Google surprised fans with a big Pixel 7 reveal at I/O 2022 a few months ago, confirming the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro rumored design. This was only a teaser, meant to put a stop to the increasing number of Pixel 7 leaks. Google did not formally announce the Pixel 7 phones, nor did it start taking orders. Yet soon after that, someone purchased the Pixel 7 Pro on Facebook. And the phone is still on sale online despite not being officially released.
When will Google launch the Pixel 7?
Google launches new Pixel models every October. That’s when preorders begin, with Google shipping the new handsets to early adopters in the weeks after that. But Pixel phones leak online many months before sales start. The same goes for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
The 2022 Pixels leaked well before the I/O event in mid-May. While the design and specs leaks were not surprising, the online sale of Pixel 7 prototypes certainly was.
A buyer revealed in early June they were able to purchase a Pixel 7 Pro online from Facebook Marketplace. They used the device for a few weeks before Google wiped the handset remotely. All this happened a few days after Pixel 7 units appeared to be on sale on eBay.
These independent and unofficial Pixel 7 sales indicated that someone had access to early Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro prototypes that they could sell online.
A month later and Google’s upcoming Pixels are still available online.
The new Pixel 7 Pro sale story is similar to the last one. A person got a Pixel 7 Pro from Facebook Marketplace, although they thought they were buying a Pixel 6 Pro unit. After two months of waiting, the handset arrived, surprising the buyer. It was a brand new Pixel 7 Pro, which isn’t available for sale from Google.
Pixel 7 Pro mysterious online sales
The images the buyer provided show that the Pixel 7 Pro came in a prototype case that hid most of the phone’s design elements. The Pixel 7 Pro is nearly identical to its predecessor, but you can tell the two apart with ease.
The horizontal camera bump is what helps you identify them. The Pixel 7 Pro’s camera module is made of metal, featuring cutouts for the three cameras. The Pixel 6 Pro has a glass camera bump.
The buyer also posted images showing the Pixel 7 Pro codename and Android OS version. This “cheetah” prototype runs Android 13 out of the box. Well, it ran the brand new Android version, as Google remotely wiped this unit as well.
The person who posted the Pixel 7 Pro photos suspects the shipper made a mistake. Instead of a slightly used Pixel 6 Pro, they sent a Pixel 7 Pro prototype. If this is accurate, then it means people already have access to Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro stock several months before the phone’s release date.
Before you get too excited about scoring an early Pixel 7 Pro sale online, you should know that Google can and will remotely wipe these devices. This is the second time it has happened that we know of. Your best bet is just waiting for October when the phones will officially go on sale.
More Pixel coverage: For more Pixel news, visit our Pixel 7 guide.
