The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are almost upon us. Come October 4th, exactly one year after the original Pixel series launched to replace the Nexus line, Google will unveil a bunch of new devices including the HTC Pixel 2 and the LG Pixel 2 XL.
We already know plenty of details about both phones, as Google’s phones were never well-kept secrets. After a report earlier this week revealed some of the Pixel 2’s new tricks, a new leak shares more details about its bigger sibling, seemingly confirming the most recent leaks.
A source told xda-developers that the Pixel 2 XL has stereo speakers on the front, a feature that should help users cope with the death of the headphone jack. Don’t act surprised, since all the Pixel rumors we’ve already seen have said as much — Google is done with the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. xda’s source independently confirmed some of the Pixel 2 features mentioned by Android Police’s Artem Russakovskii a few days ago.
Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will offer a software-based Portrait Mode similar to what the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X do. But there’s no dual camera on the back. Instead, the phones will use software to blur the background. The Pixel Launcher is getting a redesign, complete with a search bar at the bottom.
A new Music Recognition feature will let the Pixel 2 phones listen for music playing in the background at all times. Whenever a song is detected, it will automatically show up on the lock screen. This sounds like Google built a new and improved Shazam into the Pixel 2’s Oreo software.
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 phones are also getting always-on displays, and the Pixel 2 will have a squeezable frame just like the HTC U11.
