Pixel XL Might Be Google's Most Expensive Smartphone Yet; Will Ship With Snapdragon 821 Chip

Google is expected to unveil the new Pixel Nougat smartphones next month, specifically on Oct. 4. A new rumor is circulating that the higher-end Pixel XL might just be Google’s most expensive smartphone yet.

The Pixel XL is said to cost $649, according to Android Police reporter David Ruddock. There’s no information yet on whether this will be the official price for the handset’s 32GB or 128GB model. If the $649 price tag is for the 32GB model, then it would be on par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5 and the HTC 10, as pointed out by Android Headlines.

If that price is actually intended for the Pixel XL’s 128GB model, then it would simply match last year’s Nexus 6P. The Nexus 6P sells for $499 (32GB), $549 (64GB) and $649 (128GB).

This new rumor is also accompanied by new information that Google will be changing up its storage variants for the upcoming Pixel smartphones. Last year, the Nexus 6P was available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. Now it appears as though the company will only be offering the two storage options of 32GB and 128GB for both the Pixel and the Pixel XL.

Despite the potentially more expensive price tag and the absence of a 64GB variant, there is one silver lining to this: Google's new Pixel smartphones will have Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 821 processor.

If this is true, then the Pixel and the Pixel XL will be the first devices shipped in the U.S. using the fastest and newest processor from Qualcomm, as pointed out by BGR. The only other smartphone to have that processor is the Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe, but that is currently only available in Taiwan.

Google will be unveiling the Pixel and Pixel XL next month, but numerous leaks have already outed what the new smartphones would look like. This past weekend, Android Authority published a video on YouTube showing a 360-degree render of the Pixel.

Earlier today, Android Pure also posted pictures of the Pixel XL. It shows the handset inside a clear case. The photos were originally posted on the Chinese social media website Weibo.