Here’s what the Pixel 3 looks like in its pink ‘Sand’ color

Everything we know about what’ll likely be one of the year’s best phones.

Google first introduced its Pixel series in 2016, and since then, has been hard at work to establish itself as a serious player in the smartphone market. Google may be one of the most powerful and iconic companies in the world, but when it comes to hardware, is still very much a newcomer.

We saw vast improvements with the Pixel 2 compared to the original Pixel line, and we’re expecting to get that again with the Pixel 3. Google’s quickly learning what it takes to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple, and seeing as how the Pixel 2 was one of 2017’s best phones, there’s a lot riding on this year’s entry.

Ladies and gentlemen, here’s everything we know so far about the Google Pixel 3.

The latest Pixel 3 news

October 4, 2018 — Here’s what the Pixel 3 looks like in its pink “Sand” color

The Pixel 3 and 3 XL will be here in just a few short days, and when they arrive, they’ll be available in a few different colors. Black and white are sure bets at this point, but there’s some mystery surrounding the third (and maybe fourth) colors. Google’s been heavily teasing a mint option, but now thanks to a new leak from Android Headlines, it would appear that a pink tone called “Sand” will be offered instead.

This render apparently comes from “a reliable source” who also provided Android Headlines with renders of the black and white models. However, there isn’t a mint color to be seen anywhere.

We actually haven’t seen any renders or hands-on photos of a mint Pixel 3, but if such a variant really doesn’t exist, it’s odd that Google would use mint tones in its promotion.

As such, this either means that Sand and mint will both be available at launch, one color will be available right away while the other is released at a later time, or Sand is the only other hue that’s joining black and white.

We really aren’t sure at this point, but thankfully we only have to wait until Tuesday to find out for sure.

October 3, 2018 — Pixel 3 pre-orders will open immediately after the October 9 event

Google’s October 9 event is getting closer and closer, and as part of a promotional email that the company began sending out today, we now have confirmation that preorders will “start immediately after the event.”

In addition to this, Google also has a few fun questions you can now ask the Google Assistant in preparation for the big day. Just ask “What’s this announcement about?”, “When are you making this announcement?”, or “How can I found out more about this announcement?”.

Lastly, the email also shows a large number 3 that transitions between black, white, and mint colors (likely the three colors that’ll be available at launch).

September 27, 2018 — Pixel 3 promo materials confirm Active Edge and other software features

The folks at MySmartPrice have been on a roll when in regards to Pixel 3 leaks as of late, and today, the site’s now shared a ton of promo images and an instructional video that confirm various software features the phone will have.

The video above shows users how to navigate and use the Pixel 3, and as expected, the Android Pie interface is pretty much identical to what we have on the Pixel 2 series right now. The gesture navigation is there, the notification panel is more rounded, and the revamped Do Not Disturb is present. Also confirmed in the video is the return of Active Edge (being able to squeeze the Pixel 3 to prompt Google Assistant).

As for the still promo images, the biggest takeaway from these is the one that shows the Pixel 3 retaining the Now Playing feature from the Pixel 2 that shows song info on your lock screen if it hears music playing in the background.

September 26, 2018 — This is Google’s Pixel Stand charging accessory for the Pixel 3

Last Friday, we got a look at a new accessory Google may launch alongside the Pixel 3 — the Pixel Stand. Now, instead of a promo image, we have a full device render to get a better idea of what it’ll look like in the real world.

The bottom of the Pixel Stand appears to have a grippy rubber base (similar to the Home Mini) that keeps it in place on a desk or table. A USB-C cable powers the accessory, and on the top is the wireless charging pad the Pixel 3 will rest on.

Like we saw last week, the Pixel 3 will probably go into a Smart Display-like mode once docked in the Pixel Stand to show your notifications, weather, traffic updates, and more.

Do you think you’ll be picking up a Pixel Stand?

September 25, 2018 — Pixel 3 wallpapers are now available to download

The Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL will be here in just two weeks, but if you can’t wait that long and want to make your current phone look a bit more like Google’s latest and greatest, you can now do just that.

The folks at MySmartPrice recently got their hands on 28 wallpapers that’ll ship with the Pixel 3 series next month, and just like last year, they look fantastic.

You’ll find a total of 28 wallpapers, including some new Live Wallpapers that Google introduced with the Pixel 2.

To get them, just tap the link below and install all of the individual wallpapers and APK file included in the Google Drive folder. So long as you’ve got a phone running Pie and have the Google Wallpapers app installed, you shouldn’t have any issue getting these on your device.

Download the wallpapers here

September 22, 2018 — Renders from Evan Blass show the Pixel 3 and 3 XL side by side

Since you guys keep asking… pic.twitter.com/DpRqzsyRem

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 21, 2018

’tis the season for Pixel render leaks, and this render from Evan Blass shows the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL side by side with the screens off, showing off their size difference and their front camera/sensor layouts. These are consistent with the plethora of renders we’ve seen in recent months, with the O__O sitting smack dab in the Pixel 3 XL’s notch while the notchless Pixel 3 keeps its sensors to the left-hand side of the earpiece.

The Made by Google Event is slated for October 9th, where we will finally see the products in the flesh and see what they are or aren’t packing under those sizable screens.

September 18, 2018 — These are supposedly the Pixel 3’s official press renders

Although leaks for the Pixel 3 aren’t new at this point, the latest one from Nieuwe Mobile is the first time we’ve gotten an official press render for the 3 and 3 XL.

The renders show a lot of what we’ve already seen. The regular Pixel 3 is a fairly unoffensive device with relatively slim bezels on the top and bottom. The Pixel 3 XL, on the other hand, has a notch and chin at the top that’s been ridiculed to death.

The large “3” for the wallpaper is the same one present on the Google Store’s promo page, and if you look at the Google Search bar at the bottom, there’s an Assistant icon that we haven’t seen before.

There’s obviously no way to confirm whether or not these are legit renders, but as this point, it’s about as close as we’ll get until October 9.

September 17, 2018 — The Pixel 3’s fourth color might be pink

Following up on our previous entry from last week, there appears to be a fourth color for the Pixel 3 hidden on Google’s teaser page.

There’s a fourth color in the source code 🎨 #Pixel3 (@frontpagetech) pic.twitter.com/zutFwTRzKp

— Cas van Dinter (@CasVanDinter) September 16, 2018

Along with black, white, and mint that are visible to everyone, a quick look through the page’s source code reveals a fourth color referred to as “pink.” Google’s only ever launched three color variants for its Pixel phones at a time, so the fact that we could be getting four right from the get-go is pretty exciting.

However, a deeper look through the source code does reveals even more. Although we’re currently seeing black, white, mint, and the new pink color, there’s also mention of blue and green — suggesting that we might possibly get five total colors at launch time.

September 14, 2018 — Pixel 3 mint color teased in new promos from Google

With a little over three weeks to go before the big October 9 event, Google’s shared two new teasers to get people excited for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

The first of these appears to be live on all versions of the Google Store and is pretty basic. There’s a large 3 and some text next to it that reads “Stay tuned! Looks like you’ve already enrolled for updates from the Google Store. Be on the lookout for some news from us on Oct. 9.”

In addition to that, a Google page in Japan has a much fancier promo page that also potentially reveals a new color that we’ve yet to see in any of the leaks.

If you visit the page on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll see large text at the top that says “Coming Soon.” Below that is an outline of a phone with Google’s “G” logo at the bottom.

You can rotate your device side-to-side to move the outline of the phone on the page, and tapping on your screen cycles between a white, black, and mint background. These background colors also fill in the phone outlines, suggesting that these are all colors that’ll be available for the Pixel 3/3 XL. We’re already expecting white and black, but this is the first time we’ve ever seen a reference of a mint option.

September 6, 2018 — Google officially announces October 9 event for Pixel 3

Google has just sent out invites to the press for a hardware event in New York City, and just as rumored it will take place on October 9. The invite came in with a delightfully designed (and very swiftly swoopy) animated gif that honestly doesn’t give us any hints as to what we’ll be seeing. But there’s no reason why this wouldn’t be the launch event for the Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL.

The only question is whether we see more than the two phones. Last time around, Google had a blockbuster event that was ostensibly for the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, but also included the launch of the Google Home Max, Google Home Mini, Pixel Buds and Pixelbook. If Google pulls out all the stops once again, we could be in for a huge hardware launch event.

Last year’s event was in San Francisco (and on October 4), but it’s hard to read too much into a venue switch to NYC — it’s an easy place for press from all around the world to get to, and Google maintains a large presence in the city. Google will be streaming the event live, as well.

August 31, 2018 — Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL swing by the FCC

Before we head out for the week, let’s end our Friday on another Pixel 3 tidbit.

Today, FCC listings A4RG013A and A4RG013C from Google appeared — likely relating to the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, respectively. These numbers line up to last year’s phones where the Pixel 2 was G011A and the 2 XL was G011C.

Although no new information is revealed in these listings, it’s once again confirmed that Foxconn is the manufacturer rather than HTC or LG like we saw with the Pixel 2 series.

August 30, 2018 — Regular Pixel 3 appears in first hands-on photos, might not be a Verizon exclusive

Although the Pixel 3 XL has been leaked to death at this point, we still haven’t seen much on the regular Pixel 3 outside of device renders. However, thanks to a user over on Reddit, that’s now changing.

The photos confirm that the Pixel 3 will not have a notch and instead have slightly thicker bezels on the top and bottom compared to its XL sibling. The screen measures in at 5.5-inches, the resolution is 2160 x 1080, and there’s an aspect ratio of 18:9. The smaller battery also appears to be a 2,915 mAh unit.

