Before Google got around to announcing the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, there were rumors that we were actually going to see three variants of the smartphone announced this year. (This is not a new rumor by any means.) That third handset was supposed to drastically reduce the bezels and not boast a notch of any kind. It was being called the "Pixel 3 Ultra" and it never came to fruition.
Here we are and the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are out there in the wild, and now there are rumors of yet another third option that may be coming down the pipe. But this is not the Pixel 3 Ultra reborn, but something completely different. This appears to be a Pixel 3 with a few key changes put in place to earn the "Pixel 3 Lite" title.
Interestingly, despite the Lite addition, this handset adds at least one feature that a lot of people might want back.
If you'll recall, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL don't feature a headphone jack. No real surprise there, honestly. But this is still one port that some smartphone owners aren't ready to give up, and apparently Google is listening to them. If this phone is real, of course.
In addition to the 3.5mm headphone jack, the Pixel 3 Lite will change the processor, opting for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 rather than the Snapdragon 845 found in the other two models. There will still be a single camera on the back, but the Pixel 3 Lite will only have one front-facing camera, instead of two. The battery is said to measure in at 2915mAh, and the RAM is capped at 4GB. The display will measure in at 5.56 inches and have a resolution of 2220x1080.
There is no word on a release date, a price, or if this is a real phone at all. Is it possible that Google will launch a new Pixel 3 variant some time soon? Sure. That would be a big change of pace for the company, though.
The question is, would it matter for Google to launch a phone like this? A lot of it would come down to price. The Pixel 3 starts at $799, so we'd be looking at a price point (hopefully) much lower than that considering the changes. Availability would be a huge factor as well. Is this a smartphone that's meant to lead the Android/Pixel charge in specific, maybe emerging markets? It could be! Would it find a huge following in a market like the U.S.? I definitely think it could, especially if it's not tied to a specific carrier's exclusivity deal.
I can't help but be curious how this device would stand up against the standard Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL if it had been announced and launched at the same time as those handsets. Would the Pixel 3 Lite be a strong voice for the headphone jack? Or would the higher-end features of those other handsets prove too good to pass up for most folks looking to buy a new Pixel smartphone? It's a shame we won't find out in a direct head-to-head, if ever.
But, what about you? What do you think of this rumored Pixel 3 Lite? Would you pick one up if it ever launched in your neck of the woods? Or would the reduction in key specs keep you away from it, despite the headphone jack being included? Let me know!