Pixel 2
The Google Pixel 2 is a flagship Android smartphone developed by Google as the second generation in its Pixel lineup, announced on October 4, 2017, and released on October 19, 2017, in the United States.[1][2] It features a compact 5.0-inch AMOLED display with 1920x1080 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor with 4 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of internal storage options.[1] The device includes a single 12.2-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization and phase-detection autofocus, paired with an 8-megapixel front camera, both leveraging advanced computational photography for superior low-light performance and features like Portrait Mode.[1] It is equipped with a 2,700 mAh battery supporting USB Power Delivery, runs stock Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box with guaranteed updates, and measures 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm with an aluminum frame and glass back for a premium build weighing 143 grams.[1] Released alongside the larger Pixel 2 XL variant, the Pixel 2 emphasizes a pure Android experience without manufacturer skins, including timely security patches and OS upgrades up to Android 11.[1] Notable hardware innovations include IP67 dust and water resistance, the absence of a 3.5 mm headphone jack in favor of USB Type-C 3.1, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the aluminum back.[1] Software highlights encompass Active Edge technology, allowing users to squeeze the phone's sides to activate Google Assistant, as well as Motion Photos for capturing short video clips with still images and unlimited original-quality storage in Google Photos for the first three years after purchase.[3] The Pixel 2 received widespread acclaim for its exceptional camera quality, which was rated as the best among Android phones at launch due to software enhancements like HDR+ processing, outperforming hardware-heavy competitors in real-world tests.[4] Its Snapdragon 835 chipset delivered top-tier performance for 2017 flagships, enabling smooth multitasking and gaming, while the minimalist design and vibrant display contributed to its appeal as a premium, user-focused device starting at $649 for the 64 GB model.[5] Despite some criticisms regarding the smaller battery capacity and lack of expandable storage, the Pixel 2 solidified Google's position in the smartphone market by prioritizing software integration and AI-driven features over gimmicky hardware.[4]Development
Announcement
The Pixel 2 series was officially announced on October 4, 2017, during Google's Made by Google hardware event held in San Francisco, California.[6] This event showcased the second generation of Google's flagship smartphones, succeeding the original Pixel lineup and emphasizing advancements in artificial intelligence integration and camera technology.[7] The announcement highlighted the Pixel 2 and the larger Pixel 2 XL as premium devices designed to deliver a seamless user experience powered by the latest Android operating system.[8] Google collaborated with HTC for the design and manufacturing of the standard Pixel 2, while partnering with LG for the Pixel 2 XL, allowing the company to leverage specialized expertise in smartphone engineering.[9] Key features teased during the reveal included Motion Photos, which capture a short video clip alongside each still image to preserve dynamic moments, and the Active Edge gesture, enabling users to squeeze the phone's frame to activate Google Assistant.[8] The event also spotlighted AI-driven camera enhancements, such as computational photography techniques that improve low-light performance and introduce Portrait Mode for professional-grade bokeh effects, positioning the Pixel's 12-megapixel rear camera as a leader in mobile imaging.[10] Pricing was revealed with the Pixel 2 starting at $649 for the 64GB model and the Pixel 2 XL at $849 for its base configuration, reflecting Google's strategy to compete in the high-end smartphone market.[11] Marketed as the purest expression of Android available, the devices promised an unadulterated software experience with three years of OS updates and exclusive Google features like Now Playing for ambient music identification and Google Lens for visual search capabilities.[12] This positioning underscored Google's vision of the Pixel series as the definitive platform for its ecosystem innovations, free from manufacturer customizations.[13]Release timeline
Pre-orders for the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL opened on October 4, 2017, immediately following their unveiling at the Made by Google event, with initial demand leading to rapid sell-outs and shipment delays of several weeks for some models in select regions.[8][14] The Pixel 2 officially launched on October 19, 2017, in the United States and Canada, with unlocked variants sold directly through the Google Store and offered exclusively via Verizon as the primary U.S. carrier. In India, the Pixel 2 launched on November 1, 2017.[15][16][17] The Pixel 2 also became available on October 19, 2017, in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. The Pixel 2 XL's launch was delayed due to production challenges with LG, becoming available on November 15, 2017, in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, and India. Early reports noted minor display issues, such as a blue tint and burn-in, affecting some Pixel 2 XL units.[18][19][11] By early November 2017, the Pixel 2 series reached broader international rollout, including Italy, Singapore, and Spain, achieving near-global availability while excluding certain markets due to ongoing regulatory hurdles and supply constraints.[8]Design
