Rumours suggest that a Google Pixel 2 with water resistance, better camera and more powerful hardware is already being tested.
The Google Pixel lineup is meant to be a departure from the norm for Google. A phone that sheds Google’s developer and search giant connotations to one that manufactures premium, high-end smartphones.
When Google did finally unveil the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones in a rather low-key event, we were unimpressed with the design. The hardware, however, was top-notch and in later testing we found the performance, particularly that of the camera, to be stellar.
Google Pixel XL
The high asking price was disappointing, however.
Since then, the Pixel programme has been beset with issues, notably one that involves a crackling speaker, which has turned out to be a hardware issue with no quick fix.
As good as the device might be, sales remain unaffected. As we’ve mentioned in the past, Pixel sales have been tepid at best. Google has only sold around 2.5 million Pixel devices compared to the 70 million Apple and 80 million Samsung smartphones that were sold in the same period.
Will the Pixel 2 change all that?
A source has apparently told 9to5Google that Google is already testing prototypes of a Pixel 2 smartphone. Notably, the source suggests that the Pixel 2 will be waterproof (the original Pixel is only dust and splash resistant) and that a lot of work is being put into the camera.
The Pixel’s camera is already exceptional, but Google is apparently hoping to better that, particularly in the low-light department.
Apparently, Pixel 2 phones with Snapdragon, Intel and MediaTek chips were also being tested. It’s not clear as to the winner of said tests, but the source does tell 9to5Google that MediaTek has been dropped from the running.
In an interesting development, it seems that Google might also be working on a more budget-friendly Pixel 2B smartphone. This makes sense, especially in developing markets like India. While the upcoming Pixel 2 will have a hard time battling it out with rivals Samsung and Apple in the high-end space, a mid-range or budget-friendly Pixel 2B might not struggle so much.