The new Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL will be launched tomorrow but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the device’s new wallpaper today. The new wallpaper has been added to the Wallpaper page here on the site and it ready for you to download along with the hundreds of others.
The wallpaper is designed for phones with a 1440 x 2880 resolution. I have added it to this post after the break so those who aren’t interested won’t have to wait for it to load.
So here’s a concept: A button that actually does something. For years, the “Check for update” button in Android pretty much did nothing. Sure you could hit it but the odds of you getting an update were pretty slim. Why? Because manufactures like Google, Samsung and others as well as carriers phase updates out to their customers. The result? The “Check for update” button was, by-and-large, useless.
That’s changing under Android Oreo, specifically for the Google Nexus and Pixel devices. Now when you tap that button in Settings>System>System Updates, it actually, really goes out to Google’s servers and download the latest OTA update. No waiting on phasing.
After being leaked a couple of days ago along with a slew of other leaks, the Google trade-in program for the Google Pixel is now live at the Google Store. The program allows you to trade in previous Google Nexus phones, LG, Samsung, and iPhones to get a credit towards the purchase of a new Google Pixel or Pixel XL.
With the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL only a few weeks away, it is a little surprising to see Google open this program up now. The assumption was that it would start when the next generation phones were announced.
As for the value that you get, it largely depends on how new your phone is and its condition. For example, if I wanted to trade in my Nexus 6P with 64GB of storage, I would get back $155 since it is in working condition and doesn’t have a broken screen. If I trade in my wife’s iPhone SE 128GB, that would get me $87.
Along with the Google Pixel 2 XL, we now know what the smaller HTC-built Pixel 2 will look like, its color options and pricing structure. Like the XL, it is expected that this phone will be launched at the Google event on October 4th.
The Pixel 2 will come in three colors: Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White. The first color is very similar to the Ice Blue that was on the Nexus 5X (at least from the renders it appears to be so) while the Just Black and Clearly White are similar to the color options on the Pixel today.
Thanks to a lot of happenings all at once, it is pretty much a lock that we are going to see Google’s new Pixel lineup on October 4th. That will put the launch of the new Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 almost a year out from the current Pixel phones.
To start, there is now a new, albeit empty, website for the phones. Literally, it’s empty. It only asks the question “Thinking of changing phones?” and you can register your email address. This is is very similar to what they did with the original Pixels last year.
Second, there were FCC approvals made for what is presumed to be the XL 2. It is an LG build device and you can read all the gory details at the FCC site. It’s not overly exciting but it confirms some of the rumors known about the phone.