Google delivered a fast and fluid user interface which, when combined with the beautiful aesthetic, sold better than anticipated.
The Google Pixel 2 was generally an upgrade when compared to the Pixel despite of some reports of screen issues. The Google Pixel 3, as Google’s third phone, has the potential to correct the mistakes of its predecessors and deliver a phone that is another improvement in their step towards market dominance. If the company hopes to continue to maintain a presence in a smartphone market largely dominated by Apple and Samsung, they will have to continue to provide something that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd.
Google Pixel 3 Release Date
As far as the Google Pixel 3 release date goes, the company has been pretty consistent with their previous releases – making it easier to anticipate when the Pixel 3 will launch. With the Google Pixel announced on October 4, 2016 with a release date of October 25, and the Google Pixel 2 announced on October 4, 2017 and releasing on October 19, we anticipate we’ll see an announcement in early October with a launch shortly thereafter.
For a specific release date, it’s likely that the device will launch somewhere around the time the Pixel 2 launched – perhaps October 16 – 20.
Google Pixel 3 Features
There have been a number of rumors regarding potential features and design of the Google Pixel 3, but perhaps the most notable comes from the technology blog Droid Life.
Insider sources from Droid Life claim that there will be three new Pixel 3 models coming this near, with the codenames “Crosshatch,” “Albacore,” and “Blueline.” These codenames follow Google’s trend of naming their projects after fish, so it does seem like the information could be legitimate.
The Sun spoke to an expert analyst named Imran Choudhary, who stated that it was possible that Google could launch three versions of the Google Pixel 3, but that the release of two phones was more likely than three.
Processor
While we haven’t seen much solid information around the sort of specifications we may see from the upcoming phone(s), we can make some educated guesses based on what we’ve seen both from Google’s previous phones as well as from their competitors. The Google Pixel 2 ran off of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chip, which was the best processor on the market at that point in time. It’s likely, then, that the Google Pixel 3 and its variants are likely to use the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip.
Display
There’s a trend in the high-end smartphone market of reducing the phone’s bezels to almost nothing, so it’s likely that we’ll see a smartphone with basically no bezels – following the lead of Samsung and Apple’s successful flagships. While people desire bigger screens, it’s not really possible at this point to make the phones bigger without making them difficult to hold. It’s already difficult to hold a phone with one hand at this point, so making phones even larger doesn’t seem like a viable solution. By shrinking the phone’s bezels, the Google Pixel 3 can offer more screen space without actually increasing the size of the device.
Face Scanning
Choudhary also suggests that the Google Pixel 3 may include a similar technology to Apple’s Face ID technology, which we haven’t seen in any competitor thus far. Although the Galaxy S9 is set to release in a few weeks, Samsung either didn’t have the time or the desire to include such a feature in their upcoming device. There’s little doubt that Apple’s iPhone X was revolutionary, however, so it’s likely that we’ll see more and more phones that feature the technology moving forward.
Under-screen Fingerprint Scanner and Wireless Charging
The mobile phone expert also suggested that we may see other features, such as an under-screen fingerprint scanner and wireless charging. The advancement of technology to include an under-screen fingerprint scanner may mean that we see this feature standard on the majority of high-end flagships moving forward. As mentioned above, bezels are shrinking which make it difficult to include a fingerprint scanner on the front of the phone. Samsung has opted to include the scanner on the rear of the phone, but it’s certainly more awkwardly placed than it has been in the past. By moving the fingerprint scanner under the screen, Google can retain that edge-to-edge screen aesthetic while retaining a more traditionally placed scanner.
Wireless charging is also becoming more advanced, and the addition of the technology on the Google Pixel 3 may suggest that we’ll see a glass back to the phone to facilitate it.
Operating System
As far as other upgrades are concerned, it’s pretty much a guarantee that the Google Pixel 3 will feature the latest version of Android – considering that the manufacturer behind the phone is also responsible for the development of the operating system. The Sun reports that Google is set to announce new Android 9.0 software in June, but at this point, we don’t have an idea of what features it will actually add. With the release of the Google Pixel 3 expected in October, it’s very likely that Android 9.0 will keep the new flagship running with the latest in Android advancements.
With the release so far away, there’s not a lot of solid information regarding design and features, but we anticipate that more leaks and reliable rumors will continue to come out as we get closer to the launch. Regardless, we expect to see great things from the Google Pixel 3.
