14 DAY TRIAL // Google has already started working on the new Pixel smartphones, expected to launch sometime this fall. Some details about the new phones have already surfaced online and a recent report by Android Police reveals the codenames that the two devices will carry.
The cited source states that Google’s upcoming Pixel smartphones will carry the muskie and walleye codenames. The latter was mentioned in AOSP and is believed to be the smaller of the new Pixel phones.
Google is known to use fish names to refer to upcoming smartphones. Last year’s Pixel and Pixel XL carried the codenames Marlin and Sailfish, while their actual retail names were kept a secret for months on end.
Sadly, the reference in AOSP records didn’t reveal anything solid about the new phones, except for the fact that Google started testing the "walleye" smartphone, which is believed to be the smaller of the two. Muskies are freshwater fish, considerably larger than walleyes, which means that the phone codenamed muskie will be the larger of the two upcoming Pixels.
Premium smartphones that could ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack
Recent reports have suggested that the upcoming Pixel phones could actually ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack, a move that reminds us of Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. It would be quite a risky move for Google, especially since the company highlighted the feature on last year’s Pixels.
Apple compensated the removal of the 3.5mm jack with a thin design and dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus, and out of all smartphone makers, Google has the highest chances to make such a risky move on an Android phone, seeing how Pixel smartphones were very well received on the market.
Moreover, Google officials stated that upcoming Pixel phones will stay in the premium range, but won’t see major changes in the camera department. Google’s strategy for the main camera possibly revolves around the concept "if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it," seeing how the rear cameras on Pixel phones are among the best on the market.