Google is poised to unveil its next couple of flagships this October, but as usual, leaks are already surfacing months ahead.
These latest leaks are a couple of photos shared on the XDA Developers forums, showing what's allegedly a prototype version of the Pixel 3 XL. The two images, featuring the phone's front and back panels, could very well be the first real glimpse at the Pixel 3 XL.
The most striking thing featured on the front panel is a notch, meaning Google is indeed joining the notch design trend. Thanks to several previous leaks, the notch-and-chin design doesn't really come much of a surprise, though. These images also give additional credence to screen protector designs leaked near the end of May, which first revealed the notch design.
Pixel 3 XL Design
Not much has changed on the back. The placement of the camera, flash, and fingerprint sensor is pretty much identical to this year's model, and generally, the aesthetic seems to be the same — in fact, there's still the partly glossy finish covering the upper half of the phone, a signature Pixel design.
These images also confirm a few other details: last week's rumors said the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are going to sport dual front-facing cameras, and that's certainly true of these leaked images. Fastboot Mode information shown onscreen also confirms that a 128 GB model is coming, and the phones apparently will have 4 GB of RAM. Interestingly, it says the phone is named "crosshatch," which lines up with the suspected codenames for Pixel 3 devices in development: crosshatch, albacore, and blueline.
Again, Google isn't going to make an announcement until Oct. 4, presumably during a special hardware event similar to the ones it held last two years. But surely before that a number of leaks will come out, including high-resolution 3D renders and a full specs sheet, because that's the norm these days — nothing ever gets past sneaky and clever leakers.
Mid-Range Pixel Phone
That being said, there might still be surprises in store. Previous rumors have suggested that aside from the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, Google is also working on a third phone for the midrange market, which may or may not be announced alongside the two main flagships. Make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
Thoughts about the leaked Pixel 3 XL prototype photos? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
