pixel3xl
Latest
The notch on the Pixel 3 XL sucks
The deep notch on the Pixel 3 XL isn't a huge surprise. It was first revealed in leaked photos posted by an XDA forum user on June 6th. Some people hoped, or prayed, that it wasn't real or could somehow be fixed before the phone's release. But as more leaks trickled out, including Engadget's own sneaky peek, it became clear that the notch was frighteningly real. Today, Google revealed the phone and its smaller notch-free sibling, the Pixel 3, at a glitzy event in New York City. I can't help but feel a tad disappointed.
Here's all the new stuff Google's Pixel 3 phone cameras can do
The Pixel 2 had arguably the best smartphone camera on the market, and Google wants to make sure it stays that way. During its Pixel unveiling today, it introduced a raft of new camera features for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL smartphones, including an improved zoom, wider-angle camera, smile and blink detection, bokeh control and more -- all with just a single lens on the back. The quality is apparently good enough for Terrence Malick, who shot a video that was featured at the event, so it might be good enough for the rest of us, too. Some of the features are enabled with the fresh hardware, to be sure. There's a brand new 12.2-megapixel sensor on the back, with a sharper wide-angle lens to allow for zooming. On the front, you get a pair of wide-angle lenses in that large notch, letting you adjust the zoom level via a slider. However, most of the heavy lifting is done by Google's AI, which can handle HDR+ chores, merge multiple photos for zooming and low light and pick the best photo from a sequence. It's much more powerful than ever thanks to the Visual Core co-processor Google developed in conjunction with Intel. The chip powers more camera features than it did on the Pixel 2, and is powerful enough that you don't need to be online to get the benefits.
Google's Pixel 3 is $150 more expensive
Google's Pixel 3 phones sound like solid upgrades, but there's one change that might not have you racing to place an order: the price. The new Android flagships start at $799 for the base 5.5-inch phone, or a $150 jump over the Pixel 2. The Pixel 3 XL, meanwhile costs 'just' $50 more than its ancestor at $899. And you're not getting any additional storage for the money, either, since both the 2017 and 2018 Pixels start with 64GB of space. You'll now have to think considerably more carefully about leaping in, especially when the price gap between the regular and XL models has shrunk to just $100.
Google's phone-calling AI comes to Pixel phones in November
Do you want to be one of the first everyday users to try Google's phone-calling Duplex AI? You'd better have a Pixel device. Google has announced that Pixel users in the US will be the first to have access to the feature in November. If you live in Atlanta, New York City, Phoenix or the San Francisco Bay Area, Assistant will book restaurant reservations for you over the phone. It'll be available in more US cities "in the future" -- sorry, there's no word on international availability.
Google Pixel 3 XL hands-on (again): Everything you didn't already know
We technically already spent some time with the Pixel 3 XL outside a dinky electronics store in Hong Kong, but this is one of the most important phones of the year. So it definitely deserves a little more scrutiny. Thankfully, Google's presentation here in New York has just wound down, so it's time to take a closer look at what the company has managed to pull off this year. I already know what some of you are probably thinking: Can a phone that has been leaked this thoroughly actually offer any surprises? Well, maybe not. What has been surprising, though, is just how complete and competent the 3 XL feels despite the fact that Google mostly played it safe with this generation of hardware.
Google announces the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL
Google's press conference is well underway in NYC, and the most important order of business is formally announcing the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones. To say we're already acquainted with the devices would be an understatement. Between our own early hands-on with the XL, the left-in-a-Lyft incident and many other leaks, we knew what we were in for: A pair of handsets that, on the hardware front, are not really designed to break to new ground, but to update the Pixel brand for 2018.
Verizon posts full Pixel 3 product page ahead of Google event
Did we say that we'd seen the last Pixel 3 leak ahead of Google's event? Sorry, we were mistaken. Our parent company Verizon prematurely posted (and promptly removed) a product page for the Pixel 3 line that confirmed a few key details mere hours before the October 9th media gathering. You're likely all too familiar with the Pixel 3 XL's deeply notched display and dual front cameras (one for wide-angle shots and one for close portraits), but the page also confirmed what many suspected about the Pixel Stand. It provides fast wireless charging (up to 10W), but it also turns your Pixel 3 into a makeshift smart speaker that can control your home with either voice control or "one-touch shortcuts."
We're live from Google's 2018 Pixel event!
