The recent leaks of the Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 XL Lite took us all by surprise, but it appears they’re legit and Google intends to release them in 2019 on US carrier Verizon.
According to sources speaking to Android Police, the phones will be announced and then sold through US Carrier Verizon, one of the largest carriers in the US, in ‘Spring’ of 2019. Spring in the US begins around March and runs through May so the window is wide open, though will likely be hit by launches of 2019 flagship phones announced at MWC in early March/late February.
The Pixel 3 first appeared on a Russian site, before a followup from @onleaks who supplied 3D renders of both the Pixel 3 Lite and the previously unseen Pixel 3 XL Lite.
The Lite versions of the Pixel phones are made with more plastic than the aluminium and glass flagship Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The phones will also be specced down with a Snapdragon 670 believed to power the Pixel 3 Lite which also has a 5.5″ display. while a Snapdragon 710 processor is believed to be inside the 3 XL Lite which will feature a 6″ display. Both ‘Lite’ Pixel 3 models will have 4GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage as well as having 12MP rear cameras and an 8MP front-facing camera.
In terms of international availability there’s more sense in launching these phones in emerging markets where a cheaper priced Pixel is needed, though everyone does love a bargain so if they’re well priced it could make all the difference.
If they’re made available internationally it could make quite a decent import target for users wanting fast updates and Google’s usual fantastic computational photography powering the cameras, but we’ll have to wait for the official announcement for more information on availability.