Other specs from the 3 XL are carried over to the Pixel 3, including the Snapdragon 845 processor, 4GB RAM, dual 8MP front cameras, etc.

Also, in an update to the Reddit post, it’s said that the Pixel 3 in the above photos is part of a carrier testing program that isn’t Verizon. Contrary to reports we heard earlier this year, this suggests that Verizon’s exclusivity of the Pixel line may finally be over.

August 27, 2018 — Unboxing video shows off the Pixel 3 XL and its packaging, October 9 announcement date revealed

It’s pretty difficult to be surprised by a Pixel 3 leak anymore, but that certainly hasn’t stopped them from flowing in.

Most recently, a YouTube channel by the name of In DIGI uploaded a high-res 1080p Full HD unboxing video that shows the Pixel 3 XL being taken out of its packaging in one of the crispiest clips we’ve seen yet.

In addition to the Pixel 3 XL itself, the box is also home to the Pixel Bud-like wired earbuds that definitely appear to be included with the phone, #teampixel stickers, USB-C charging cable, USB-C to USB-A adapter, a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, and AC wall adapter. The video gives us an up-close look at the front and back of the phone, as well as a few camera samples.

Lastly, we also got another hint as to when the Pixel 3 will officially be unveiled. In a Bloomberg article published by Mark Gurman this morning, it’s noted that:

Alphabet Inc.’s Google also plans to debut new Pixel phones on Oct. 9 at a media event in New York City, other people familiar with the plans said.

Google declined to comment on this news, but that lines up with earlier rumors and the press events for the company’s previous Pixel announcements for the past two years.

August 23, 2018 — Pixel 3 XL reported to have new Pixel Visual Core and a wide-angle selfie camera

We’ve known for quite some time that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will have dual front-facing cameras, but up until now, it’s been a mystery as to what the second sensor will actually do. Thanks to a report from 9to5Google, we now have some more info as to what these sensors will be used for.

According to one source the site spoke with, the two cameras will allow for a new “Super Selfie” mode with another mention of there being an “improved Portrait Mode.” A leak from earlier today revealed new Portrait settings in the camera app, so that all lines up quite nicely.

As for the second sensor specifically, another source claims that this will act as a wide-angle lens so that users can fit more people in the frame in a single shot.

Details on the single rear camera are still pretty scarce, but 9to5 also mentions that one of their sources mentioned a “new Visual Core chip” and that Google is “doubling down on making a single camera powerful enough to not need a second camera.

August 23, 2018 — Another Pixel 3 XL leak highlights an updated camera app, included earbuds, and more

Kicking things off with a bang this morning, Russian website Mobile-Review recently published a “first look” at the Pixel 3 XL using a prototype model that was sent to it by “an anonymous well-wisher.” This hands-on is very similar to other ones we’ve seen already, but there are a couple new tidbits worth mentioning — specifically with the Pixel 3 XL’s camera app.

The UI shown here is a bit different from what we currently have on the Pixel 2. Rather than swiping open a hamburger menu to change shooting modes, the app now has them listed above the shutter button. Users can cycle through Panorama, Portrait, Camera, and Video. Tapping the More icon gives options for Google Lens, Slow Motion video, and Photo Sphere.

Portrait mode now allows you to choose between Natural and Soft face-retouching in addition to toggling it off altogether, a new “Google Lens suggestions” mode is featured, and the rear camera is confirmed to be 12.2MP while the front-facing camera is 8MP. For whatever reason, only one front-facing camera is mentioned in the app despite the Pixel 3 XL clearly having two.

As for the included earbuds, the instruction manual that comes with them indicates you’ll be able to use the in-line controls for controlling music, answering calls, and prompting the Google Assistant.

August 22, 2018 — Stolen Pixel 3 XL handsets are apparently being sold on the Ukranian black market

It’s not an uncommon practice for smartphones to be leaked ahead of their official release, but with the Pixel 3 XL, the quantity and quality of leaks we’ve been getting lately has been somewhat staggering. The first hands-on photos of the Pixel 3 XL were shared all the way back in June, and since then, it’s been a nonstop flood of leak after leak.

According to a new report from 9to5Google, a large portion of the leaks have been appearing thanks to a black market dealer over in Ukraine.

Essentially, this dealer somehow acquired multiple models of the phone and is shipping them from London at a price of $2,000 USD per phone. They’re said to be pre-release versions of the Pixel 3 XL, with it noted that “everything looks and works exactly the same” compared to the final versions that’ll be released in October.

We aren’t sure how many units this seller has or how they obtained them in the first place, but it’s further reported that people are still buying the phones and that more leaks are coming soon.

August 22, 2018 — Pixel 3 XL poses for more hands-on photos, Active Edge appears to be making a return

The Pixel 3 XL has reared its head in a number of hands-on photos at this point, but for the most part, they’ve been pretty low-quality and not the prettiest to look at. Thanks to user @wylsacom on Twitter and Rozetked, that’s no longer the case.

These photos don’t reveal a whole lot that we haven’t seen before, but they show off the Pixel 3 XL in a much more professional manner and, more importantly, a higher resolution.

The notch is as big as ever, the back is definitely all glass, and thanks to a shot of the settings page, it appears that Active Edge is returning so you can squeeze the sides to prompt Google Assistant.

August 22, 2018 — Leaked video confirms wireless charging on Pixel 3 XL; Camera samples shared on Instagram

Thanks to various hands-on photos, we’ve known for a while that the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will come with all-glass backs. However, up until now, it’s been a mystery as to whether or not wireless charging will make its way to the phones.

At least for the larger Pixel 3 XL, a video that was shared by user @khoroshev on Twitter confirms that this feature is, in fact, present.

pic.twitter.com/XtAtAeWreH

— Максим Хорошев (@khoroshev) August 22, 2018

The video above shows the Pixel 3 XL being placed onto a wireless charging pad, and when it makes a contact, a small animation appears on the screen to show the current battery percentage and to indicate that charging has begun. Google’s obviously yet to confirm the legitimacy of this video, but it sure does seem like wireless charging is a go for the Pixel 3 lineup.

Along with the video, that same person also took to Instagram to share a heap of photos that he supposedly captured with the Pixel 3 XL. Just like the Pixel 2 before it, the pictures showcase great dynamic range, excellent colors, and more. We don’t have access to the full-resolution files seeing as how these were uploaded to Instagram, but even so, it’s a great early look at what’s to come.

You can check out all of the photos here and here.

August 17, 2018 — Pixel 3 XL and its unforgiving notch pop up in Toronto

Surprise, surprise — another Pixel 3 XL leak!

A reader of the Canadian tech site MobileSyrup recently snapped the above photo while riding a streetcar in Toronto. As you can see, the phone shown in the picture appears to be none other than the Google Pixel 3 XL.

While Google’s yet to formally unveil the phone, the device lines up with everything else we’ve seen so far. It’s running Android P, has a chin below the display, and its large notch is impossible to miss.

This photo doesn’t reveal anything we didn’t already know about the phone, but the fact that Google’s got people using these out in the wild confirms that we’re not too far off from an official launch.

August 10, 2018 — Another hands-on video shows the Pixel 3 XL in use while also confirming some specs

The same person that shared those Pixel 3 XL photos and unboxing video from a couple days ago has returned with yet another video that reveals even more about the phone.

In this video, we can see the Pixel 3 XL actually being used. It’s running Android 9 Pie (no surprise there) and appears to have the same UI of the Pixel and Pixel 2 running the new software.

A couple benchmarks results are also shown during the video, and as such, a handful of specs have been confirmed. They include:

• 1440 x 2960 screen resolution
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor w/ Adreno 630 GPU
• 3,430 mAh battery
• 12.2MP rear camera
• 8.1MP front-facing camera (x3)

The most interesting of those specs are the front-facing cameras. Antutu lists three 8.1MP sensors up front, although in the video we can only see two. This could be nothing more than a glitch in the app, or Google could have implemented some sort of mystery camera up there. We really aren’t sure about that one.

August 8, 2018 — Pixel 3 XL appears in more hands-on photos and unboxing video

Previous renders and real-world pictures have already given us a clear look at the Pixel 3 XL’s design, and to help make that image as clear as humanly possible, SlashLeaks recently shared three additional hands-on photos and an unboxing video of the phone.

One of the photos shows the back of the white Pixel 3 XL while the other two showcase the front. We once again see that Google will be sticking with just one rear camera and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and unfortunately, that notch hasn’t shrunk at all since the last time we saw it.

Moving over to the unboxing video, it’s apparent that Google’s using very similar packaging compared to the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. The box does contain a pair of wired USB-C earbuds in addition to the Pixel 3 XL, but seeing as how Google experimented with this idea for last year’s release, we aren’t entirely sure if the free buds will stick around for the final retail packaging.

August 6, 2018 — October 4 launch date leaked for the Pixel 3

While we’ve seen plenty of leaked renders and specs for the Pixel 3, talk about its release date has been fairly quiet. That is, up until now. As spotted by Brandon Lee from the YouTube channel This is Tech Today, the Pixel 3 is shown to be released on October 4 according to the website Famebit.

Famebit is a website that allows companies to connect with content creators and work out deals to create sponsored content for YouTube videos, Instagram posts, etc. An ad on the site was recently created by Google and asks for Canadian creators to switch to the Pixel 3 and then making a video talking about their experience.

In this listing, it’s stated that “The Pixel 3 phone is launching October 4, 2018.”

