Google could have three Pixel handsets in store for late 2017

Launched in fall 2016, Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are currently available in the U.S., Germany, Australia, Canada and the U.K., and are coming to India soon. Image: Google via AFP Relaxnews

Google could be working on three different versions of its next-generation Pixel smartphone, reports the Droid Life website, although there’s no word yet on what to expect from the spec sheets.

The upcoming Pixel line will apparently still include 5″ and 5.5″ models (codenamed “Walleye” and “Muskie”), but these could now be joined by a larger and even more ambitious version, codenamed “Taimen”.

This makes an interesting parallel with rumors surrounding the next-generation iPhone, which point to two “classic” 4.7″ and 5.5″ versions, plus a more show-stopping 5.8″ model with a slightly curved OLED screen.

Expected at the end of 2017, Google’s new Pixels are likely to be dust- and water-resistant. The firm is also reportedly working on boosting the camera’s low-light performances, although it’s unclear whether that will be achieved by hardware modifications to the sensor or through changes to the built-in software. The camera is already a major selling point for Google’s current Pixel handsets, billed as the “highest-rated smartphone camera ever.”

Google presented and launched its first range of Pixel smartphones in fall 2016, with two high-end handsets (5-inch and 5.5-inch models) boasting a stylish design, a super-fast latest-gen processor and a top-end camera, designed to get the best out of Android Nougat.

At launch, Pixel smartphones were positioned as direct rivals for the Samsung Galaxy S7 or Apple’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, although they only went on sale in selected countries.

Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are currently available in the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, and are coming to India soon. JB