Google Confirms Pixel 2 And Pixel XL 2 Flagships Will Launch October 4th

Although we had previously penciled in October 5^th as the debut date for the new Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 smartphones, Google has confirmed both phones will actually debut on October 4^th. This new date was first confirmed in a billboard that was spotted in Boston, and Google just confirmed the date in a YouTube video (if you recall, Google launched the original Pixel and Pixel XL on October 4^th, 2016).

Although the teaser video gives absolutely no details on what its next generation smartphones will look like, it does present a number of rhetorical questions that users ask about their current smartphones, which the new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 will presumably answer:

• What’s wrong with my phone’s battery?
• Why is my phone always out of storage?
• Why does my phone take so many blurry photos?
• Why doesn’t my phone understand me?
• Why can’t my phone update itself?

Those are some pretty fair questions, and we would love to see how Google plans to address such "concerns" from the general public. The first two are relatively self-explanatory, while the third is likely in reference to an even better main camera for both new smartphones. The Pixel and Pixel XL 2 were widely praised for their excellent cameras, and were consistently ranked near the top for quality. The only thing that was lacking from the first-generation devices was arguably optical image stabilization (OIS), which would take care of the "blurry photos" comment.

As for "Why doesn't my phone understand me" question, that could easily be in reference to an improved Google Assistant, which has become an all-knowing AI sidekick for millions of Android users on a daily basis.

With that being said, on the hardware front, the Pixel 2 will reportedly be manufactured by HTC, while the Pixel XL 2 will be manufactured by LG. The former is expected to stick close to the design theme of its predecessors (including thick display bezels), while the latter will opt for the current design trend of minimal display bezels (seen on the LG V30, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and iPhone X). Both smartphones are expected to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor with at least 4GB of RAM onboard. We're hoping for at least 64GB of internal storage as standard with the device, with options for 128GB and 256GB (which would knock out the above question about running out of storage space).

Whatever the case, you'll have to tune in on October 4^th to find out all the details.

(Top image courtesy Android Police)