Pixel 2 could launch in two weeks, Pixel 2 XL next month

Google’s Pixel event is happening just two days from now, but it sounds like we’ll have to wait at least two more weeks after that before the first devices start shipping. VentureBeat is reporting that the Pixel 2 will be released on October 19th, two weeks later. And Pixel 2 XL buyers may have to wait even longer, until November 15th.

The October 19th date makes plenty of sense. Last year, the Pixel was announced on October 5th and shipped on October 20th; this year, the Pixel 2 is being announced on October 4th, so the 19th would be consistent.

Will the 2 XL beat the iPhone X to market?

The XL’s release date wasn’t staggered last year, but perhaps Google is pushing it out this time to ensure that it has plenty of units to ship. It seems like the XL will be the real flagship device this time, and last year, Google had some serious trouble keeping its phone in stock.

That said, pushing the 2 XL’s release date out to November 15th could come at disadvantage. The iPhone X comes out November 3rd, and Google has a chance to have its nearly full-screen phone on sale first. A couple weeks in either direction may not matter much in the long run, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a highly competitive phone ready to buy ahead of your competitor.

In addition to the phones’ release dates, VentureBeat also published two new images of the Pixels. One is a cleaner mockup of the 2 XL (accompanying this earlier leak), and another is the group shot of the Pixel 2 that you see above. It’s one of the best shots yet of the phone’s three different colors, and I think it makes the “kinda blue” color start to look a bit better than in earlier leaks. What I still want to know: what color is the bezel on the other side of it?

We’ll find out everything on Wednesday.