Google Pixel 3 and 3XL Designs Appear to Be Leaked in Android P Beta
Did Google just accidentally reveal its next smartphone?
by Danny PaezIs this the Google Pixel 3? All eyes have been on the plethora of Apple rumors and leaks coming out of the woodwork as the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference approaches. But amid all the iPhone noise, Google has managed to steal the spotlight with a leak of their potentially game-changing Pixel 3 or Pixel 3XL.
On May 19, a mockup of a completely bezel-less Google smartphone was uploaded onto the leak aggregation site Slashleaks. This never-before-seen image wasn’t acquired through insider sources. Instead, it is accessible to anyone with the current Android P beta. All you have to do is navigate to Settings > Sounds > Shortcut to Prevent Ringing and the illustration will appear to demonstrate one of the operating system’s new features.
The design, shown below, depicts a true edge-to-edge phone with no notch, just a slender rim around the perimeter of the display. If this is a teaser of what is to come with the Pixel 3, then Google would be the first big-name tech brand to unveil a completely notch-less smartphone. But, just like any leak, this image leaves many questions unanswered.
First and foremost, where are the front-facing camera and the speaker? Modern phones use the space provided by notches and bezels to incorporate these basic features to the front side of the device. But Google’s mock-up doesn’t include either. This means this illustration is only a generic diagram of a smartphone.
But, Google fans have good reason to believe this could be a legitimate leak. Last year Google released its Data Transfer Tool, and the animation demonstrating how it worked featured a mysterious smartphone, which ended up being the Pixel 2 XL.
Google has made a habit of launching new phones in October. Last year, the Pixel 2 was released on October 19, and the original Pixel went to market early in October 2016. This means we might have to wait a few more months before there’s any clarity on what the Pixel 3 will look like. Or wait for another leak.