Well, looks like Google doesn’t want leaks to spoil the mystery around the Pixel 6. Detailed renders of the Pixel 6 and its Pro sibling are already floating on the internet. And if the history of Pixel phones is any indication, the floodgates of leaks won’t be closing anytime soon. So, why not do the deed on its own? Well, Google may have just teased the launch date of the Pixel 6 series during the I/O 2021 keynote. So, when’s the big day? September 30, likely.
September 30 is when the Pixel 6 series likely makes its debut
As per the slides shown during Google’s Android 12 presentation, September 30 is the date proudly on display. Is it a confirmation? NO. But brands have been using such cheeky teasers for potential product announcements in the past too, and Google is no exception. Or, it might just be a random date. But September 30 does fall in line with the usual launch schedule of Pixel phones, and it is around the same time frame when Android 12 is rolled out via the stable channel.
As for the Pixel 6 series, some big changes are coming. For the first time, Google is ditching the ‘XL’ format and is embracing the more mainstream vanilla and Pro model scheme. It is also an indication that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won’t just differ in size, but there will be some differences in the specifications too. And if the leaked renders are anything to go by, the key difference between the two phones will be their camera hardware. The Pixel 6 can be seen rocking two rear cameras, while the Pixel 6 Pro is shown flaunting three camera lenses.
Rumors suggest that one of those might employ a folded lens or periscope camera system for delivering a higher optical zoom range. Some sketchy leaks also claim that Google’s upcoming phones will finally ditch the 12MP sensor we’ve seen on almost every recent Pixel phone, in favor of a more powerful 50MP snapper. Other likely hardware perks include a high-refresh-rate display and support for wireless charging. On the inside, we might see a custom-designed Google chip codenamed Whitechapel.
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[UPDATE: A previous version of the article incorrectly mentioned a Snapdragon chip. The error is regretted.]