Aesthetics
The Pixel 2 series features a minimalist design characterized by an aluminum frame encasing a glass back panel, emphasizing simplicity and functionality in its form factor. The standard Pixel 2 measures 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm and weighs 143 g, making it compact and pocketable for one-handed use, while the larger Pixel 2 XL is sized at 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm and 175 g, offering a more substantial feel suitable for media consumption without significantly increasing thickness.[2][20][1] Color options vary by model to provide subtle variety while maintaining a clean aesthetic. The Pixel 2 is available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Kinda Blue, with the latter featuring a soft blue tint on the aluminum frame paired with a frosted white glass back. In contrast, the Pixel 2 XL comes in Just Black or Black and White, the latter showcasing a two-tone aluminum band in anodized black and white for visual contrast.[21][22] The button and port layout prioritizes accessibility and tradition. Both models include a USB-C charging port at the bottom flanked by speaker grilles, and power and volume buttons aligned vertically on the right side for easy thumb reach, with the SIM tray on the left. The rear glass back integrates the fingerprint sensor below the camera module, contributing to a streamlined rear profile.[23] A defining aspect of the aesthetics is the intentional retention of prominent top and bottom bezels, aligning with Google's "essential" design philosophy that accommodates front-facing speakers, sensors, and microphones without compromising audio quality or facial recognition utility. This results in an approximate 68% screen-to-body ratio for the Pixel 2 and 76% for the Pixel 2 XL, lower than contemporary bezel-less competitors but fostering a balanced, ergonomic handset.[24][20] Ergonomically, the Pixel 2 XL incorporates subtly curved edges on the glass back and frame to enhance grip and comfort during extended use, while the standard Pixel 2 maintains squared-off corners for a precise, angular hold. Both models employ a matte finish on the aluminum frame and, in non-black variants, a frosted treatment on the glass back to minimize fingerprint smudges and improve tactile feedback, reducing slippage compared to glossy alternatives.[24][25]Build quality
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL feature a unibody frame constructed from 7000-series aluminum alloy, which contributes to the device's structural rigidity and resistance to bending under stress.[26] The front display is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, while the rear panel consists of an IP67-rated Gorilla Glass 5 back that enables antenna functionality.[27][28] This combination of materials results in a premium feel, with the aluminum frame's hybrid coating available in matte finishes like Just Black, Kinda Blue, and Clearly White for improved grip.[27] The IP67 rating certifies the Pixel 2 series for dust-tight enclosure and protection against temporary immersion in up to 1 meter of fresh water for 30 minutes, as demonstrated in independent submersion tests exceeding this duration without functionality loss.[4] Regarding drop and scratch resistance, durability assessments show the Gorilla Glass 5 surfaces scratching at Mohs hardness level 6, with the rear glass exhibiting particular vulnerability to cracking from drops onto hard surfaces, though the aluminum frame preserves the phone's overall integrity without deformation or no official MIL-STD-810 compliance rating.[28][29][26] Manufacturing of the Pixel 2 was handled by HTC, while LG assembled the Pixel 2 XL, both under Google's direct design and quality control oversight to ensure consistent standards.[30] In terms of repairability, iFixit assigned the series a score of 6 out of 10, praising the modular component layout for easier access to parts like the display and motherboard but deducting points for the glued battery and adhesive securing the rear glass.[31]Hardware
Processor and storage
The Google Pixel 2 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip (SoC), built on a 10 nm FinFET process for improved efficiency over its predecessor. This chipset includes an octa-core Kryo 280 CPU configuration, consisting of four high-performance cores clocked at up to 2.35 GHz and four efficiency cores at 1.9 GHz, alongside an Adreno 540 GPU capable of handling graphics-intensive tasks.[2] The SoC's design emphasized balanced power delivery, integrating the modem and other components to support the phone's overall performance profile.[32] Complementing the processor, the Pixel 2 is equipped with 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, which operates at high speeds to facilitate smooth multitasking and app switching in the Android environment.[2] For storage, it offers 64 GB or 128 GB options using UFS 2.1 storage, providing reliable internal capacity without the option for microSD card expansion, a decision aligned with Google's focus on optimized, seamless user experience.[2][33] At launch in 2017, the Pixel 2 delivered solid benchmark performance for its era, scoring approximately 203,000 on AnTuTu v6, which evaluated CPU, GPU, memory, and user experience components.