Google Pixel 2: Specs, Release Date And Price

Google has announced the second generation of its Pixel smartphones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The first Google Pixel was a remarkable device. These ones are even more spectacular.

Mario Queiroz, Google’s VP and GM for Pixel products, talks to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman about the Pixel 2, new Home speakers and how Google gets iPhone switchers.

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Specs

• Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processors
• 4GB RAM
• 64 or 128GB storage
• Water and dust resistant
• OLED screen with always-on display
• USB-C charging
• Front-facing stereo speakers
• Cleaner and slimmer devices
• Camera juts out at the back to form a small bump
• Concave fingerprint reader
• 12.2-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilisation.
• Portrait photos without needing a selfie camera
• No headphone jack

Pixel 2

• 5-inch screen
• 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (441 PPI density)
• Starts at $649 for 64GB and $749 for 128GB storage
• Comes in Clearly White, Just Black, and Kinda Blue

Pixel 2 XL

• 6-inch screen
• 2880 x 1440 screen resolution (538 PPI density)
• Starts at $849 for 64GB and $949 for 128GB storage
• Comes in Just Black, and Black and White

Display

The home screen is different, with the wide Google search at the bottom and information about the weather and your calendar at the top. You can firmly squeeze the sides of the Pixel 2 to launch the Google Assistant.

Camera

The Pixel can take soft-background photos similar to the iPhone’s Portrait Mode. And the Pixel 2 can take portrait-style pictures even with the selfie camera. The camera also enables new augmented-reality features. Pixel owners will get the first glimpse of the new ARCore software Google’s building for all Android phones, through apps from Houzz and League of Legends plus a Google-made feature called AR Stickers. Both phones work with Google’s Daydream VR platform, too.

Google’s Mario Queiroz, VP product management, says his team has “reimagined smartphone photography.” They gave the Pixel 2 to DXO for early testing, and the phone apparently got a record-setting score of 98. For context, the iPhone 8 Plus comes in second with a 94.

Both phones will begin shipping on October 17th. Anyone who orders before October 19th will be sent a promo code to receive a free Home Mini sometime next month.