After months of leaks that essentially revealed just about everything there was to talk about, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are now official. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but Google didn't spend a lot of time on the hardware itself, other than to brush over the major bullet points: Bigger display, there's the notch, new hardware, and so on. Maybe not, because Google basically did the same thing with all the new products, moving right along to keep things streamlined.
The time that Google did spend talking about the new smartphones had almost everything to do with the camera. And considering that's how the Pixel smartphones really stand out in a crowded smartphone market, that's not surprising in the slightest. Thankfully there was enough to talk about, with the company unveiling new features to make taking pictures with the new flagship smartphones even better.
The phones are expensive, but it's the year 2018 and the $1,000 smartphone is here to stay, apparently.
Verizon is the go-to carrier option for Google once again, something I know is a dealbreaker for a couple of friends of mine. The company will offer an unlocked version, too, which is good news.
So most of the rumors panned out and the Pixel 3 handsets launch later this month. Preorders go live today, with Verizon offering some promos to help sweeten the deal. But those offerings are just icing on the cake. And while Google's event may not have actually offered up anything we didn't already know (save for some camera features), it's still the final element we've been waiting for before potential owners could make a decision.
Pricing will certainly play a part. With the 128GB Pixel 3 XL coming in at over $1,000, one has to wonder if that will restrict sales a bit. It hasn't slowed down Samsung or Apple, so Google is probably hoping to see the same thing on their end.
Are you planning to preorder? Or did you already? And if so, which model did you go with and why? Can you live with that notch on the Pixel 3 XL? If you've decided to skip the Pixel 3 series, what's keeping you away this year? Let me know!