[34] In Geekbench 4, it achieved around 1,900 in single-core tests and 6,500 in multi-core tests, reflecting efficient handling of both everyday tasks and demanding applications.[35][36] These results positioned it competitively against contemporaries like the Galaxy S8, though real-world gains often stemmed from software optimizations.[37] Thermal management in the Pixel 2 relies on passive solutions, including high-performance graphite sheets that spread heat away from the SoC to prevent hotspots.[38] Despite this, user reports and tests indicated thermal throttling under sustained loads, such as extended gaming or video encoding, where clock speeds would reduce to maintain safe temperatures.[39] This behavior was typical for Snapdragon 835 devices without active cooling, balancing longevity against peak performance.[34]Display
The Google Pixel 2 features a 5.0-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 441 ppi and a 16:9 aspect ratio.[2][1] In contrast, the Pixel 2 XL is equipped with a larger 6.0-inch P-OLED display manufactured by LG, offering a higher resolution of 1440 x 2880 pixels for a pixel density of 538 ppi and an 18:9 aspect ratio, which provides a more immersive viewing experience for media consumption.[20][40] Both models incorporate Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for screen protection, enhancing durability against scratches and minor impacts.[1][40] The displays support HDR video playback, enabling richer contrast and color in compatible content such as YouTube videos, though they are not officially certified for HDR10 standards.[41] They also include an Always-On Display feature, which keeps essential information like the time, date, and notifications visible on the lock screen without fully activating the panel, using efficient low-power display modes for minimal energy consumption.[42] Typical brightness reaches approximately 440 nits on the Pixel 2 and 483 nits on the Pixel 2 XL, sufficient for indoor and moderate outdoor use but not exceptional in direct sunlight.[43] Both screens are factory-calibrated to prioritize natural color reproduction aligned with the sRGB color space, avoiding oversaturation for accurate visuals in everyday tasks like browsing and reading.[44] Users can manually adjust color profiles through settings, including options for boosted saturation introduced via software updates to address preferences for more vibrant output.[45] Early units of the Pixel 2 XL faced notable display issues, including screen burn-in where static images like navigation bars left persistent ghosts on gray backgrounds, and a color shift toward blue tones when viewed from off-angles, attributed to the LG panel's calibration.[46][47][48] Google acknowledged these problems and extended warranties, while a November 2017 software update added display tuning options to mitigate the color inconsistencies, though burn-in remained a hardware limitation affecting a subset of devices.[47][49]Cameras
The Pixel 2 features a single rear camera setup centered on a 12.2-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.4 µm pixel size, dual-pixel phase-detection autofocus (PDAF), and optical image stabilization (OIS), enabling sharp captures in various lighting conditions.[2][50] This sensor, the Sony IMX362, measures 1/2.55 inches and supports laser autofocus for quick focusing.[51][52] The lens provides a 76° field of view equivalent to a 27mm focal length in 35mm terms, focusing on wide-angle photography without telephoto or ultra-wide capabilities.[2] Complementing the rear camera is a dual-LED flash for improved low-light illumination and hardware support for HDR+ processing via the Pixel Visual Core chip, which accelerates computational photography tasks.[50] Video recording capabilities include 4K resolution at 30 frames per second with gyro-EIS for smoother footage.[2] The front-facing camera is an 8-megapixel unit with an f/2.0 aperture, 1.4 µm pixels, and fixed focus, optimized for selfies and video calls with HDR support.[2] This setup, using a Sony IMX179 sensor, captures 1080p video at 30 fps.[2] Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL share identical camera hardware, though the larger model relies more on electronic image stabilization (EIS) in certain scenarios alongside OIS.[53] AI-driven features like Portrait Mode leverage the rear camera's dual-pixel sensor for depth estimation in software-based bokeh effects.[54]Battery
The Pixel 2 features a non-removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2700 mAh, while the larger Pixel 2 XL is equipped with a 3520 mAh unit to accommodate its bigger display and form factor.[2] These batteries support USB Power Delivery 2.0 for wired fast charging with the included 18 W adapter, achieving a peak of about 10.5 W and enabling a full charge in approximately 110 minutes, though the devices do not include wireless charging hardware—a feature that debuted with the Pixel 3 lineup.[55][56] Google advertised the Pixel 2 series as delivering all-day battery life for typical mixed usage, estimated at up to 24 hours, with 15 minutes of charging providing around 7 hours of additional runtime.[8] In real-world testing under moderate conditions, including web browsing, video playback, and calls, the devices achieved about 5 to 6 hours of screen-on time, with the Pixel 2 XL generally outperforming its smaller counterpart due to the higher capacity.[57][27] Power efficiency is enhanced by hardware optimizations in the Snapdragon 835 chipset, which support Android's Doze mode to aggressively restrict background activity and network access during periods of inactivity, thereby extending standby time.[58] The retail box includes a USB-C to USB-C cable and an 18 W USB-C power adapter for immediate charging setup.[59]Software
