According to speculations, Google will be entering a new phase for its smartphone lineup. Reportedly, the new flagships will be rebranded as Pixel.
In an exclusive, Android Police stated that independent sources confirmed that Google will be ditching the Nexus name for its upcoming flagships. The industry follower also mentions that the HTC-made iterations will be rebranded as Pixel and Pixel XL.
Accordingly, the new Google Pixel will be the smaller 5.0-inch Sailfish, while the larger 5.5-inch Marlin will get the Pixel XL name.
However, the industry follower also stated that to date, it is still unclear on whether Google will discontinue the Nexus franchise. Even with the new Pixel brand, Google may already be thinking of expanding its smartphone lineup, and may still come out with Nexus additions in the future. There are also talks that the rebranded flagships are to unify the Google brand, since there are already flagship Pixel slates and hybrids. This has already been done recently by Lenovo when it acquired Motorola Mobility. The tech maker chose to come out with an entirely new lineup, the Moto Z. However, Lenovo also promised to continue the Moto series' previous flagship lineup, the Moto X, with a 2016 edition reportedly already in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, the new Pixel and Pixel XL flagship phones, aside from having different display dimensions, will reportedly have similar specs. Purported features and under the hood details which are listed in previous leaks include a Snapdragon 820 processor paired with 4GB of RAM, new camera tech for its 12MP/7MP back and front shooters, and Android Nougat 7.0 right out of their boxes. As for its design, it is said that the new HTC-made flagships will have similar profiles with the HTC A9, which means that it will also have an iPhone-like body.
According to speculations, Google will debut the new flagships on Oct. 4.
