Google Pixel final round-up: Expected features, release and price details

We are just a few hours away from Google's product launch event. It is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 am PDT (21:30 IST) on October 4 in Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco.

Unlike the previous years, 2016 is touted to be a game changer for the search engine giant, as the company, for the first time, will officially brand the new phones with Google moniker and ditch the Nexus line.

It has come to light that despite HTC being the manufacturer, it will not find any space for company's name on them, instead the products are said to come with Google Pixel and Pixel XL names.

We have leafed through many reliable reports and come up with a list of probable features, which are likely to make the cut in the upcoming Google Pixel series phones.

Design and Display:

Google's Pixel and Pixel XL versions internally known as HTC Sailfish and Marlin, respectively, will look identical. They are said to flaunt full-metal uni-body design language, but differ in screen sizes—one, with 5.0-inch having full HD (1920x108p) resolution and another with 5.5-inch display having QHD (2560x1440p) resolution.

Google Pixel: 143.8 x 69.5 x 8.6 mm and weigh 143g

Google Pixel: 154.7 x 75.7 x 8.6 mm and weigh 168g

Both the devices' screen is said to be based on energy efficient AMOLED and come with IP53 rating.

What's protected under IP53 ratings?

In IP53 certification, the numerical '5' suggests that the upcoming Google Pixel series devices cannot withstand certain dust particles from entering inside the device, but it will assure that it won't affect phone's operation.

On the other hand, numerical '3' indicates that if water is sprayed at an angle up to 60-degree from the up, it will have no harmful effect on the phone.

To sum it up, Google Pixel series owners can answer call during rain, but cannot take it for a dip in the swimming pool.

Read more: Complete details on Google Pixel series' IP ratings

Processor, RAM and Storage:

Google Pixel and XL will house Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 821 quad-core processor, which is said to be 10 percent more efficient than the Snapdragon 820 found in current crop of flagships such as OnePlus 3, Samsung Galaxy Note7 ( & Galaxy S7 series), LG V20 (& G5), HTC 10 and others.

It will be backed by Adreno 530 GPU, 4GB RAM and 32GB/128GB internal storage.

Another key improvement in this department is that Google has incorporated microSD slot with expansion up to 256GB storage, which was sorely missed in all the previous Nexus series phones.

Mobile Operating System:

As per latest reports, Google's new Pixel and Pixel XL will come with the new Android v7.1 Nougat out-of-the-box. They will also come pre-loaded with Google Duo video chatting app and the Allo messaging app with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Google Assitant.

Camera:

Like SoC (System-on-Chip) hardware, Google Pixel and XL will have same camera module. Both are said to feature 12MP camera with 1.55um pixel lens, f/2.0 aperture, OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) on the back and an 8MP snapper on the front.

Price:

As per numerous reports, Google Pixel and Pixel XL's prices are expected to start at $450 (approx. €404/RS. 30,195) and 600 (roughly €538/Rs. 40,260), respectively.

Release:

Going by the previous release patterns, Google Pixel series is expected to be made available for purchase on the launch day in select markets via Play store and eventually release it in third-party retail stores in other regions.

Rumours are rife that Google might also launch new tablets and convertible notebooks powered by the new Andromeda OS.

Watch this space for more updates.

Expected specifications of Google Pixel and Pixel XL:

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