Google Leak Shows Pixel 2 Is Massive

Finally, it’s the Google
Pixel 2 leak we all wanted. Following months of incremental details like mysterious codenames and benchmarking specs we now have the big kahuna: exactly what Google’s new flagship smartphone will look like - and it’s huge.

Android Police, which has an exceptional track record, has delivered the renders which show a dramatically redesigned phone which can proudly stand toe-to-toe with the Galaxy S8 and what we expect will be Apple’s overhauled iPhone 8 design .

Android Police says the phone pictured is ‘taimen’, which is expected to be the second generation Pixel XL (whether its ‘Pixel 2 XL’ or ‘Pixel XL 2’ remains unclear). And compared to the first generation Pixel XL the render, coupled with Android Police’s additional information, reveals numerous alterations and enhancements.

Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
- New minimal top and bottom bezels.
- A massive 6-inch 1440p OLED display.
- Shift in the display’s aspect ratio from 16:9 to 18:9 (like LG G6, but Galaxy S8 uses 18.5:9).
- Display has more curved 3D glass, but not edge panels
- Widened top speaker grill (possibly for use as a second external speaker)
- Significantly enlarged single rear camera
- Reduced glass back panel
- Lower placed fingerprint reader (now in aluminium chassis)
- Rear antenna band removed
- “Squeezable frame” which can be assigned to a shortcut (like HTC U11)

As mentioned, Android Police has a great track record (it nailed the original Pixel design) and says the renders are “based on information from sources we deem extremely reliable” while stressing “we are exceptionally confident”.



If Android Police is right (and I’m pretty convinced it is - further new case leaks back this up) then Google has taken to heart some of the criticism that greeted the original Pixel. Notably its large top and bottom bezels, mediocre external speaker and a reduction in the size of its polarising glass rear panel.

Plus the bigger camera should mean a larger sensor that a) should bring larger pixels which help with low light shots, and b) deliver a wider depth of field which combats one of the greatest benefits of a dual camera system. All the while it saves on the extreme power draw dual cameras require.

In fact the only downside to all of this I can see (apart from the price) is nothing to do with the Pixel 2 XL at all, but the smaller Pixel 2.


Pixel 2 XL render comparing its

Last year the Pixel and Pixel XL were identical except for size, but this year Android Police says the smaller Pixel 2 will not have the design changes of the Pixel 2 XL and instead be positioned as a cheaper model. That would likely leave fans of smaller handsets feeling shortchanged, especially since the original Pixel has such large bezels it makes the 5-inch phone larger than it should be.

That said, for my money, the Pixel XL was the best phone of 2016 and it’s still my favourite phone this far into 2017 (here’s why ). Based on what we now know about the Pixel 2 XL it could be well positioned to top its more famous rivals once again…