The Beta version of Android 12 was only out for a couple of hours before sharp-eyed users found references to upcoming Pixel models. While we have already heard of plans for a Pixel 5a and Pixel 6, as well as a possible Pixel Foldable, these mentions in Android 12 are a very good sign that they are coming.
Android 12 was fully announced at Google I/O but the final version won’t be available until September or October. The first to feature the new OS is likely to be the Pixel 6, so references to it in the files.
The discovery by one of 9to5 Google’s contributors included codenames and even model numbers for the Japanese variants of a number of Pixel devices, including the Pixel 5a 5G, Pixel 6 and Pixel Foldable. The codenames Oriole and Raven are believed to be references to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, while Barbet is for the Pixel 5a 5G – expected to release in the next few months.
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The Pixel Foldable, listed here under the codename Passport, seems to be a bit more of a mystery and while it is referenced, it could still be further off. It seems there were also references to a 5G Pixel 4 that never materialized, so the Foldable’s inclusion here doesn’t guarantee a launch. I’m staying hopeful though that we do see it in some form or another before the end of the year.