While there’s no way to confirm if this ad really was created by Google, that October 4 date is what we were previously expecting anyways. That’s the same day Google used to announce the Pixel and Pixel 2 before, so it makes sense that it’d keep the trend going this year.

July 30, 2018 — Clearly White Google Pixel 3 XL shows up in new leak

We just got our best look at the Google Pixel 3 XL courtesy of XDA. The images in question show off the Clearly White color option, and the live photos confirm a cutout at the front and a single rear camera. We can also make out a single speaker located below the display.

The XDA leak once again reaffirms the presence of a glass back on the Pixel 3 XL, with the finish alternating between glossy and matte. A glass back opens up the possibility for wireless charging, but for now there’s no further information as to whether the feature will make its way to the device.

July 28, 2018 — ‘Pixel Stand’ could be a wireless charger for the upcoming Pixels

A teardown of the Google app by the folks at XDA has served up interesting information. The code references something called a Pixel Stand, leading to suggestions that it will be a wireless charging dock for the upcoming Pixels.

According to XDA, the Pixel Stand will feature Assistant integration, and will be able to offer personalized suggestions and answer queries when the phone is docked.

June 27, 2018 — Pixel 3 and 3 XL renders show the phones from every possible angle

As if previous leaks of the Pixel 3 and 3 XL haven’t been revealing enough, MySmartPrice teamed up with OnLeaks to share a boatload of both photo and video renders of the two phones.

These renders confirm a lot of what we’ve previously seen, including things like an all-glass back for both phones, single rear cameras, and a notch on the larger Pixel 3 XL.

However, while earlier rumors suggested that only the 3 XL would have two front-facing cameras, these renders show that the regular Pixel 3 will have them, too.

The Pixel 3’s display is said to measure in at 5.4-inches with an 18:9 aspect ratio, whereas the Pixel 3 XL will have a 6.2-inch screen and 19:9 setup. As for the dimensions, we’re looking at 145.6 x 68.2 x 7.9mm for the Pixel 3 and 158 x 76.6 x 7.9mm for the 3 XL.

June 18, 2018 — Case render confirms Pixel 3 XL design

Ice Universe on Twitter has built up a reputation for being pretty accurate about leaks/rumors in the mobile space, and on June 18, they shared a case render that further confirms the Pixel 3 XL’s design.

Like we saw with the hands-on photos on June 7 and 8, the Pixel 3 XL will have a notch in its screen, dual front-facing cameras, stereo speakers, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and a single rear camera.

It’s peculiar that Google’s choosing to use two cameras on the front while keeping just one on the back, but based on how excellent the Pixel 2’s single rear camera is, I don’t expect this will be a downside at all.

June 8, 2018 — Pixel 3 XL shown off in six more hands-on pictures

Less than a day after those first two hands-on photos of the Pixel 3 XL surfaced, six more have appeared.

These additional photos showcase the Pixel 3 XL from every possible angle, and when XDA Developers reached out to their forum member that shared them, they were able to confirm that the phone has a full glass back. In other words, it’s possible this year’s Pixel line may finally adopt wireless charging.

The front and back photos are pretty similar compared to what we saw yesterday, but the other images showcase a reflective glass frame around the phone, volume rocker and power/lock button on the right side, and a USB-C port and SIM slot on the bottom.

Also, as 9to5Google pointed out, that mysterious logo on the back of the Pixel 3 XL was used previously with old Pixel 2 prototypes.

June 7, 2018 — Hands-on photos apparently showcase a Pixel 3 XL prototype

Out of the blue, XDA Senior Member meraz9000 shared two photos on the XDA Forums showing what’s supposed to be a prototype of the Pixel 3 XL. There’s obviously no way we can confirm whether or not this is the real deal, but it sure does line up with the display panels that were leaked last month.

The photos show the Pixel 3 XL from both the front and back, with the front reiterating the point that the 3 XL will more than likely have a notch in its screen. For what it’s worth, it does look like we’ll be getting two front-facing cameras and a chin at the bottom to retain stereo front-facing speakers.

Around back, this Pixel 3 XL prototype looks nearly identical to that of the Pixel 2 XL. The glass panel seems to be ever-so-slightly smaller, but that could just be the way the photo was taken.

In any case, what do you think about how the Pixel 3 XL is shaping up?

June 4, 2018 — Google’s apparently working on a mid-range Pixel phone

According to one tipster, Google’s in the process of developing a mid-range Pixel phone that’s codenamed “Bonito” and is powered by the Snapdragon 710 processor.

Rumors of a mid-range Pixel first popped up in April, but the old claim of it launching this July has since been replaced with a release scheduled for the first half of 2019.

That would suggest that Google may launch this new Pixel phone during I/O next year, but with so much discrepancy surrounding the release date, it’s entirely possible it’ll be announced alongside the Pixel 3 in October.

May 30, 2018 (part 2) — Verizon is said to be the exclusive carrier for the Pixel 3, again 😕

A report from Bloomberg recently surfaced confirming a few details about Google’s upcoming phones per a source that’s familiar with their production. According to the report:

• The Pixel 3 series will once again be exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the U.S.
• A notch will be present on the larger Pixel 3 XL
• Google will announce/launch the phones in October
• Foxconn will manufacture the Pixel 3/3 XL
• Stereo speakers will be present on both phones
• The Pixel 3 XL will have dual front-facing cameras
• “Both models will include upgraded, single-lens cameras on the back”

May 30, 2018 — LG will reportedly manufacture the Pixel 3 XL’s OLED display

Just a couple days after the Pixel 3 XL’s notched panel leaked, a report’s come out of Korea claiming that Google will once again use LG to manufacture and supply an OLED screen for the phone.

Furthermore, an official from LG Display that remains anonymous said, “We have maintained close ties with Google and the volume will not be much different from the previous one (the Pixel 2 XL).”

If this turns out to be true, one can only hope that LG’s improved the quality of its mobile panels since last year. The LG-made Pixel 2 XL display was the center of a lot of controversy for the phone’s first few weeks out in the wild, and Google really can’t afford to go through that again with gen-three.

What do you think about LG making the Pixel 3 XL’s display?

May 28, 2018 — The Pixel 3 goes 2:1 and the Pixel 3 XL gets a notch

Here’s an interesting leak that, while not necessarily all-telling, gives us an indication of where Google is taking the series in 2018. Specifically, the larger Pixel 3 XL looks to have a notch while the smaller Pixel 3, though moving to a 2:1 aspect ratio, will lack one. At the same time, we see some sensors that may indicate Google is adding either a second front camera to the phones or, more likely, some sort of dedicated biometric sensor for faster/more reliable face unlock.

The leak comes from Weibo (by way of Slashleaks) and reportedly shows two front glass panels for the new phones. Given that we’re almost in June, this would be the time for accessory makers to begin testing products for the final phone design. It’s also good to see Google maintaining dual front-facing speakers for the lineup.

What do you think of this latest leak?

May 10, 2018 — The Pixel 3 could be joined by second-gen Pixel Buds and a Pixel Watch

Google’s hardware events surround the Pixel phones with a heap of other product announcements, and this year, it’s reported that we’ll see a second-gen version of Pixel Buds and Google’s first Pixel-branded smartwatch.

Specifics on these gadgets are still up in the air, and as excited as I am to see how Google improves its wireless earbud game, I’m beyond ecstatic to see how the company’s first smartwatch turns out.

Wear OS is in an awkward stage right now, but a proper Pixel Watch and new silicon from Qualcomm could bring it back into the limelight. Assuming Google handles this right, the Apple Watch may soon be faced with some of its stiffest competition yet.

When will the Pixel 3 be released?

In 2016 and 2017, Google held its hardware event on October 4. We don’t have a concrete date for this year’s event quite yet, but there’s no reason to believe Google will deter from this pattern.

A Bloomberg article reports that the event will be held on October 9, and while that’s a few days later than the past two announcements, is still within the general ballpark we were expecting.

Pre-orders for the Pixel 3 will likely open shortly after it’s announced that same day with shipments going out at least a couple of weeks later.

How much will the Pixel 3 cost?

Over the past couple years, pricing for Google’s Pixel phones has remained mostly the same. The MSRP for the Pixel and Pixel 2 series is as follows:

• Pixel w/ 32GB — $649
• Pixel w/ 128GB — $749
• Pixel 2 w/ 64GB — $649
• Pixel 2 w/ 128GB — $749
• Pixel XL w/ 32GB — $769
• Pixel XL w/ 128GB — $869
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 64GB —$849
• Pixel 2 XL w/ 128GB — $949

I imagine we’ll see similar numbers with the Pixel 3, but don’t be too surprised if we get a Pixel 3 XL variant that crosses the $1000 threshold.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

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• Hit song breakdowns: How they’re made and why they’re hits
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Whether you’re just starting out in music production altogether, or you have experience in live or recorded music and want to learn about the other side, the Noiselab lifetime membership is your key to the music production kingdom. There are new courses added monthly, which means you’ll be able to keep up with everything as the music industry evolves, instructed by both producers and musicians alike. And the best part is that it’s all only $29 at Android Central Digital Offers.

See at Android Central Digital Offers

The Google Assistant can now book Uber and Lyft rides

There’s a lot going on with the Google Assistant — let’s break down the important stuff.

In May 2016, we got our very first taste of the Google Assistant with the debut of Allo. The Assistant was a big draw to Allo at the time, with Google marketing it as a helpful bot that could make restaurant reservations, search the web, and more within your conversations.

