In some recent news, we learned that Google is finally retiring the Nexus title from its list of names for hardware under the big G. The timing of this change is somewhat fitting, because HTC built the first Nexus smartphone and once again HTC’s hardware will be the first phones under the Pixel family.
Nexus phones are dead
Until last week, rumors weren’t solid enough to say the Nexus title was being replaced and there wasn’t enough evidence to suggest what Google was shifting towards. Since 2010, Google has released 8 phones under the Nexus family name with HTC’s Nexus One being the very first. Coincidentally, HTC also shifted away from the primary name of its smartphones. The HTC 10 is the first US flagship device missing the name “One”.
Enter Pixel and Pixel XL
According to the source for this article, two separate sources confirmed HTC’s next phones for Google will be specifically called the Pixel and Pixel XL. Both phones are rumored to have similar specs differentiating when it comes to the screen size; Pixel = 5″ screen & Pixel XL = 5.5″ screen.
The Pixel One and Pixel One XL would have been fitting names for Google/HTC love-children!
HTC has been very comfortable with the 5″ screen size only going up to 5.2″ with the HTC 10. While a couple of phones have breached this comfort zone, they’ve lacked the premium specs the Pixel XL will deliver.
Google’s phone names will settle with us for now, but what will future phones carrying the Pixel title look like. Will new additions continue with Pixel and Pixel XL? Will they add a number to the end like the Nexus 4, 5, 6? Will the selected manufacture have any input?
Official Announcement
In another article from our source for this post, AndroidPolice.com shares that October 4th looks like a very possible date that Google will reveal these Pixel phones to the public. A location has yet to be set and who knows how soon they will be available, but we’ll be sure to pass along the specifics as soon as we hear something. Cheers to October 4th!
Google Daydream
Alongside the Pixel phones to be announced will be Google’s own Daydream VR headset. We’d hoped HTC would also be producing this gem hardware wise. We do know that Daydream will feature a joystick and that HTC does have some focus on this with it’s latest announcement of Viveport; a VR market delivered by HTC that supports multiple types of VR hardware.
What will Google call its first Daydream VR device? How about Pixel Dream?
Source: AndroidPolice
If the 5 inch version has metal chassis and stereo front speakers I can consider upgrading my trusty, smooth and beautiful htc one m8.
I too still have the M8. I think I’m ready for the XL.
I though that being a HTC Fan and the owner of this blog you would have upgrade to the HTC 10…why didn’t you, might I ask?
Cheers
I’m not the owner of this site. I only contribute when I can. Though I can’t comment specifically which phones, I’ve been part of the HTC Preview program and have had quite a few HTC phones in my hands for months before they were available to the public. I think the 10 is an excellent phone, but a gut feeling caused me to wait and see what would come out later this year. Plus I’ve spent a lot of money on the Vive and computer to run VR this year.
Yeah, me too. I also bought the Vive and a 500 euros Nvidia 1070 GPU. And I live in a country where the minimum wage is 600 euros so it was a big decision to make 😉
But, most of all, while I am a tech geek and always crave for the latest piece of tech out there for the first time in my life I am still almost has pappy with my M8 has I was when I got it, 2 years ago, so it´s hard for me to convince myself that it´s worth spending another 600 euros on a new smartphone. But I´m sick of the Android Updates fragmentation issue and if HTC delivers a great Nexus (or should I say Pixel) I will consider upgrading.
Can’t wait to get one!
Awesome! What’s your current phone?
lol…
I’m also have M8.Skipped 10 for marlin because when htc and google team up there is always a perfect result.
I adore htc and google. Rest are not my type.
So it’s settled, my next phone will be an HTC. Looking forward to the announcements on October 4! Thanks for the write up.
I’m gonna get the XL. How about you?
I think my decision will be based on the specs… and also what Google does to Android. I’ve heard they will add a skin to Android, but you know how rumors are at this stage. I won’t upgrade until next year someone, but my current phone is the Nexus 6, so I’m OK with the larger phone.
Will there be anything different between the new Pixel line and the Nexus line? Will the phones be compatible with Google Fi? I’ve been interested in that, but was waiting for the new HTC Nexus
Agree!;has to be a Fi compatible phone or I’ll stick to the 5X until another comes out. Don’t really care about the specs… 2-4GB of RAM, 810+ processor, good camera and hopefully decent construction and I’ll be good.
I just wonder how they will compare to the latest and greatest phones already out there.
I miss my Nexus, but I’m loving what the new Pixel Xl has to offer, but the price is a bit high but still love it