The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL – what we know so far.

Leaks, Rumours and the Black Market.

Google’s latest handset and follow up to the popular Pixel 2 is rumoured to be launched on October 9th- according to Bloomberg.

The Pixel and Pixel 2 were both announced around this time last year and the year before, October 4th 2016 and 2017.

There have long been leaks and rumours circulating online of what the handset might offer. Leaks have centered mostly on the XL version of the device.

Google’s Pixel 3 – the follow up to the popular Pixel 2 is rumoured to be launched on October 9th- according to Bloomberg. Image: @wylsacom via Twitter

Leaks on the Pixel 3 XL

Leaks have been so extensive that someone has even published an unboxing of the device on YouTube.

9to5google.com, a top influencer in the tech community for leaks has reported that Pixel 3 Xl devices have found their way into the black market in Ukraine.

The handsets are reportedly changing hands for as much as $2,000 each.

Earlier in the month, a Ukrainian blogger got their hands on Pixel 3 XL as well as the production box, manuals and bundled earbuds.

Google’s Pixel 3 – the follow up to the popular Pixel 2 is rumoured to be launched on October 9th- according to Bloomberg. Image: @wylsacom via Twitter

Units were advertised as being for sale, with a pick-up point in London via a shady Telegram account.

All this while Google has yet to even announce the phone, much less schedule a release.

Rumoured Pixel 3 stats and features

OS

Despite not being the first devices to get the new Android Pie update, the Pixel 3 handsets will more than likely launch with the newest version of Android.

The Notch

Similar to the iPhone X, and the plethora of copies that spawned from it, the Pixel 3 will have quite a sizeable notch in the top portion of the device to house frontal cameras and speakers/microphones.

Google’s Pixel 3 – the follow up to the popular Pixel 2 is rumoured to be launched on October 9th- according to Bloomberg. Image: @wylsacom via Twitter

Screen

The 3 and 3 XL will feature 5.3-inch sand 6.2-inch screens respectively. An increase on the sizes of the Pixel 2 /2XL. Hopefully Google has learned from the ‘burn-in’ faults of the Pixel 2 OLED screens.

Processor and Memory

So far the expected stats for the device are an Octacore Qualcomm CPU (Likely a Snapdragon 845), an Adreno 630 GPU as well as a hefty 4GB RAM.

Cameras

Bloomberg reported that the 3 XL will have two front facing cameras, and a single backwards facing camera, moving away from the recent two rear-facing camera status-quo.

Sales

Unlike previous years, where HTC and LG have been contracted to produce Google’s handsets, smartphone manufacturer Foxconn looks to be working directly with Google on the Pixel 3s.

Legitimate prices are estimated to be around the same as the Pixel 2, which launched at 64GB Pixel 2 for $649 and the Pixel 2 XL for $849.

Rumours even circulate of a third, premium Pixel device, to take on the $999 iPhone X….