Since then, the Assistant has gained heaps of new features and expanded to smartphones, tablets, speakers, and more. Google’s shown no interest in slowing down development for the Assistant, meaning that it’s likely here for the long-haul.

Whether this is your first encounter with it or you just need a quick refresher, here’s everything you need to know about the Google Assistant.

The latest Google Assistant news

October 4, 2018 — The Google Assistant can now book Uber and Lyft rides

Ride-sharing services are one of the best ways to get around nowadays, and rolling out to users this week, you’ll now be able to book a ride from your favorite service using the Google Assistant on your phone or smart speaker.

Just say, “Hey Google, book a ride to Starbucks” or “Get me a taxi to John F Kennedy Airport.” You can then choose from Uber, Lyft, Ola, Grab, GO-JEK, and more, or specify the ride service you want by name with your initial command.

After selecting the ride you want, you’ll be redirected to its respective app to confirm the booking and you’ll be all set. Google says this is initially available in English in any country where the ride services are offered. Over the coming months, it’ll be expanded to additional languages.

October 3, 2018 — Google Assistant gets a complete revamp on phones

Back at Google I/O in May, Google announced an all-new user interface for Google Assistant on phones with new visual controls, deeper app integration, and more. Now, the new UI is finally rolling out to everyone.

What you’ll notice right off the bat are the visual tweaks. The Google Sans font is put into full use, there are new touch controls you can use after certain commands (such as dimming your smart lights), and everything just looks more rounded and polished.

A swipe up after prompting the Assistant now brings you to your daily overview page that was launched earlier this year, and if you’re typing to use the assistant, there’s a new messaging UI so you can easily add commas, change words, and more.

Last but certainly not least, Google’s giving developers a bunch of new tools to integrate new experiences into the Assistant. For example, you can start and complete a Starbucks order with full menu visuals, Fitbit’s Fitstar can show GIFs of upcoming workouts, and much more.

This update is rolling out now, so be sure to keep an eye out for it over the next couple of days.

September 18, 2018 — The Google Assistant can now lock your kids’ devices with Family Link

Google regularly updates its parental control suite, Family Link, with new features to make parenting in the modern world as easy as can be. With the latest update, you can now connect Family Link to the Google Assistant so you can control your kiddos’ devices with just your voice.

Assuming you’ve got Family Link set up for your family, you’ll be able to say commands such as, “Hey Google, lock Timmy’s phone” to remotely lock his device. Timmy will have five minutes to finish up whatever he’s doing, and once those five minutes are up, the phone is locked. Similarly, the Google Assistant will also be able to detect if a kid is talking to it and provide more kid-friendly responses as it sees fit.

Along with the Assistant updates, Google’s also expanding Family Link so that it can now be used with kids older than 13-year-old.

September 16, 2018 — Google details improvements made to Sound Search

Now Playing was a nifty little feature when it debuted on the Google Pixel 2, and Sound Search through Google Assistant paled in comparison to it. Google AI knows there’s still plenty of work to be done with Sound Search, but have shared some of the steps they’ve undertaken in the last several months to try and improve the Sound Search on Google Assistant and the Google app, including:

• Detailing of Now Playing’s musical fingerprinting system through embeddings to match a sound sample against a vast database
• Leveraging server-side resources and procession power for Sound Search to increase accuracy and speed of song matching
• Weighting the song sample catalog by popularity so that popular songs match quicker and obscure songs need higher levels of embedded matches to trigger a result

Google AI admits that trying to replicate the accuracy and success of Now Playing, which matches on-device against a small database, against a Sound Search sever-side database that’s 1000 times bigger, is not without difficulties that they’re continuing to work through, but they claim that they’ve already seen marked improvement to Sound Search in the last year. The challenges of identifying sounds in noisy environments like a crowded dance floor or sporting event are still being worked through, but knowing Google, it can only get better.

Read Google AI’s full Sound Search journey

September 11, 2018 — Google Assistant now supports Danish and Norwegian languages

Increased language support is always something we love to see with the Google Assistant, and most recently, everyone’s favorite AI can now speak in Danish and Norwegian.

The official Assistant pages are now live in both languages, but as we see with all of these rollouts, it may take some time for it to reach your devices. To check and see if the Assistant’s arrived for you, simply hold down the home button on a phone that’s set to either language and see if you’ve got the Assistant UI instead of the old Google voice search one.

September 10, 2018 — Disney doubles its Google Assistant content with three new games

Google Assistant can help your kids with questions about their homework or the universe, can help remind you and your kids when you need to get going for soccer practice, and it can even tell them a bedtime story. Disney is bringing a little more magic to the Google Home and beyond with three new Google Assistant activities.

• Maui’s Music Game lets kids help Maui defeat monster and reunite with Moana after getting separated from his hook in Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters. While playing, you’ll be rewarded with musical conch shells that play music from the film. You’re Welcome!
• Disney Princess brings you along on a daily adventure with one of your favorite princesses. Help Ariel learn what human world objects are called, navigate Jasmine through a horse race, and hear fun stories from Cinderella and Tiana. You can also get nerdy with Belle answering her questions about your favorite books.
• Toy Story Freeze Dance gets active with an interactive dance game that initiates you as one Bonnie’s new toys. Learn the moves and the meaning of being a toy, but make sure you pay attention, because at any moment, you could have to FREEZE! to avoid exposing the biggest secret in toydom.

These games are designed for Google Home, but you can also play them on phones and Google Assistant-enabled Chromebooks and TVs, as well as those nifty new Smart Displays. These games join Disney’s current Google Assistant offerings:

• Mickey Mouse Adventure
• Cars Adventure
• Belle’s Castle Adventure
• Star Wars Trivia Challenge

August 21, 2018 — “Hey Google, tell me something good” now dishes out “good news”

Staying up to date on all of the current news is important no matter who you are, but with everything going on in our world, sometimes it’s easy to feel like nothing good is happening. In an effort to bring “good news” to light, Google’s launching a new Assistant command in the U.S.

When talking to the Assistant on your phone, Google Home, or Smart Display, you can now say “Hey Google, tell me something good” to hear about how people are solving real issues all around us.

Google partnered with Solutions Journalism Network for this feature, and per Google, solutions journalism, “highlights how problems are solvable and that doing better is possible.”

If you’re in the U.S., you can try out this command starting today.

August 14, 2018 — Pandora Premium now supported by Google Home and Smart Displays

Users have been able to stream Pandora through Google Home speakers for quite some time now, but starting today, you’ll be able to link your Pandora Premium account so you can listen to specific, on-demand songs/playlists in addition to the service’s popular radio stations.

Pandora Premium costs $9.99/month like the majority of its competitors, but if you own a Google Home, you can get a free 90-day trial to test out the service before handing over any of your hard-earned cash.

You can start listening to Pandora Premium on the Google Home, Home Mini, Home Max, Lenovo Smart Display, and other Google Assistant speakers right now.

August 9, 2018 — Deeper, more specific news coverage is now rolling out

Pretty much since the Assistant’s inception, you’ve been able to say “Hey, Google, what’s the news?” to get a quick overview of all the big headlines for any given day.

Starting today and rolling out to users across the U.S., you can now ask the Assistant about news for specific topics, such as “What’s the latest on NASA?” or “What’s the news on the women’s national soccer team?”. Asking these questions on a Smart Display will pull up related YouTube videos while audio-only speakers such as Google Home will read out excerpts from news articles.

Additionally, this command will also be available for Android Auto, Android phones, and Assistant-powered headphones like the Bose QC35 II.

August 3, 2018 — Google Home can now understand what room it’s in for contextual light controls

That title might make this not sound all that exciting, but this is actually pretty cool.

Up until now, asking your Google Home to “turn on the lights” or “tune off the lights” without specifying a certain room would result in every single connected light being turned on/off. However, a new update now allows the Google Home to only control the lights in the same room as it when this command is issued.

For example, if you have a Google Home assigned to the same room as the smart lights in your living room, asking that Google Home to turn on the lights will only activate the bulbs in the living room. You can still specify rooms with your voice, but this update should make these interactions a lot more natural.

Following numerous Redditors discovering this feature, Google confirmed to Android Police that this is indeed rolling out to users and will be making its way to everyone over the coming days.

July 27, 2018 — You can now schedule custom routines for specific times/days

Building upon Custom Routines that were added to Google Assistant earlier this year, users can now schedule these routines to go off at a certain time/day. Previously, custom routines you made could only be used after saying a specific command.

While creating a routine, you’ll now see a new “Set a time and day” option under the “When” section. Here, you can choose the time you want it to play and what day(s) it should repeat.

There are a lot of ways to take advantage of this, with one example being to have your coffee pot turn on, crank up the AC, and hear about the weather as you’re waking up without having to ever speak to your Google Home. Neat!

July 26, 2018 — Dutch is now an officially supported language

Good news, Dutch speakers! As of July 26, 2018, Google’s confirmed that the Google Assistant now speaks Dutch as one of its official languages.

Assuming you’ve got an Android phone running Marshmallow or later, you can now access the Assistant to ask it questions about the weather, create calendar appointments, control smart home devices, and more.

In addition to your phone, you’ll also be able to use Dutch on the Google Home later in the year once the smart speaker goes on sale in the Netherlands.

July 17, 2018 — New Google Assistant page shows commute times, packages, upcoming flights, and more

Starting today, the Assistant on your phone is getting a big visual overhaul. After prompting the Assistant, tap the icon near the top right that previously opened up the Explore page for finding new Assistant actions and it’ll now show a visual overview of your day.

