Google's Nexus lineup was widely cherished by both critics and Android fans alike because of the pure Android experience they offered. However, while the Nexus smartphones were always ahead of the game when it came to software, they always lagged behind in terms of hardware.
One of the main reasons behind this was the fact that the hardware was designed by third party manufacturer's like Huawei, LG and Samsung and not Google themselves. In 2016, eight long years after the introduction of Android, Google finally decided to take things in their own hands and enter the smartphone hardware game.
Designed as premium smartphones the Pixel is designed to represent Google's version of a perfect Android smartphone, with the hardware and software seamlessly working together.
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While the Pixel comes with stellar specifications and smart UI features such as Google Assistant, full resolution photo/video backup and 24/7 customer support, it has been plagued with problems such as LTE connectivity issues and microphone issues ever since launch.
Google has a lot to learn as a hardware manufacturer and all these issues will surely help Google make a better smartphone the next time around .
Here is everything we currently know about the Google Pixel 2:
Will remain a premium device
A few days ago, Google's head of hardware Rick Osterloh confirmed that Pixel devices will stay premium and there will not be a budget Pixel phone in the near future, with the company leaving lower price points for other hardware manufacturers.
The Google Pixel 2 promises to be a much more polished product t han its predecessor
He also hinted at a fall announcement for the Pixel 2 by saying " There is an annual rhythm in the industry. So, you can count on us to follow it. You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now."
Upgraded internals
Early rumours indicate that the Pixel 2 will be powered by Qualcomm's latest flagship processor - the Snapdragon 835.
The 10nm technology-based processor, which is expected to provide better performance and battery usage than the 821 will also be seen in competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
Water resistance
Unlike the Pixel, which came with a paltry IP53 rating, the second generation Pixel is expected to come with IP68 water/dust protection - the highest standard of water resistance currently available for smartphones.
Edge-to-edge QuadHD display
The display of the Pixel is expected to get a major bump in resolution - from 1080p (1080 x 1920) to QuadHD (1440 x 2560). Additionally, the device is also rumoured to come with an edge-to-edge display, much like the one found on the recently launched LG G6.
2017 is set to be the year the smartphone world ditches bezels as even the Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8 are expected to come with near bezel-less edge-to-edge screens.
RIP headphone jack
Google is also expected to follow in Apple's footsteps and ditch the headphone jack in the second generation Pixel.
A new unconfirmed rumour, based on "an internal Google document" is claiming that the upcoming Pixel 2 will come without a 3.5mm headphone jack. As with the Moto Z and LeEco's LeMax 2, Google is expected to route the audio through the smartphone's USB-C port
While these reports are not confirmed, it will be extremely ironic if they do drop it as Google made quite the fun of Apple's decision to drop the essential jack at the Pixel's launch event in 2016.
Android O
As with the Pixel and the now defunct Nexus line-up of smartphones, the Pixel 2 will launch with the next version of Android, which is expected to be unveiled at Google's 2017 I/O event on May 17.
Code named Android O, it is expected to come with certain smart features such as 'Copy Less' and on screen gestures.
Google is also expected to follow in Apple's footsteps and ditch the headphone jack in the second generation Pixel
Copy less will make it easier to copy text between apps. For example, if you are having a conversation with a friend regarding your upcoming Goa trip and you find a good flight on the Make My Trip app, when you go back to your conversation and type "the best flight is", Google will automatically list the flight names as suggestions in Gboard.
Dual Cameras
Just like the iPhone 7 and LG G6, the Pixel 2 is expected to come with a dual camera array at the back. While the camera on the current Pixel is not bad by any means, it does suffer from issues such as lens flare and lacks features like optical image stabilisation.
Google Assistant
As with the Google Pixel, the Pixel 2 will also come with Google's new AI bases voice assistant. However, having Google Assistant on board will not be much of a selling point for the Pixel 2 as Google has now released Assistant for all Android smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat and above.
Google's answer to the Siris and Cortanas of the world. Assistant builds upon Google Now's foundation but takes things up several notches.
Google Assistant can be used to open apps, text someone, play/pause music, call your friends, post a tweet, make movie reservations and much more. Where it pulls ahead of both Siri and Cortana is the fact that Assistant is extremely smart. The more you use it, the more useful it will become.
Features we want
We are mightily excited for the second generation of the Pixel and hope it comes with certain key features that the current Pixel lack such as optical image stabilisation, wireless charging and stereo speakers.
One thing is for sure, the Google Pixel 2 promises to be a much more polished product than its predecessor and we can't wait to see what Google comes up with.
Also Read: HTC U Ultra vs Google Pixel: Is HTC finally back in the game?
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