Google’s Pixel is intended to rival the iPhone. Tightly coupled with Android, it’s Google’s first attempt to design its own smartphone hardware. The result has been generally very well received, although there’s still room for improvement. This year’s Pixel 2 is meant to fill in the gaps to create an even better device.
Google is concentrating on improving camera and CPU performance, 9to5Google reported today. The company is said to be developing multiple test versions of the Pixel 2 using different processors. Some have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 inside, a typical choice for 2017’s flagship phones. Others contain Intel silicon though, potentially making the Pixel 2 one of few Android phones with Intel Inside.
Google could further distinguish the Pixel by choosing to use Intel’s chips. Qualcomm’s dominance in the smartphone sector has led to most high-end phones using the same processor each year. Intel’s alternatives now offer similar performance, although the Snapdragon is generally more powerful overall.
As well as Qualcomm and Intel options, Google is reportedly working on a version of the Pixel that uses a custom chipset it has designed. The role of this chipset is currently uncertain and it may not be used in the final product. In yet another alternative, Google was also collaborating with MediaTek on the Pixel 2. This agreement is now said to have ended.
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As well as a new processor, the Pixel 2 will launch with an upgraded camera for better photographs in low light conditions. Rather than increase the megapixels, Google is working to optimise other aspects of the imaging hardware. It will “compensate in extra features” for the lack of a high-megapixel sensor.
These changes won’t come cheap though. Google is expected to raise the price of the Pixel 2 over the original phone, adding “at least” $50 to all models. The Pixel has already faced criticism for its pricing so the increase isn’t likely to be received well. Google is said to be developing a solution for this too, a lower-cost Pixel that will cater for people reluctant to splash out on the main device.
The Pixel “2B” will be a budget-level phone “significantly cheaper” than the Pixel 2. Google is reportedly testing prototypes of the device with various chipsets, optimising its hardware choices both for performance and for price. As ever, details may change before the public release.
The launch of any new Pixel phone is likely to be months away and Google is still developing the new models. Last year, the company chose October for its Pixel unveil. Tech companies tend to release products on a regular schedule so the Pixel 2 should release around the same time this year.