Similar to old Google Now cards, this page shows things like your commute to work, the current weather, upcoming flights, packages that are on their way from recent online orders, calendar appointments, and much more.

In the near future, Google says it’ll let you see a quick overview of notes/lists from Google Keep, Todoist, Bring!, and more, a discovery page that’ll help you find nearby events/activities, reminders of where you last parked your car, and recommendations for songs and podcasts the Assistant thinks you’ll like.

This new interface is rolling out today and is available on Android and iOS for all languages the Assistant supports.

July 10, 2018 — Google updates the UX for selecting the Assistant’s voice

During Google I/O this past May, four new voices were added to the Assistant’s existing male and female voices to help give it some more personality. Starting today, English users in the United States will see a new user interface when changing the voice.

With the new UX, users will now see a horizontal row of colors that denotes each voice rather than a vertical list of Voice 1, Voice 2, etc. The colors are entirely random and consist of Red, Orange, Amber, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple, and Pink.

Google says the new look should be live for everyone by the end of the week!

July 10, 2018 — Deezer Premium is now supported on Google Homes in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Italy

Deezer may not be as popular as rivals like Spotify and Pandora, but for subscribers of the paid Deezer Premium service, you’ll be happy to know that you can now listen to all of your Deezer songs and playlists through your Google Home.

Deezer Premium streaming has been available through Google Home since August 2017, but it was initially only live in France and Germany. This was later expanded to the United Kingdom in April of this year, and with this latest rollout, Deezer Premium now works on Google Homes that are in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Italy.

To link Deezer Premium to your Google Home, open the Home app, go to Music, and link your Deezer account.

The service regularly costs $9.99/month, but if you’re a new member, Google’s offering three months for just $0.99. If you want to take advantage of this offer, it’s good until September 20.

June 26, 2018 — All Google Home speakers now support Spanish

While users have been able to talk to Assistant in Spanish on their phones, we’re just now getting the ability to do the same on Google Home speakers.

Now, users in the United States, Spain, Mexico and other countries can choose to speak to Google Assistant in Spanish. If you want to change what language Google Home uses, open the Home app on your phone. The tap Settings -> Preferences -> Español.

All Google Home Speakers now support Spanish

June 12, 2018 — Google Home can now handle up to three commands at once

It can get old trying to ask multiple questions to our smart speakers — “What’s the weather” and “How’s my schedule” — but nowGoogle Home can understand up to three commands. Now, you can get your calendar, find out the weather and start playing music by only saying “Okay Google” once.

Another new feature is support for Multiple Actions. So now, instead of asking, “What’s the weather in New York and the weather in San Francisco?”, you can ask, “What’s the weather in New York and San Francisco?” This is a subtle change, but it makes conversing with Google Assistant much more like conversing with a human.

Google Home can now handle up to three commands at once

May 9, 2018 — Google announced a heap of new features at I/O

To little surprise, the Google Assistant was the star of the show for a good chunk of I/O’s opening keynote this year.

A lot of new features were announced for the Assistant, including new voices, the ability to ask follow-up questions without having to say “Hey, Google” each time, and an option for making your own custom Routines.

However, the most exciting thing was a system called Google Duplex. With this, the Assistant can call businesses and make appointments/reservations on your behalf. It’s wickedly cool and definitely one of the wildest things to come out of this year’s conference.

What’s new in Google Home and Assistant at Google I/O 2018

All the important details

Google Now paved the way for Google Assistant

The Google Now page compared to the new Google Feed.

Before there was the Google Assistant, we had Google Now. Google Now was introduced to the world all the way back in 2012, offering contextual info through the Google Now page and helpful answers to random questions with an “OK Google” voice command.

A lot of what made Google Now so great can still be found in the Google Assistant today, with the exception of the Google Now page. The Google Now page used to be home to cards showcasing the weather, information on packages that had shipped from online orders, boarding passes, and more. It’s since been replaced by the Google Feed – a collection of news stories Google thinks you’ll be interested in – and it’s definitely the biggest departure between the two services.

The Google Assistant as a whole is still more powerful than Google Now ever was, but long-time Android users like myself are still mourning the loss of that Now page. RIP, old friend.

Read more: Google Now is being left to wither and die as Google Assistant takes the focus

It’s available on just about everything

In just a few short years, the Google Assistant’s gone from being exclusive to a now-failed chat app to being integrated into just about anything you can think of.

You’ll find Google Assistant built right into most Android phones, it’s the star of the show for the Google Home lineup, and it’s even making its way into sound bars.

Here’s the full list of devices with Google Assistant

Setting up the Google Assistant is as easy or complex as you want

When you set up a device for the first time that has the Assistant, getting started is pretty simple. Accessing it is just a voice command or tap away depending on what gadget you’re using, but if you want to really fine-tune your experience, Google’s got you covered.

Take a quick dive into your Assistant settings and you’ll find options for just about everything – including your weather preferences, changing the Assistant’s voice, retraining your voice model, picking out preferred news sources, and much more.

How to set up and customize Google Assistant

Google Assistant is available in multiple regions and languages

Of course, a smart voice assistant isn’t any good if you can’t actually use it. Fortunately, Google Assistant will be available in 52 countries —adding 38 countries this year — and 17 languages by the end of 2018.

More: Google Assistant will expand to 38 countries and 17 languages in 2018

The Lenovo Smart Display is the best way to get Google Assistant in your home

Smart speakers like the Google Home and Home Mini are great affordable ways to bring the Assistant into your house, but if you’ve got a bit more cash to spend and want the ultimate Google Assistant experience, it really is worth looking into the Lenovo Smart Display.

The Lenovo Smart Display has all of the Assistant goodies you know and love but elevates them to the next level thanks to its built-in screen. You can use it to watch YouTube videos, browse upcoming weather, use music controls, and so much more.

Lenovo’s option is definitely the most popular right now, but you can also pick up a Smart Display from JBL and one that’s made by Google itself in just a few short days.

4 reasons I want a Lenovo Smart Display over a Google Home

Then again, is an always-listening speaker the right fit for your home?

However, the convenience of a Google Home (or any smart speaker for that matter) does come at the cost of privacy. Speakers like the Google Home are “always listening”, meaning they’re constantly on the lookout for a hot word to know when you’re talking to it (such as “Ok, Google” and “Hey, Google”).

This means the microphone on a Google Home is always active, but it’s not necessarily storing all the audio it hears when it doesn’t detect its hot word.

Most all speakers allow you to restore some privacy by being able to mute the microphone, but if you want to start asking the Assistant questions, you’ll need to unmute it first.

To learn more about these “always listening” speakers, I’ll pass the mic over to Jerry

The Assistant is now better than ever on Wear OS

Wear OS 2.0 is now available for almost all smartwatches, and with it comes a completely revamped way to experience the Google Assistant.

You can still perform your usual assortment of voice commands just like before, but in Wear OS 2.0, there’s now an Assistant feed you can access at any time by swiping to the right. Here you’ll see info about the weather, upcoming calendar appointments, traffic conditions, and more.

There are a lot of important updates in Google’s latest wearable revamp, but the renewed focus on the Assistant is definitely one of the best.

Wear OS 2.0 review: Simplicity, speed, and Assistant’s wearable redemption

IFTTT supercharges the Assistant’s usefulness

IFTTT (If This Then That) is a powerful online tool that allows you trigger something (that) if a certain event (this) happens. You can connect IFTTT to the Google Assistant to create your own recipes using this formula, and it can allow for some incredibly helpful combinations.

Some of our favorite uses for IFTTT and the Assistant include adding contacts to your Google account, setting your Google Calendar status to Busy for a certain period of time, and much, much more.

Getting started with IFTTT can take some time and patience if you’re new to it, but once you’re all set up and ready to go, it can prove to be a lifesaver.

How to connect Google Home and IFTTT to do amazing things with your connected tech

You’ll get the same experience no matter what devices you use

With so many devices capable of running the Assistant, it’d be easy to think that the experience you get on one gadget would be different from another. This is something that Google struggled with for a while at first, but we’re finally in a position where the Assistant experience you get on a smart speaker, for example, is the same you’ll get on your phone.

There are a handful of features here and there that still create for some discrepency, but for the most part, the Assistant you use on your Pixel 2 is the same one found on Google Home.

Google Home and Google Assistant finally offer the same experience

Google Duplex is actually going to be a thing

Google showed off Duplex — Google Assistant making natural-sounding phone calls on your behalf — at I/O 2018, but quickly noted that it was just an experiment. Flash forward a couple months, and Google announced that certain users have started testing Duplex, and a public release will be here in the next few months. Before you know it, Google Assistant will be able to book hotels, dinner reservations, hair appointments and more without you lifting a finger.

More: What is Google Duplex?

Updated October 2018: Refreshed sections about Smart Displays and the Assistant on Wear OS

Don’t buy an Amazon Fire TV Cube — get this instead (probably)

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is still a fine device, but you can get nearly the same features for less money.

An Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K bundled with a new Echo Dot does nearly the same stuff as a Fire TV Cube — and for just two-thirds of the cost.

I’m going to to out on a bit of limb here — I have yet to use the new Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K. It ships at the end of October. But barring some sort of huge performance catastrophe in which it runs ridiculously slower than the Fire TV Cube (and I’m willing to give Amazon the benefit of the doubt here), I’m pretty confident in the following statement:

You probably shouldn’t buy the $119 Amazon Fire TV Cube. Instead, I’d pick up an $80 Fire TV Stick 4K/Echo Dot bundle. Here’s why:

Dolby Vision is important

If you’re just getting into the world of 4K televisions, know this: HDR is important. It’s short for high-dynamic range, and it basically makes colors more colorful — because it can show a greater, more dynamic range of colors — and because it also will help make blacks look darker. It allows for greater contrast.

