Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 to launch on October 4, suggests Google billboard

Pixel XL 2 design

The biggest design lead we have so far comes from a render pulled together by Android Police that shows what the Pixel XL 2 might look like. It very much looks like an evolution of the 2016 Pixel, but in this XL form said to be made by LG, shrinking that glass panel on the rear so the fingerprint scanner sits in the metal back.

The big change here is a shift in aspect to 18:9 on that display, which we'll talk about below, but resulting in shrinking the bezels top and bottom of the display. We've seen this design also flaunted by MySmartPrice, teaming up with @onleaks to provide a render based on dimensions passed to case manufacturers.

Pixel 2 design

While the Pixel XL 2 had those renders, little was known about what the smaller model would offer. Thought to be built by HTC, we now have a image for that device too, thanks to a VentureBeat report from Evan Blass, who also shared the image on Twitter.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2: Display

• Pixel XL 2: 5.99-inch 18:9 AMOLED display, 2960 x 1440 pixels
• Pixel 2: 4.97-inch 16:9 display, 1920 x 1080 pixels

With two Pixel models on offer giving you the choice of 5.0 or 5.5-inches, we're not really looking for a huge change. We also wouldn't expect a shift in resolution. The 2560 x 1440 pixels offered gives you the detail when magnified in a Daydream headset, it's crisp and sharp in all things.

There are rumours of changing the display aspect, however, very much in the style of LG and Samsung's 2017 flagships.

Pixel XL 2 (Taimen)

However, the report from XDA suggests that the new Pixel XL 2 will have a 5.99-inch display, but only mentions a 1440p resolution. That could see a shift back to Nexus 6 sizes, or a be a shift in aspect: the Galaxy S8+ is 6.2-inch in 18.5:9, but has 2960 x 1440 pixels.

The report from Android Police suggests a shift to an 18:9 AMOLED display for the Taimen, or Pixel XL 2 and gives a 6-inch size. This is reflected in shrinking bezels for the display in the images above, but also ties in with the 5.99-inches suggested by XDA previously, so is starting to sound legitimate.

We're now seeing renders appearing in cases on retailer sites too, like the image below from Mobilefun which shows an imagined Pixel XL 2 in a case.

XDA also reports that the display on the XL 2 will have an "always on" option, so can be set to show notifications or useful information even when the phone is switched off