Google Pixel 3 XL: Five Rumours You Need To Know

Leaked images of the Google Pixel 3 XL are doing the rounds and it’s a case of good news and bad news. While the device isn’t expected to hit the market until October – which means it could change a bit from what we’re seeing today – it’s clear Google has made some clear design decisions with the Pixel 3 XL.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/06/its-official-pixel-3-is-getting-a-notch/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/05/pixel-410×231.jpg” title=”It’s Practically Official: Pixel 3 Is Getting A Notch” excerpt=”Last week, we reported on a leaked Google Pixel 3 XL screen protector that had an iPhone X-esque notch on top. Now, an alleged photo of the actual phone has appeared online – and that telltale little rectangle is plain as day. We’re all going to have to get used to notches – they’re here to stay.”]

#1 The notch

When Apple went edge-to-edge with the iPhone X, they were faced with a compromise; how to fit the camera and sensor array into the front of there device given there’s no bezel. They decided to create a partial top-bezel that takes up about half of the top section of the display. That lead to the infamous notch which was panned by many at the time.

Based on leaked images that were first published on XDA Forums, it seems that the notch is 100% official, as we predicted recently. Forbes says Google has confirmed the leaked image as genuine.

It looks quite a bit smaller than Apple’s version but it’s there.

#2 Dual front facing cameras

The leaked images revel that the notch will be holding a pair of front-facing cameras which should make your selfies and video calls much sharper.

#3 No headphone jack

The prototyype lacks a headphone jack – the days of the 3.5mm jack are definitely numbered. There was some hope Google would reverse their decision from the Pixel 2 but it seems the headphone jack is definitely gone.

#4 Specs

A look at the boot loader on the leaked images reveals that we can expect a model with 128GB of storage and 4GB of memory. The storage is a safe bet given the current model has 64GB and 128GB variants. Given the nature of the smartphone market, and Apple’s iPhone X offering 256GB, I think we can expect Google to follow suit.

That memory and storage will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 SoC processor, which is a step up on the current Snapdragon 835.

#5 Wireless charging

Now that the Qi standard has won out as the dominant wireless charging protocol, we’ll see it added to more and more devices. The Pixel 3 XL will get wireless charging according to the latest product leaks on the XDA Developer forums.