There are two main flavors of HDR. There’s the open-source HDR10 (and now HDR10+, and there’s the proprietary Dolby Vision. Generally speaking, Dolby Vision is considered to be the better of the two standards.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is the first Fire TV to support the Dolby Vision HDR standard.

In addition to your television having to support one or both of those standards, whatever device you have connected to it also will need to support an HDR standard if you want to watch content in HDR.

The new Fire TV Stick 4K supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. In fact, it’s the first (and only) Fire TV device to support Dolby Vision. The Fire TV Cube does not.

For a lot of folks who have 4K televisions that support Dolby Vision, that’s all you need to know.

For those who are looking to buy devices to last a good while, this is the way I’d go. The $119 Fire TV Cube will not get a magic update with Dolby Vision due to the processor it’s using.

You’ll keep (nearly) the same Alexa support

Basically, the Fire TV Cube is a (soon-to-be-extinct) Fire TV 4K pendant combined with an Echo Dot. Same internals, only with microphones and a speaker crammed in there, so you can do all the same hands-free Alexa stuff.

The Fire TV Cube does go a little bit further, though, with CEC control and in infrared emitter — allowing you to tell your TV to change the channel, or change the volume, or turn things off and on.

That was especially important because the Alexa Voice Remote that originally shipped with the Fire TV Cube — well, it kind of sucked, unable to adjust volume or turn off the TV. For that, you’d either need to use your voice — which I still contend is not a great way to watch TV — or use a second remote control.

With the new Fire TV Stick 4K we have a new Alexa Voice Remote with proper IR controls for volume and power. And a current-generation Echo Dot brings that same Alexa support, just without the integrated TV control.

The bottom line

Look, unless you just have to be able to turn your TV on and off with your voice, or just have to keep things condensed into a single device, or just have to have an IR extender attached to your streaming box, I’d go with the Fire TV Stick 4K/Echo Dot bundle. You’ll save about $40 right now, and that’s not bad on devices that Amazon is almost certain to refresh again in a couple years anyway.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with a Fire TV Cube — at least nothing that a better remote control won’t fix. But if you’re going to go that route (and spend more money in the process), at least be sure to order the updated Fire TV Cube bundle, which ships on Oct. 31 and includes the new remote.

But me? I’d save the $40 and just get a Fire TV Stick 4K with the new remote, and with Dolby Vision, and with an Echo Dot for the Alexa stuff. It’ll save you money now, and it’s got the features you’ll want for the long haul.

See at Amazon

Amazon Fire TV

• What’s new on Amazon Prime Video
• Read our full review!
• Get the latest news
• Join the discussion

Buy at Amazon

Nokia 7.1 hands-on: A $350 success story

It won’t make headlines, but this phone ticks all the right boxes.

The Nokia 7.1 isn’t going to steal any headlines but it represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor and could be a smash hit. Replacing the Nokia 7, it borrows several clues from the more-premium Nokia 7 Plus, and at $349, it could be a smash-hit stateside.

Aiming to provide competition for devices like the Honor 10, it has everything you’d expect in a mid-range smartphone. Excellent design, smooth performance and the best of Google, including fast updates thanks to Android One, no bloatware, and a streamlined experience — basically, everything we’ve come to expect from the new-and-improved Nokia.

The die-cast metal core and aluminum frame feels great in the hand, and the anodized metal finish looks stunning. Nokia tells us the design has been inspired by aspects of jewelry design, and this is apparent in the Gloss Steel version.

The hint of copper trim around the edges provides a subtle beauty, and it really feels like the Nokia 7.1 has been designed to accessorize with whichever outfit you’re wearing.

Great design, smooth performance and the best of Google — Nokia in a nutshell.

The 5.84-inch FHD+ 19:9 display is packed inside a compact body that belies the size of the screen, with 2.5D curved glass on top and rounded corners adding to the ergonomic feel. The display brings full HDR10 support, and promises to offer better a more immersive experience thanks to SDR to HDR real-time upscaling throughout the phone.

The rear fingerprint sensor is each to reach, fast, and sits beneath the dual camera setup. The main camera is a respectable 12MP f/1.8 combo, while the second camera is used to capture depth for portrait mode shots.

The updated bothie mode now lets you adjust the split between the front and rear cameras (right).

Nokia says the 7.1 is designed with storytellers in mind, and there’s a few new camera experiences to help you broadcast to your heart’s desire. You can now control the amount of bokeh in a picture using a helpful slider, and the viewfinder updates in real-time.

The single front 8MP camera comes with a new AI assisted portrait mode — we weren’t able to test it, but I wouldn’t expect excellent results here. Nokia has also added the Pro Camera, allowing you to fiddle with advanced settings when taking an image — and updated its dual capture “Bothie” mode to offer additional customization over your live streams. You can now add Snapchat-like filters and masks, and adjust the split between front and rear cameras – unlike the 50:50 split it is on other Nokia phones.

The Nokia 7.1 has a clean Android One take on Oreo, which should be lightening fast with the Snapdragon 636 processor. In the U.S., you’ll get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage while some markets will get a cheaper model with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The 3080mAh battery is on par with other devices at this price point and should power you through a full day.

Looking at everything it offers, the Nokia 7.1 offers a compelling mid-range experience at an attractive price point. It’ll be available at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H starting at $349, with pre-sales launching on October 5, and the phone available on October 28.

The widespread availability — crucially, including in-store at Best Buy from early next month — should put this phone front and center in front of prospective buyers and it has a real chance of being a success for Nokia stateside.

See at Amazon

Nokia 7.1 specs: 5.84-inch display, HDR upscaling, Android One

Here’s everything you can expect.

The Nokia 7.1 brings a vastly improved package from the Nokia 7 late last year, and offers a compelling mid-range package at an affordable price. It comes with a larger display, slightly bigger battery, some key spec changes and bokeh capture in the front and rear cameras.

Here’s everything you’ll find inside the Nokia 7.1.

Operating system	Android One (Oreo)
Display	5.84-inch LCD, 2160×1090 (19:9)HDR10Real-time SDR to HDR upscaling
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
RAM	3GB / 4GB (U.S.)
Storage	32GB / 64GB
Expandable	Yes, MicroSD up to 400GB
Rear camera 1	12MP, 1.28-micron, f/1.8, dual PDAF
Rear camera 2	5MP, f/2.4, 1.12-micron
Front camera 1	8MP, f/2.0, 84° field of view
Connectivity	USB-CBluetooth 5.0NFCLTE Cat. 6 (300Mbps DL/50Mbps UL)802.11n/ac
Audio	Nokia OZO audio3.5mm headphone jack
Battery	3060mAhNon-removable
Charging	Fast wireless charging
Security	One-touch fingerprint sensor
Dimensions	TBC
SIM card	Dual nano SIM or nano SIM + MicroSD
Colors	Gloss Midnight BlueGloss Steel

This is everything you need to know about the Nokia 7.1

This could be the mid-range phone to get this year.

Just in time for the big holiday shopping season, Nokia’s making a return to the United States with its latest smartphone — the Nokia 7.1. The Nokia 7.1 is a mid-range handset running Android One that offers a wide array of specs, features, and more at an extremely competitive price.

Is this a phone that deserves a spot on your shortlist this year? Here’s what you need to know.

Check out our hands-on coverage

We need to spend a bit more time with the Nokia 7.1 before we give it our full and final review, but in the meantime, do check out Nirave’s initial hands-on impressions.

The Nokia 7.1 is already looking great thanks to a well-constructed design, promising cameras, and a gorgeous display.

Get the full scoop here 👇

Nokia 7.1 hands-on: A $350 success story

Get familiar with all the specs

To meet such a competitive price, Nokia couldn’t outfit the 7.1 with the latest and greatest specifications around. Some corners had to be cut, but even so, we’re still looking at a pretty respectable spec sheet.

Some of the highlights here include a Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB RAM, 32 or 64GB of expandable storage, dual rear cameras, and a 3,060 mAh battery.

Nokia 7.1 specifications: 5.84-inch display, HDR upscaling, Android One

It’s running Android One

All of Nokia’s phones going forward are powered by either Android Go or Android One, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the Nokia 7.1 falls into the latter program. However, even if it isn’t surprising, it’s still darn exciting.

Android One means that the Nokia 7.1 has an extremely clean software experience that looks very close to what you’d find on a Google Pixel phone. There are a few custom software tweaks, such as Nokia’s own camera app, but this is still a stock Android experience through and through.

The Nokia 7.1 is currently based on Android Oreo, but we should hopefully see an update to Android 9 Pie in the not too distant future.

The display is impressive for this price

Smartphones in the $300 – $400 price range usually don’t have the best displays, but this is one area in which the Nokia 7.1 doesn’t disappoint.

On the front of the phone is a large 5.84-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 2160 x 1090. The aspect ratio is tall and narrow at 19:9, and since this is 2018, there is a notch at the top.

That’s all fine and dandy on its own, but Nokia kicks things up a notch (pun definitely intended) by integrating full HDR10 support and real-time SDR to HDR upscaling throughout the entire UI to give you an extremely rich and vibrant screen no matter what you’re looking at.