Operating system
The Google Pixel 2 launched with Android 8.0 Oreo as its operating system, corresponding to API level 26.[60] Google guaranteed three years of major Android version upgrades for the Pixel 2, extending support from its October 2017 release to October 2020, with the final update being Android 11 delivered in 2020.[61][62] Security patches were also promised for three years, with the final update released in December 2020.[61][63] The device featured an unlockable bootloader, enabling users to modify the system, and supported A/B seamless updates through Project Treble implementation, allowing over-the-air updates to install on a secondary partition without interrupting device usability.[64][65] The Pixel 2 ran stock Android with the Pixel Launcher as the default home screen interface, providing a clean experience free of third-party bloatware.[66] As of 2025, the Pixel 2 no longer receives official OS or security updates from Google, though it remains compatible with custom ROMs such as LineageOS 22 (Android 15) for extended functionality.[67][68]Unique features
The Pixel 2 introduced Active Edge, a hardware-enabled gesture that allows users to squeeze the sides of the device to activate Google Assistant without needing to touch the screen or use voice commands. This feature leverages the phone's pressure-sensitive frame to detect intentional squeezes, even when wearing gloves, and can also silence ringtones or alarms with a firm grip.[69][70] Motion Photos, another Pixel-exclusive camera capability, captures a brief video clip—approximately three seconds total, with 1.5 seconds before and after the shutter press—alongside each still image, enabling users to review and select the best frame from the motion burst. This functionality, akin to Apple's Live Photos but optimized for the Pixel 2's computational photography pipeline, allows playback of the short video directly from the photo gallery and supports conversion to GIFs or extraction of individual frames.[71][72] Pixel 2 owners benefited from unlimited original-quality storage for photos and videos uploaded to Google Photos directly from the device, a perk offered at launch and extended through January 16, 2021, after which new uploads counted toward standard storage limits. This integration provided seamless, high-fidelity backups without compression, distinguishing the Pixel 2 from other Android devices reliant on paid tiers or lower-quality options.[73][74] The Pixel 2 was among the first devices to support ARCore, Google's augmented reality platform, enabling developers to build immersive AR experiences that track motion, understand the environment, and overlay digital content with high precision using the phone's sensors and camera. This early adoption positioned the Pixel 2 as a key testing ground for AR applications, including interactive stickers and environmental mapping.[75][10]Connectivity
Wireless options
The Google Pixel 2 supports Wi-Fi connectivity via the 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards, operating on dual-band frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with 2x2 MIMO technology for improved data throughput and range.[76] This implementation enables features like Wi-Fi Direct for peer-to-peer connections and DLNA for media sharing across compatible devices.[2] Bluetooth 5.0 with Low Energy (LE) support is included, providing enhanced range, speed, and power efficiency compared to previous versions, along with compatibility for high-quality audio codecs such as aptX HD.[76][2] This allows seamless pairing with accessories like headphones and smartwatches, supporting advanced audio profiles including A2DP for stereo sound transmission.[2] Near-field communication (NFC) is integrated for contactless payments via Google Pay (formerly Android Pay) and quick pairing with other NFC-enabled devices, such as speakers or tags.[76][2] For location services, the Pixel 2 features GPS with A-GPS assistance, alongside support for GLONASS, BeiDou (BDS), and Galileo across all regions, with full enablement in the US following software updates and regulatory approvals, improving accuracy in diverse environments.[76][2] The device lacks ultra-wideband (UWB) technology and an infrared (IR) port, focusing instead on these core wireless capabilities without support for IR-based remote control functions.[2]Cellular support
The Pixel 2 series integrates the Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE modem within the Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip, providing support for GSM, UMTS/HSPA, EVDO, and LTE networks, including CDMA compatibility for U.S. carriers.[77][2] This modem enables LTE Category 15 download speeds of up to 800 Mbps and Category 13 upload speeds of up to 150 Mbps, incorporating advanced features such as 3x downlink carrier aggregation, 4x4 MIMO, 256-QAM downlink modulation, and 64-QAM uplink modulation where carrier-supported.[78][79][80] For the U.S. variant, the device supports the following LTE bands to ensure broad carrier compatibility:| FDD-LTE Bands | TDD-LTE Bands |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66 | 38, 40, 41 |