Google 2017 Lineup Includes Pixel 2, Pixel XL 2 And A Non-Pixel Device: Report

Building up on its smartphone success, Google is not only launching two Pixel successors, but also a third phone without the Pixel branding. While the codenames for Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 leaked Tuesday, the codename for the third device emerged Wednesday in a Droid Life report.

The Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 have the codenames “Muskie” and “Walleye,” respectively, the third device comes with the codename “Taimen.” The report cited multiple sources corroborating the codename, but stated that exact details about the device are not available yet. This leaves room for interpretation.

Read: Pixel 2 Codenames Revealed

Taimen is the largest species in the salmon family. In comparison, Muskie and Walleye (which are also fishes) are much smaller. Google had codenamed the 6-inch Motorola Nexus 6 as Shamu, a popular name for killer whales, which are large in size. So, it appears that the third device could probably be a large-screen phone, a tablet or even a notebook.

Google has been giving its flagship devices codenames derived from aquatic creatures. The Galaxy Nexus had the codenames, Maguro and Toro, Japanese names for bluefin tuna. Similarly, the Nexus 7 tablet (first edition) was codenamed Grouper and Tilapia, both names for different species of fish, while Nexus 5 was codenamed Mako after a species of shortfin sharks. Similarly, the Nexus 5 was codenamed Hammerhead and the Nexus 5X was called Bullhead.

The company confirmed March 3 it will launch the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 in 2017. While it hasn’t confirmed anything about the devices’ specifications, they are expected to come with features such as an edge-to-edge display, a Snapdragon 835 processor, improved imaging capabilities, Daydream VR 2 support and Android O.

Read: Pixel 2 Expected Features

Could the third device be a reincarnation of the Nexus tablet? We don’t know yet, but it is possible since the tablet was last refreshed in 2013 and remains the only device in the Nexus series, apart from the Nexus phones that got a refreshed version. Other devices in the range, such as the Nexus Q and Nexus 10, were phased out after one generation.