The countdown to a new Google Pixel 2 next month seems to be marked with interesting leaks. And it's not just the new Pixel that's getting its share of attention. Images recently surfaced showing what looks to be the new Google Pixel and Pixel XL with a redesigned Google Daydream View and a smaller Google Home speaker.
Here's what we know, courtesy of reports from DroidLife, leading up to Google's October 4 press event.
The biggest of the leaks (literally) is the Pixel 2 XL, made by LG, which will launch in two different color schemes: “Just Black” and “Black and White.” Both mix matte and shiny pieces, while the black and white one also features a coral button, and kind of looks like a cookie. This leaked photo is in line with an earlier leaked image of a Pixel 2 XL render from this summer.
The Pixel XL successor, expected to feature a 6-inch display according to other rumors, will start at $849 for 64GB of storage and cost $949 for 128GB. If you don’t want to pay up front, Google will offer 24-month financing.
MORE: The Best Google Home Commands
If you prefer your phones a little smaller, the HTC-built Pixel 2 may be more your style. It will arrive in “Just Black,” “Clearly White,” and “Kinda Blue,” the latter of which should be taken literally, as it's more of a periwinkle. For 64GB of storage, it will run you $649, while the 128GB option will reportedly cost $749. These, too, will be available for financing over the course of two years.
Droid-Life only has photos of the backs of the phones, which show that they will all boast fingerprint readers and single cameras. Competitors, like Samsung’s Note 8, the LG V30 and the iPhone 8 Plus use dual cameras, so we’re curious to see how Google will use software to keep up. (Samsung’s smaller phones, the S8 and S8+, still use singular rear shooters, so Google’s not alone here.) We haven’t seen the fronts of the phones, but we’re hoping to see the Pixel lines lose some of their chunky bezels. We imagine the new phones will ship with Android Oreo, the latest version of the operating system.
Meanwhile, Google Home may have just gotten a hell of a lot more adorable. Hoping to give the Amazon Echo Dot some direct competition, Google looks like it's rolling out the Home Mini, which is a smaller, cuter take on the Google Home if DroidLife's leak is anything to go by. Priced at $50, Home Mini will let you access Google Assistant similar to how the Echo Dot summons Alexa. However, Google Home Mini is going to need to be plugged in at all times, unlike the Dot.
MORE: LG G6 vs. Google Pixel: LG Crushes in Camera Face-Off
Design-wise, it looks like the majority of the Home Mini will be swathed in fabric and available in three colors: "Charcoal," "Chalk" and "Coral." Outside of a few top-mounted LEDs, there doesn't appear to be any discernible buttons.
On the virtual reality front, Google's giving the new Daydream View a bit of a makeover, based on DroidLife's report. Similar to last year's model, the new device will be made of a fabric of some sort. It doesn't look like the jersey-based cloth the company used last year, but we'll get the final answer sometime in October. The new Daydream View is reportedly priced at $99, which is a bit more expensive than the original $79 model.
The new headset will be available in "Charcoal," "Chalk" and "Coral," which would match the rumored colors for the Google Home Mini. The hand-friendly controller is also making a return and will most likely reside in an interior compartment found along the front flap.