Here’s when and where you can buy it

If you’re interested in picking up the Nokia 7.1 for yourself, pre-orders go live at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H starting Friday, October 5 with shipments scheduled to go out on October 28. In addition to online sales, the Nokia 7.1 will also be available in-stores at Best Buy locations beginning November 4.

The Nokia 7.1 costs $349, and to keep it protected after the fact, Nokia’s also selling an official clear case and flip cover that’ll run you $10 and $20, respectively.

See at Amazon

The best sweat-resistant Bose headphones for working out

We’re a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. An Android phone is only as good as the headphones you have to accompany it, so let us help you find the best way to jam out to your favorite tunes.

The Bose SoundSport Wireless headphones feature a winning combination of amazing sound and great battery life. The IPX4 rating means they’re protected against sweat and water, and while the $149 price isn’t cheap, you really do get what you pay for.

Our pick

Bose SoundSport Wireless

• $149 at Amazon
• $150 at Best Buy

Amazing sound to keep the blood pumping.

Bose’s expertise in sound quality shines through with the SoundSport Wireless. In addition to a wonderfully balanced soundstage, you also get six hours of battery per charge and IPX4 water plus sweat resistance.

Who should buy the SoundSport Wireless?

Anybody that wants some of the best sound quality they can find in a pair of workout headphones should check these out. The SoundSport Wirelsss bring the best of Bose’s audio expertise to a form factor that’s suitable for the gym, and while they aren’t cheap, they’re still not quite as expensive as some of the company’s other offerings.

Is it a good time to buy?

Probably. The SoundSport Wirelss were originally launched back in 2016, but even so, continue to be some of the best wireless workout earbuds on the market.

Reasons to buy

• Stupendous sound quality
• Water and sweat resistant
• NFC + Bluetooth pairing
• Up to six hours of battery per charge

Reasons not to buy

• Expensive 💰

This is Bose’s most complete, well-rounded pair of workout headphones

Bose is one of the oldest and most-well audio brands in the world, and while its headphones are usually focused on non-gym environments, the company’s SoundSport lineup has steadily become one of the best names for workout-focused offerings.

The SoundSport Wireless offer some of the best sound you can find in a pair of workout headphones.

The SoundSport Wireless isn’t the newest entry in the SoundSport family, but it’s one of the best. Without a doubt, one of the biggest reasons you should consider picking up these earbuds is for their sound. The bass is powerful, mids are clear, and everything just sounds so darn good no matter what you’re listening to.

Battery life is another important factor when it comes to workout headphones, and with the SoundSport Wireless, this is another area they excel at. The up to six hours of use in between charges might not be as legendary as what you’d find on the Jaybird X4, but it’s still more than enough for runs, walks, and gym sessions.

There’s an IPX4 rating to keep the earbuds protected against both water and sweat, and thanks to the superb StayHere+ Sport tips, the SoundSport Wireless always feel secure and steady in your ear no matter how hard your blood is pumping.

Add that all together with support for the Bose Connect companion app, Bluetooth + NFC pairing, and inline controls for music/calls, and you end up with one insane package.

Alternatives to the SoundSport Wireless

If you like what you see with the SoundSport Wireless but have a bit more cash to spend and want something that’s even more advanced, there are a couple other options worth checking out.

Completely wire-free

Bose SoundSport Free

Expensive, truly wire-free buds.

$199 at Amazon

The SoundSport Free offer the same great Bose sound, up to five hours of playback, an extra 10 hours of use with the charging case, and includes a “Find My Buds” feature in case you misplace one (or both).

This is Bose’s first shot at completely wireless earbuds, and compared to some other first efforts, it’s pretty admirable just how well these really work. The sound is great, battery life is pretty good, and the fit is top-notch. To learn more, check out Harish’s full review.

Built-in heart-rate monitoring

Bose SoundSport Pulse

Great buds with built-in heart-rate tracking.

$199 at Amazon

Like the form factor of the SoundSport Wireless but wish they did more? The SoundSport Pulse keeps everything great about the Wireless but adds built-in heart-rate tracking to take your workouts to the next level.

The SoundSport Pulse is literally the SoundSport Wireless with a heart-rate tracker built right into them. Some buyers may not be willing to hand over another $50 for that privelege, but if you’re serious about getting the very most out of your workouts, having earbuds and heart-rate tracking in one device could prove to be rather useful.

Bottom line

While the SoundSport Free and Pulse are both great options, the Bose SoundSport Wireless is the best all-around package of sound quality, battery, comfort, and price.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Joe Maring is Android Central’s News Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He’s been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop. Have a tip? Send an email to joe.maring@mobilenations.com!

Daniel Bader is the Managing Editor of Android Central. As he’s writing this, a mountain of old Android phones is about to fall on his head, but his Great Dane will protect him. He drinks way too much coffee and sleeps too little. He wonders if there’s a correlation.

Fitbit Charge 3 launches on October 7 for $150

The bolstered fitness tracker is more comfortable and packs more smart features than its predecessor.

Following its announcement in August, the Fitbit Charge 3 is nearly ready to start hitting wrists everywhere. The new fitness tracker, which is a gradual evolution of the Charge 2, will hit stores starting on October 7.

Fitbit isn’t reinventing the wheel with the Charge 3, as it largely looks much like the Charge 2 that preceded it. However, the company has packed in a number of new features and upgrades that should make for a more comfortable and stylish fitness watch. The display, for example, is a gray-scale OLED panel that Fitbit says should be 40 percent sharper and brighter than the one present on the Charge 2. That display is also covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for a little extra durability.

Also on board is the dashboard from the Ionic and Versa, which will let you quickly check in on all of your stats. Those include basic things like your steps and calories burned, but you can also see your heart rate, most recent exercises, and Fitbit’s female health tracking tools. The Special Edition Charge 3 also includes Fitbit Pay for contactless payments at the register.

Battery life, which has always been one of Fitbit’s selling points, is still high here, with up to seven days of use on a charge. The watch is also water resistant at up to 50 meters, and a new swimming mode should help you accurately track workout while you’re in the pool.

A major new addition coming with the Charge 3 is its new Sleep Score function. It won’t be immediately available, but Fitbit says that it is planning to open enrollment for qualifying Fitbit users (those with newer trackers like the CHarge 3, Versa, and Ionic) starting in November for the Sleep Score beta program. The feature works by giving you a sleep score based on your heart rate and SpO2 sensor data.

The Fitbit Charge 3 is available to preorder now, starting at $150. Otherwise, you can pick up the new tracker at stores starting on its October 7 launch date.

See at Fitbit

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout will have better looting at launch

Boots are back on the ground.

It wouldn’t be a year in gaming without the annual Call of Duty release blessing the fall launch schedule. The last title we got was a non-Black Ops game, which means we’re due for another from the talented team over at Treyarch.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is poised to build on the previous game by implementing changes inspired by fan feedback and introducing some interesting new game modes that’ll change your expectation of what a Call of Duty experience is supposed to be. Here’s everything you need to know.

October 4, 2018 — Treyarch announces tweaks to Blackout’s loot pickup mechanic

One of the most frustrating mechanics in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout beta was loot pickup. It was a bit awkward as you would have to hold the Square button (X on Xbox One) to confirm pickups, something tha tmade the process slower. Treyarch favored this approach as it saves the quick tap for the reload mechanic, a much more important thing to make sure you can do at a moment’s notice.

But many fans complained about the mechanic, and so an option was born. You can now switch between tap or hold to loot, and you also get the option of looting everything in your immediate area with one button instead of having to go to each item and pick them up individually.

Sir David Young and team have created this peace offering. It still needs to go through the normal quality assurance and integration steps. But, ASAP. I promise. Just don’t yell at me when you turn this on but can’t reload after a hot drop! pic.twitter.com/hw2BB4ouMQ

— Lord Vonderhaar (@DavidVonderhaar) October 3, 2018

The developer still hasn’t addressed other looting concerns, such as the difficulties experienced when opening a downed players bag and trying to cycle through their inventory. It works, but it just isn’t always intuitive. The jury is still out on whether this is intentional, with many believing Treyarch wanted there to be real risk involved in looting downed enemies during the heat of battle.

More than the changes themselves, today’s news is nice reassurance that Treyarch are not only willing to address player pain points with updates, but also be transparent about them. That should bode well for the game mode come Black Ops 4’s launch, which happens October on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

September 26, 2018 — PS4 gets content a week early

Sony has revealed new details about their timed content exclusivity deal for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. New content — which you get as part of owning the Black Ops Pass — will arrive 7 days early on PlayStation 4. Such a deal isn’t new for Sony and Activision, though it does mark the first time since this marketing partnership began that the gap has been narrowed from 30 days to 7.

We also have a bit better of an idea regarding the timeline of the first content drops. Here’s what’s planned:

• Nuketown: This fan-favorite map returns in November in an all-new take.
• Specialists: The first of several new characters will debut in December.
• Blackout: Launch day is only the start; Blackout will continue to evolve after launch with regular map updates, expansions and new Blackout modes.
• Events: Seasonal, weekly, and time-limited events bringing new game modes and content to players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches October 12th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

September 4, 2018 — New Blackout beta details arrive

Waiting for the Blackout beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4? The wait isn’t long now, with PlayStation 4 gamers finally able to check the new Battle Royale game mode out on September 10th, while friends on other platforms will get a chance to play starting on September 14th. No matter which camp you fall in, you’ll have until September 17th to see what it’s all about.

