Apple has the iPhone XR, Sony has the Xperia XZ2
Compact, and Samsung will soon have the Galaxy S10 Lite. According to recent
reports, these devices will eventually face tough competition from
Google’s upcoming Pixel 3 Lite series. Speaking of which, it has just appeared
in a new set of renders courtesy of 91Mobiles.
Unlike the regular Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL which
sport different front panel designs, the Pixel 3 Lite models will be identical
in every way except for size. From the renders, it’s clear that both models
resemble the regular Pixel 3 quite closely by making use of a notch-less
display. This time around, though, the 5.5-inch and 6-inch panels feature a
slightly taller 18.5:9 aspect ratio that is accompanied by thicker bezels all
around.
Despite the increase in bezels thickness, Google has
removed the dual front-facing speaker setup in favor of just one above the
display that doubles as an earpiece. Similarly, the wide-angle selfie camera
has been removed too.
Taking a look at the rear, both the Pixel 3 Lite and
Pixel 3 Lite XL sport the latest iteration of Google’s two-tone design. But in
what is presumably a cost-cutting measure, the internet giant has swapped out
the glass construction for a cheaper polycarbonate one. Nevertheless, the fingerprint
scanner has been retained alongside the single rear camera featured on the
flagship Pixel 3 models, although this time around there’s a noticeable camera
bump.
Aside from this, the Pixel 3 Lite series features a
USB Type-C port and what appears to be a second speaker on the bottom of the
device, and a 3.5mm jack on top, which is certainly surprising considering
Google removed the port on its flagship models.
According to previous leaks, the Pixel 3 Lite and
Pixel 3 Lite XL will arrive powered by the Snapdragon 670. The selected
processor is then set to be accompanied by 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal
storage. Additionally, Android 9 Pie is to be expected straight out of the box
alongside a 2,915mAh battery in the case of the smaller model. However, the
battery capacity of the larger device remains unclear at the moment.
The Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 Lite XL are expected to
go official in early 2019, perhaps at CES or MWC. In regards to pricing, the
smaller variant is expected to retail somewhere between US$ 400 and US$ 500, while
the larger model could cost as much as US$ 600.
