Rumor mill: Google’s phone ambitions seem pretty serious this time around. We’ve heard about the company’s new in-house custom SoC debuting on this year’s Pixel, and if these renders turn out to be accurate, Google could also be doing away with the safe, restrained design language that’s been a hallmark of the series ever since it dropped the iconic Nexus brand.
Remember the Google Nexus 6P? The Huawei-made phone had a horizontal black glass bar on the back housing its camera, NFC, and various antennas. That bold design appears to be the inspiration for Google’s upcoming Pixel 6, which is expected to release this fall.
The unofficial renders come from leaker Jon Prosser and are said to be based on real-life images of the phone. Interestingly, Google is also returning to the regular and XL-sized lineup for its Android flagship. The company skipped it on last year’s Pixel 5, and this time, the larger phone will likely be getting an iPhone-like ‘Pro’ moniker instead of XL.
We could see more of Google’s upcoming hardware, including the Pixel Watch, at the company’s virtual I/O event tomorrow
Based on these renders, it looks like the Pixel 6 ‘Pro’ will add a third lens to the regular phone’s dual-camera setup. Google’s imaging software has previously put Pixel cameras on the podium even with single lens/older sensor setups. This year’s hardware/software package might pull it ahead of the latest Galaxies, iPhones, and Huawei rivals.
As with nearly all bezel-less phone designs, there’s limited room for change on the front. These renders show Google could opt for an in-display fingerprint scanner for the Pixel 6, in addition to relocating the punch-hole camera from the left (on the Pixel 5) to the center for a Samsung-like design.
With a custom SoC rumored to debut inside the upcoming Pixel 6, Google seems equally committed to making its flagship phone interesting on the outside.