Google Pixel 2 Smartphone Getting Mid-Range Model With Lower Price, Release In Next Several Months

It looks like Google will be bringing out a more cost-efficient version of the popular Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones in the next four months or so. The newest version of the Google smartphone, the Pixel 2, was the successor to the Pixel and Pixel XL phones. Pixel 2 arrived on October 19 of last year, making it the second of the phones in the Pixel lineup so far. However, if this new model arrives in the market, it gives Google the potential to capture another sector of the market looking for a more affordable smartphone.

In a Slash Gear report on Monday, Brittany A. Roston indicated from an Economic Times leak that the new Pixel mid-range phone is expected to come out this summer. The phone will arrive in either July or August, as Google looks to target India with the newest addition to their lineup. Google already sells the Pixel and Pixel 2 phones in India, but there is clearly the need for cheaper models there too. The country has already been targeted by both Apple and Samsung, so Google will look to compete as well, making the phone available to other “unspecified markets” where there is a demand for more affordable devices.

Meet #Pixel — the first phone designed inside and out by Google. #madebygoogle pic.twitter.com/xGAWjAbFXK

— Google (@Google) October 4, 2016

The Slash Gear report also mentions that Google is planning to try to introduce other tech gadgets in India as there is a demand for more devices. These may include the Google Home speakers and the new Pixelbook. There may be other products coming to the country as well, should Google find they are having success with the Pixel phones and other devices.

The current Google Pixel phones feature the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system and an Octa-core (4 x 2.35 GHz, 4 x 1.9 GHz) CPU. The Pixel 2 and 2 XL phablet featured memory of 4 gigabytes and storage of up to 128 GB. In addition, they featured a 12.2-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera as part of their specifications.

The Pixel 2 starts at $599 at the Google Store in the United States, while the Pixel 2 XL has a starting price of $774. Both phones were given an 8.6 out of 10 or higher on their CNET reviews with the camera, waterproofing, and Google Lens cited as the top aspects of these devices. It should be interesting to see what sorts of specifications and features Google is able to pack into their more affordable model that possibly arrives this summer.