With all eyes on Apple for this week's iPhone 14 launch event, you might think Google would want some of that attention too. But I'm sure that it's just a coincidence that a full unboxing of the Google Pixel 7 Pro, Google's rival to the iPhone 14, leaked this weekend.
As The Verge reports, a video from a gadget shop in Bangladesh shows what appears to be the real Pixel 7 Pro being unboxed and it matches what we've seen in the official renders Google has previously released. It also shows the Google Pixel animation when it boots.
We've known about this phone since Google's teasers all the way back in May, and we're expecting to see it launch at next month's Pixel Watch event.
This isn't the first Google Pixel 7 Pro leak: prototypes have turned up on eBay and Facebook Marketplace in recent weeks, and between them and the Pixel Watch leaks it does seem that Google's pre-launch security isn't brilliant or its marketers are using leaks as a form of viral marketing. But whatever the explanation, the fact that this time the phone is in full retail packaging suggests that the rumours are right and the launch is imminent.
A still from the leaked Google Pixel 7 Pro unboxing video.
What to expect from the Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Pixel devices, like Microsoft's Surface, are intended to show the vision for a platform – in this case, Android and Android Wear. So the Pixel 7 Pro is going to be the most Google-y Android device around, a vision of how Google thinks Android should be. That means none of the customisation and other candy that even some of the best Android phones come with: with a Pixel, you're getting a pure Android experience.
Although there's still a lot we don't know about the phone, there have been plenty of leaks this year about both the Pixel 7 Pro and its more affordable Pixel 7 sibling. The Pro has a trio of cameras of unknown spec, and Google promises the next generation of its Tensor system-on-a-chip with the usual performance and battery improvements. Google is pushing AI hard with its Pixel phones, so you can expect to see some new features in the camera app this time around.
Some rumours say that while the Pixel 7 Pro display will be the same size as before, it'll be considerably brighter – great for photos and just reading stuff in bright light. And code in the Camera app indicates that you'll be able to record in 4K with the front-facing camera, a welcome addition for vlogging and TikTok. We're also expecting Bluetooth LE for much higher quality audio streaming to the best wireless headphones.
We're looking at an October launch for both phones, and while pricing hasn't been released we'd expect them to be priced similarly to the current models – so expect prices of around £599/$599 for the Pixel 7 and £899/$899 for the Pixel 7 Pro. That's extremely competitive: we're expecting the iPhone 14 Pro, which is already more expensive than the Pixel Pro, to get a price increase this week that'll make the Pixel seem even better value.