Just about every major phone maker has already unveiled the latest and greatest for 2018 -- now it's Google's turn. We're coming to you live from the heart of Tribeca, where the search giant is gearing up to show off a pair of new, thoroughly well-leaked smartphones, plus its long-awaited Pixel Slate and some fancy new Home hardware. That's a lot of new gadgetry to squeeze into a single press conference, and that's just the stuff we know about; with any luck, Google has managed to keep some goodies under lock and key this whole time. If nothing else, though, we're looking forward to getting some hands-on time with the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, especially after they've been so tantalizingly teased on Toronto's mass transit system.
Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL pictures leak for what might be the last time
Ahead of Google's Pixel 3 event tomorrow, the larger variant of its phone suffered multiple leaks before we got hands-on time with a retail boxed version over the weekend. Just to (hopefully) put a cap on things before the show starts, Evan Blass has posted pictures showing clear looks of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in white, black and a new "Pink Sand" color, as well as a clearer-than-ever look at the Pixel Slate with its keyboard attached.
The Pixel 3's most important feature needs to be reliability
Google's Pixel 2 was announced last October in two different flavors: a five-inch device made by HTC and a six-incher from LG. Unfortunately, both handsets had something of a rocky start, with the larger device seemingly riddled with flaws. In the past year, the company has been forced to push several software updates to fix problems it should have caught beforehand.
Google Pixel 3 XL hands-on in Hong Kong -- three days early
With some smartphones, it seems inevitable that the closer the launch date, the more leaky they get. Google's upcoming Pixel 3 series -- due to launch in New York next Tuesday -- is no exception, and I'm speaking as someone who had just gotten up close and personal with a Pixel 3 XL earlier today. I borrowed the phone from Hong Kong mobile shop WahPhone Digital, which is actually offering this fully-boxed device for a mere HK$15,880 or around US$2,030. Ouch.
Google's Pixel 3 might come in a mint flavor
Google's Pixel 3 phones have been some of the leakiest devices in recent memory, but there's at least one big question left.... what color options will you have? However, even that might not be much of a mystery. Google Japan has posted a "coming soon" teaser page that cycles through three colors when you click the company's "G" logo: black, white and (most importantly) mint green. Yes, you might get a phone with a color as fresh as chewing gum or mouthwash. The white graphic has mint accents, too, suggesting that (as leaks have indicated) even the white version will have a little splash of color.
Google will reveal its latest Pixel phones October 9th
Google has confirmed that its upcoming hardware event will take place October 9th in New York City at 11AM Eastern Time. The company is likely to reveal the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones, though plenty of leaks have given us a good idea of what Google has in store for its flagship Android handset this time around. They suggest that the display will have a deep notch, and the phone will probably have Qi wireless charging and an all-glass design. Other leaks suggested that the Pixel 3 will have a 5.5-inch screen, with a 2160x1080 resolution and a 2:1 aspect ratio.
The latest Pixel 3 leak came from the back of a Lyft
In a truly global smartphone market, unreleased devices leak all the time. It's become almost impossible for Apple, Samsung and other major handset manufacturers to keep designs, specifications and features of their latest flagship secret before their official launch. The same can be said for Google, which has seen its upcoming Pixel 3 launch beset by a number of leaks -- none more puzzling than having the larger model appearing in the back seat of a Lyft.
Feast your eyes on the Pixel 3
If the idea of a notch-riddled Pixel 3 XL has you down, rejoice: the smaller Pixel 3 is basically a shrunken down Pixel 2XL. That's if you believe the latest crop of leaked images, anyway. Yesterday, an anonymous Redditor posted a bunch of seemingly legitimate photos that show off the device from every angle. They line up with previous leaks, and are likely authentic. The images reveal a 5.5-inch display with a 2160x1080 resolution and a 2:1 aspect ratio. There are small screen bezels on the top and bottom, and Google's iconic matte and shiny dual-finish on the back.
Latest Pixel 3 XL leak shows wireless charging in action
There have been hints Google's Pixel 3 line would support wireless charging, but it now appears to be a virtual lock. Maxim Khoroshev has posted a video showing a Pixel 3 XL topping up on a wireless charger. While it's not exactly a dramatic event (the device plays an animation hinted at in earlier code), it suggests that Google phone fans will finally get the Qi charging they've missed since the Nexus days. The quick clip also supports notions that Google is using an all-glass back to make wireless power a viable option.
Google Pixel 3 XL leak hints at a deep display notch
Google's rumored (but really, expected) Pixel 3 XL may have become much more tangible. An XDA forum goer has posted photos of what appears to be a test unit for the Android P flagship, and it largely supports earlier leaks, including the edge-to-edge screen -- yes, there's an unusually deep notch with two front cameras. The rear is less polarizing, but the curvier-than-usual shape suggests there might be a glass back, or at least something slightly more fanciful than on Pixel 2 devices.
