Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL Might Follow Apple’s iPhone X Lead

Photos of screen protectors for the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL surfaced on Weibo recently. While pictures or blueprints of the new Pixel lineup would indeed be more helpful, shots of possible screen protectors for the flagship phones do give consumers some clues about the upcoming devices’ appearance and design.

TechnoBuffalo shared the snapshot of the supposed screen protectors made for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. Based on the photos, the base model of Google’s third generation of flagship phones will have a similar face as the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, though with noticeably smaller bezels. As TechnoBuffalo notes, consumers weren’t too happy with the bezels on the Pixel 2 series, particularly on the smaller device. Google seems to have heard their customers’ critiques and kept them in mind while designing the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, at least based on the screen protectors shared on Weibo.

The screen protector for the Pixel 3 XL reveals that Google may follow Apple’s iPhone X design. If the screen protectors seen on Weibo are accurate, the Pixel 3 XL may have a small notch similar to the one seen on the iPhone X. Based on the Weibo leak, like Apple’s anniversary phone, Google’s premium flagship could have an edge-to-edge display, leaving no room for the front camera, hence the notch. The screen protector’s cutouts also suggest that there might be more than one front camera.

Ben Geskin, a trusted mobile leaker, created concept art of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL based on the leaked screen protectors. Seeing Geskin’s full renders of the proposed Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL designs reveals a little more about the flagship phones. Google seems to have been inspired to place more than just a notch on the upcoming Pixel phones. As seen on the screen protectors, the notch has space not just for a front camera, but for some other tech necessary for security protocols like Apple’s Face ID.

Meet Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL! ?https://t.co/QsGVtzfp8Y pic.twitter.com/JCzxKF0nlC

— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) June 1, 2018

Weibo’s track record for leaks has been shaky at best. So, these photos of possible screen protectors for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL shouldn’t be taken as solid proof just yet. However, the leak is consistent with a Bloomberg report’s claim that the third generation Pixel phones might have with two camera lenses in the front.

The notch brings about another question which could plague consumer minds — namely, will Google try to challenge Apple’s Face ID? According to WCCFTech, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL does run a Computational Neural Network which does complete tasks similar to Face ID, at least to a certain degree. The second-generation Pixel phones can recognize and differentiate faces, but not to the same extent as Face ID on the iPhone X.

As of the writing, Google has not confirmed the release dates of the Pixel 3 and 3XL. Until their release, Pixel fans will have to wait to see if Google has built a strong competitor for Apple’s iPhone X.