As a surprise, just a few days before the October 15 event in which Google is expected to launch its Pixel 4 and 4 XL smartphones, comes the news that there may be more products unveiled that day. The most significant of these could be a 5G version of Google Pixel 4. This was not listed in the public domain earlier. The information has now come through the Japanese journal Nikkei Asian Review and it claims the phone is under test production right now. It is possible, the company may demonstrate the phone at the event and shipments could commence at a later date.
The First US Brand 5G Smartphone
You would have expected Apple to be the first company with a 5G smartphone. The iPhone maker has however postponed its 5G release to 2020. Google’s hardware would then be the first US company to launch a 5G phone if this Nikkei report is correct. According to available information, the phone will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or 855 Plus chipset. The remaining specifications are yet to be revealed. It is also possible the Google Pixel 4 XL model may be the base for a5G version. The other piece of information is that this year’s Google Pixel phones may sport OLED screens.
Smartwatch and Notebook Release Predicted
Nikkei has disclosed that Google will use the occasion to unveil its smartwatch and a notebook. No details are available on these gadgets yet to share here. The event is just a few days away and the official details can be reported then.
Google has its plans lined up for the launch of more hardware products leveraging its strengths in the software domain. Though it may be nowhere near Apple or Samsung, it has been able to spell success with its Pixel range of smartphones in the past couple of years after having struggled in the earlier attempts. On the face of it, if the 5G phone is released now, Google can be said to have beaten Apple to it.
The company is also taking care of the issues that could crop up if its hardware is assembled in China due to the ongoing impasse between the US and that country. It is learnt that the Google Pixel phones may be made in other countries like Vietnam by the same Chinese contractors to avoid the issue.