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Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL price and release date: our expectations

By Milen Yanachkov

Updated: Jul 10, 2018, 9:22 AM

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Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL price and release date: our expectations

The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are two of the most hotly-anticipated phones of 2018. Ever since Google put the Nexus brand out to pasture, the Pixel name has become the next 'dear' of pure Android aficionados, but what's more, it's become... mainstream. Nexus devices were primarily enjoyed and bought by tech-savvy folks, while Pixel phones, with their colorful designs and amazing cameras, have managed to capture the fancy of the average smartphone user, all the while retaining the best trait of the Nexus family — an absolutely pure Android experience with quick and regular updates.

So, it's not hard to see why people are getting excited over the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, but the question on everyone's mind are, when are the new Pixels coming out and how much are they going to cost? We can't say that these questions can be answered with 100 percent certainty at this point, but looking back at the launches of the first two generations of Pixel phones, we can make an educated guess.

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL release date

The original Pixel phones were announced on October 4, 2016, at the Made By Google event, and launched later in the same month – October 20, to be exact, which was the second-to-last Thursday of the month. The second generation of Pixels was unveiled on October 4 the next year, and launched later that same month – October 19 this time around, which again was the second-to-last Thursday of the month. So, going from there, it would be relatively safe to assume that the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will again be announced on October 4, and launch on the second-to-last Thursday of the month, which this year is October 18.

Phone	Announcement	Release
Google Pixel / Pixel XL	Oct. 4, 2016	Oct. 20, 2016
Google Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL	Oct. 4, 2017	Oct. 19, 2017
Google Pixel 3 / Pixel 3 XL	Oct. 4, 2018 (expected)	Oct. 18, 2018 (expected)

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Price

Google has maintained similar pricing between the first and second generations of Pixel phones, so we are expecting the third generation models to carry a similar price tag to the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. The Pixel 2 starts at $649 for the 64GB version, while the Pixel 2 XL starts at $849. Having said this, however, and taking into account the recent price hikes in the top-end smartphone market, we wouldn't be surprised if the third-gen of Pixel phones was slightly more expensive than their predecessors. We're not talking Samsung Galaxy or iPhone-style of pricing here (i.e. breaking the $1000 barrier with a base model), but the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL may still be priced a bit higher than the second generation.

The original Pixel XL started at $770 for the base, 32GB version, while the Pixel 2 XL bumped both values to $849 and 64GB, respectively. The Pixel 3 XL is likely to come in versions with 64GB and 128GB of onboard storage, but due to some hardware changes, such as the alleged dual-front-facing cameras, it may still fetch a higher price tag. We can't say if it would cost $50 or $100 more, but we are expecting the XL model to be more expensive than last year's. Maybe even the regular Pixel 3.

So, are you excited for the next generation of Pixel phones? Would you buy one if it ends up being $100 more than last year's models? Tell us in the comments below!