Could the Pixel 7 be a triple threat? Newly discovered code seems to suggest that there's a third model of Google's flagship phone in the works.
If so, a Pixel 7 Ultra — or whatever Google calls this rumored third device — would be quite a departure from Google's normal pattern of smartphone releases. Typically, the company has only released two models — a standard version and a plus-sized variation that offers improved specs in some areas. And when Google teased the Pixel 7 earlier this month, it only showed off two phones, the regular Pixel 7 and a Pixel 7 Pro model.
Yet, when poking around the Android Open Source Project, 9to5Google's Kyle Bradshaw has spotted references to code names for the Pixel 7 Pro (C10) and Pixel 7 (P10). There's a third device in there, code-named G10, which has fueled speculation Google has another member of the Pixel 7 family up its sleeve.
The display data linked to the G10 model certainly suggests we're dealing with a high-end Google phone. The coding says the G10's screen would have a resolution of 3120 x 14440 with a 120Hz refresh rate. Those screen specs match the ones for the Pixel 6 Pro. Measurements of 163 x 79 mm would mean the G10 device is slightly bigger than the 164 x 76 mm Pixel 6 Pro.
That would seem to suggest this phone isn't related to Pixel's A Series phones, as 9to5Google reports that the code-name for the Pixel 7a is already accounted for in the code. There's a reference to another phone, though it's speculated that could be the long-rumored Pixel Fold, which is reportedly being delayed by Google.
That leaves a larger Ultra-sized model as the most likely possibility. If true, it would give Google a real competitor to the Galaxy S22 Ultra, which currently tops our best Android phone rankings. The Pixel 7 Pro, assumed to have a 6.7-inch display, is more comparable to the Galaxy S22 Plus, so presumably the third Pixel 7 model could provide a bigger screen option more comparable to the 6.8-inch S22 Ultra.
How else a Pixel 7 Ultra might differ from the other Pixel models is unclear. Google hasn't really revealed any specs about its fall flagship phones, other than to confirm that a new generation Tensor chip is going to power the Pixel 7 series. A 120Hz refresh rate would match what the Pixel 7 Pro is expected to offer, so other than a larger screen and potentially better cameras, there's not a lot of other remaining ways to differentiate the two larger Pixels.
There's a long way to go to get from code hinting at a new phone to an actual product launch. With the Pixel 7 devices not slated to arrive before the fall, that gives us plenty of time for more rumors to emerge that confirm the existence of a Pixel 7 Ultra alongside the two confirmed models.
