Google Pixel 2 Leaked Photo Confirms Return Of Thick Bezels

Google is expected to announce the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 later this year, and now it looks like we have our first look at the smaller successor to the original Pixel. The leaked photos of the Pixel 2 appear to confirm the presence of large bezels on the upcoming flagship.

The live photos of the Google Pixel 2 were first shared online by GSM Arena. They show the front and back of the upcoming handset, and it they seem to confirm previous rumors that the device will be very similar to the original Google Pixel.

The first photo shows two Pixel 2 handsets side-by-side with their thick top and bottom bezels on full display. The live photo also matches Steve Hemmerstoffer’s (@OnLeaks on Twitter) CAD render for the Pixel 2 from a couple of weeks ago.

READ: Google Pixel XL 2 Release Date Specs May Include Common Mobile Trends​

This might disappoint some users that were expecting a bezel-less design for the Pixel 2. Android Police released a render of the Pixel XL 2 last month, and that handset does have significantly thinner bezels. It looks like Google’s strategy is to offer up two flagship smartphones this year with a clear design difference between the two handsets.

Although the thick bezels on the Pixel 2 might turn off some people, it does look like it has a distinct advantage. It appears as though the bezels will house a set of front-facing speakers that’s very reminiscent of the Google Nexus 6P and the Nexus 5X.

When Google first announced the original Pixel phones last year, it’s thick bezels never really had a purpose; it was just there. Now, it looks like Google is bringing back the bezels for the Pixel 2, but it’s adding something that users might actually want.

For the back of the Pixel 2, it looks identical with the back panel of the Pixel XL 2, as pointed out by Android Authority. The glass window is smaller with the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor sitting right outside of it. There’s the larger camera module sitting right next to the LED flash.

The back of the Pixel 2 is heavily covered with labels and tape, which might be an attempt to cover up any identifying marks. As pointed out by XDA, this is most likely a developer device, and the person who leaked these photos could get in trouble with Google if he/she were to be identified.

READ: Pixel 2, XL 2 Rumors: Renders Show Google Phones Without Headphone Jack​

The newly leaked photos of the Pixel 2 also match the photos that VentureBeat reporter Evan Blass shared last week. Blass also stated that both the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 won’t feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Pixel 2 will be manufactured by HTC, while LG will be handling the Pixel XL 2. HTC is also believed to be responsible for the front-facing speakers on both devices, as well as the squeeze sensitive frames it popularized with the HTC U11’s Edge Sense feature.

There’s no word yet on when Google will officially unveil the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2, but it’s likely that they might be announced this October. The original Pixel phones were announced during Google’s Oct. 4 Event in San Francisco, California last year.