Given that Google Pixel and Pixel XL has just recently gone sale in October 2016, it might be too early to discuss about a new Google phone. However, a recent report has been showing newsworthy details about the new Google phone dubbed as Google Pixel 2. The next iteration is said to be coming with a much improved camera, waterproof feature and might be $50 USD more expensive than its predecessors.

Google Pixel 2: Nexus or Pixel-branded?

In accordance to Google's head of Android Hiroshi Lockheimer statement with Bloomberg last October, Google was not closing its doors on Nexus completely. However, it is said that the company did not have any plans currently for any Nexus devices. Based on this, it solely answers the question: the next Google phone will apparently be a Pixel rather than a Nexus.

Manufacturer For Google Pixel 2

Looking back, Google has been seen manufactured by quite a number of manufacturers such as LG, Huawei, HTC, Motorola and Samsung. The maker of the alleged new Google phone could be possibly on the aforementioned partners but equally, it could be a brand-new hardware partner as well. Note that Google might have not decided on this just yet.

Google Pixel 2 Release Date

Google I/O will be held on May 17-19, 2017 wherein it will more likely reveal a developer preview of its upcoming Android OS, Android O. This is equally important as the company reportedly uses its annual phone releases usually to launch final versions of its latest OS.

More so, after a few months of Android O beta prior to its final release, Google phones are traditionally revealed in late-September or early-October. Note that the current Pixel and Pixel XL were launched on October 5, 2016 at a special event and went on sale hereafter. This time frame is expected as well for the Google Pixel 2 release.

Google Pixel 2 Price And Specs

Google has finally moved away from high-value devices and toward more premium phones last year when it purportedly switched its phone line branding from Nexus to Pixel. The reported cheapest Pixel today is priced at roughly $641 while the cheapest Pixel XL is priced at roughly $770.

However, a report from 9to5Mac claims that there is an expected $50 increase due to alleged improvements done with Google Pixel 2. On the contrary, the same report also suggests that Google is currently experimenting with a cheaper and a lower-spec Pixel 2B that will be hopefully launched simultaneously or shortly after the Pixel 2.

According to 9to5Google, Google Pixel 2 is expected to come as a water resistant phone as well as having an improved camera feature. Given the fact that the current Pixel and Pixel XL are only dustproof and only protected against spraying water, this would more likely come true.

Most importantly, Google is reportedly only at the hardware testing of prototypes after all. So, at this stage, everything has a tendency to change. All of these details are not confirmed nor denied by Google itself, so, readers should take these with a grain of salt.