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Pixel 2 leak: Google’s 2017 flagship phone belongs in 2016

Published Aug 8th, 2017 10:08AM EDT

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When HTC announced the U11 back in May, BGR had a chat with the company about one of the worst aspects of the phone’s design. Rather than adopt a newer configuration that maximizes the display-to-body ratio, HTC’s new flagship phone still had massive bezels above and beneath the screen. When we asked HTC why it stuck with the dated design, the company explained that it was due in large part to the fact that HTC doesn’t have its own display arm like Samsung and LG. These companies can develop new display technology that is custom tailored to their needs. Meanwhile, as a small phone vendor, HTC has no choice but to stay behind the curve a bit when it comes to certain components.

The huge bezels on the U11 are a bit of a disappointment on an otherwise stunning smartphone. And now, Android fans will get to relive that disappointment when Google’s new Pixel 2 hits store shelves in the coming months. As has been rumored, it looks like the new HTC-made Pixel 2 will have huge bezels just like last year’s model.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL leaks have kicked into high gear lately, which makes sense as we draw closer to the phones’ unveiling in the coming months. Just yesterday we saw real-life photos of Google’s Pixel 2 for the first time, though they weren’t the best quality since they were spy shots.

Today, a blog called Phone Arena has taken what it claims are “CAD blueprints and leaked live photos of the device,” and used them to create renders of the Google Pixel 2. While the blog does concede that some small details might be off, these new renders likely give us a good idea of what to expect from the Pixel 2 once Google releases it this fall. The phone is also shown in several different colors including black, silver, blue, and even red, though it’s not known at this time exactly which colors Google has planned for the Pixel 2.

Here are a few of the renders posted on Tuesday morning:

Image source: Phone Arena
Image source: Phone Arena
Image source: Phone Arena
Image source: Phone Arena
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 15 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.