The official Call of Duty Twitter is getting folks hype about its arrival by sharing our first look at the Blackout map, which is naturally the largest in franchise history. The map shows several classic names, including Nuketown Island, Hyro Dam, and Firing Range. You’ll note that these are based on maps from older Call of Duty games, except they’ll all exist on the same seamless map in Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode.

Where are you dropping first?This is Blackout, featuring the largest map in Call of Duty history. Pre-order #BlackOps4 and get access to the Blackout Beta, playable September 10 on PS4: https://t.co/XFvGMDwF3M pic.twitter.com/RAxzzDxjPO

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) September 5, 2018

We count just 14 unique locations named throughout the map, which is a little on the light side compared to Battle Royale games like Fortnite and PUBG. But the areas should be highly detailed, and there are lots of other smaller settlements and compounds which don’t have names littered throughout the map. It’ll be just a few days before we can see how all of this looks inside the actual game world, so get ready.

July 20, 2018 — Mystery Box Collector’s Edition is now up for pre-order

There’s a new pre-order option for those who eat, sleep and breath Black Ops. It’s the “Mystery Box Edition” and it’ll launch October 12, 2018.

The biggest thing that comes with the Mystery Box is, well, the box itself. If you aren’t in the know, these boxes are scattered throughout Zombies maps, and allows the player to get a random weapon, item, or perk upon opening it. It looks like Black Ops 4’s box is more ominous than ever, with skeleton heads whose eyes light up in blue. It looks really cool.

You’ll find an interesting assortment of collectibles inside the box. There are FigPins, a pop socket, the first edition of a new Dark Horse-made Zombies comic, 10 specialist patches, 3 lithographs, as well as the game itself inside a nice steelbook case. On the digital side, you’ll be getting the Black Ops pass, which grants you access to all the new zombies and multiplayer content that’ll be released in Black Ops 4’s life cycle.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Mystery Box Edition will run you a whopping $199.99, but considering all it comes with it just may be worth the money. Head to Amazon to pre-order yours today.

See at Amazon

What is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4?

This is the latest game in the Call of Duty series, and, specifically, the fifth such game made by Treyarch, the studio which got its start with Call of Duty: World at War and exclusively made Black Ops games ever since.

Black Ops games have never followed traditional Call of Duty standards in terms of story. They’re set in a dystopian-like universe that explores alternate realities. One of the games even straddled the line of supernatural, with Black Ops 3’s events all taking place inside someone’s head.

While the original Black Ops game was set in a period during the Cold War, subsequent titles have gone for a more futuristic setting so as to introduce interesting new gameplay mechanics.

Is there a story mode?

Earlier Black Ops games featured original stories, but Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will not. In fact, this will be the first ever Call of Duty game that doesn’t have a single-player campaign.

It was originally rumored that Treyarch had started on a campaign for the game, but scrapped it during development as it wouldn’t be finished in time. We later learned that this wasn’t the case, and it was instead a conscious decision by the team to focus their time on multiplayer as a majority of players don’t finish the single-player campaigns in Call of Duty games.

If you love a good single-player campaign and nothing more, it’s wise to skip this one. But Treyarch has mentioned that this isn’t necessarily the start of a trend and that single-player campaigns can and will return to future Call of Duty titles.

Gameplay

With multiplayer being the sole way to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Treyarch wants to ensure they make the deepest shooter possible, and also looked to address some of the more unpopular things they tried in Black Ops 3. Jetpacks and wall-running have been completely removed from the game.

The fan cry for “boots on the ground” has been quite loud, which is why many were ecstatic for Call of Duty: World War 2’s launch. Treyarch’s removal of the feature is a testament to their ability to listen to feedback and not only understand what their fans want, but take action on it.

A lot of the good stuff is returning, though, including the game’s use of Specialist characters. These characters are unique and feature special traits, abilities, and finishing moves. We’re getting four new characters with this launch for a grand total of 10:

• Torque: This is the builder of your team. You can make barricades to control firing lanes in the game, as well as more advanced deployment of barbed wire. Torque’s barricades have heat and distortion fields built-in, so anyone looking to challenge the area you’re denying will have a tough time.
• Ajax: When you need someone to push into an enemy zone, Ajax is the pick. He has a shield, and the shield has a hole in it, so whoever uses him can still be a deadly force. Ajax also has a flashbang that can be cooked, and the longer you cook it, the more flashes it will set off.
• Recon: A new fog of war mechanic means enemies won’t always show up on your radar whenever they shoot, so Recon’s goal is to reveal them.
• Crash: Medic fans will love Crash. He can not only heal allies, but he can also buff them in certain ways. And if you’re wondering why he has to heal anyone, it’s because Black Ops 4 will not have regenerative health.

All of these specialists share much of the same weapon and equipment pool, but there will be some mods and attachments specific to each character. And not all attachments will be made equally, with tier 2 versions of mods offering greater benefits than their standard ones.

Speaking of which, gunplay is getting a big upgrade in Black Ops 4. Treyarch has implemented predictive recoil patterns for each gun, which means you’ll have a rough idea of how your gun will react whenever you shoot it. The recoil mechanic in previous games was based on RNG, something Treyarch felt was important to eliminate as they wanted all of the game systems in Black Ops 4 to be learnable.

Scorestreaks are back. This staple Call of Duty feature nets you game-changing perks and bonuses as you rack up kills. Treyarch hasn’t yet revealed any new scorestreaks or changes to existing ones.

Players will do battle on a number of maps, five of which are fan favorites from previous Black Ops games that have been remade. Those include Jungle, Slums, Summit, Firing Range, and, of course, Nuketown. The former four will be available at launch, though Nuketown will arrive a bit later.

When you want to take a break from multiplayer, you can play Solo Missions, a collection of missions that’ll let you test your skill with any of the specialists. These missions will contain light backstories for each specialist if you’re interested in learning more about them.

It’s clear Treyarch wants more for Call of Duty than its roots as a simple twitch shooter. The continued focus on unique character abilities and an upgraded ballistics system puts it in league with the likes of Rainbow Six: Siege, and should help position it well to become a fun game to follow and play for eSports.

Zombies

What’s a Black Ops game without a zombie mode? Zombies in Black Ops 4 will have the most launch content we’ve seen yet. This coop mode lets you and up to three other friends take on a horde of zombie enemies across several big maps, with each wave being interspersed with time-sensitive objectives.

Black Ops 4 will feature three such maps at launch, two of which are entirely new and one that has been remade from a previous game. The new maps – Voyage of Despair and IX – have a short storyline of their own to follow, and will feature all-new original characters Scarlett, Shaw, Diego, and Bruno.

The remake is Blood of the Dead, which is based on the Mob of the Dead map from Black Ops 2. Its story will feature the original Primis gang, including Nikolai, Takeo, Richtofen, and Dempsey. A fourth map made for the Primis characters named Classified is also on the way, but will only be available for Black Ops Pass owners and anyone buying the Special Edition versions of the game.

You’ll get more customization than ever before, as players can now customize their starting loadouts before each game. And the game at large can be played to your exact liking with over 100 variable “mutations” that can be applied. These mutations can alter things like zombie speed, health, damage, and overall difficulty.

And to give players a reason to keep coming back, Treyarch will run events called Callings. These limited time events may offer rewards or introduce new gameplay twists to help keep things fresh.

Blackout Mode

Peg Call of Duty as another game jumping on the Battle Royale bandwagon. Black Ops 4 will have its own royale mode called Blackout, and it’ll feature the single largest map we’ve ever seen in a Call of Duty game. It’s said the original test map for Blackout mode was 144 square miles wide. We don’t know how much it’s been shrunken or enlarged since then, but it sounds massive either way. The map will have iconic locations from previous Black Ops games, and it can be traversed by land, sea, or air.

Treyarch doesn’t seem to be touting any crazy twists on the genre. The teaser trailer for the mode suggests players will parachute down into the play area to find their starting loot before the game eventually shepherds players into tighter areas. Their whole selling point, then, is that this is a Battle Royale game with the tried and true gunplay, smooth controls, and fast-paced action that Call of Duty is known for. They’re also taking care to ensure each game feels different through the mode’s core mechanics, something they hope will keep players hungry for more.

In the mode, you’ll be able to play as series favorites Alex Mason, Raul Menendez, and all of the original Primis crew, among other characters. Treyarch didn’t have much to say regarding how, exactly, the mode will operate, but we do know the company is looking to incorporate bullet drop, a first for a Call of Duty game.

Black Ops Pass

Treyarch is trying a different monetization model with Black Ops 4. Instead of offering up new maps in flat-rate map packs, you will now have to buy a Black Ops Pass. The pass will offer up access to new content as soon as it becomes available.

Pricing information for the Black Ops Pass hasn’t yet been revealed, but we do know that the pass will eventually offer up 12 additional multiplayer maps, four exclusive characters to use in Blackout mode, and four Zombies maps throughout 2019, as well as the Classified Zombies map at launch.

Activision has also confirmed that you will need to buy special editions of the game starting at $100 if you want the Black Ops Pass at launch. They have plans to make the pass available separately, but not until a later date.

Beta

Yes, there’s a private beta, and you’ll be able to play it by doing one simple thing: pre-order the game. Treyarch hasn’t ruled out other ways to access the beta, but this is your safest best to try it out early if you don’t mind committing your money to a pre-order.

A beta launch date has yet to be set, but previous rumors suggest we’ll see it at some point in August. An open beta is also still a possibility leading up to the game’s launch.

Pre-order deals

There are lots of good things to be had for pre-ordering Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. All standard edition pre-orders will be in line for a Black Ops 3 map pack that will feature Jungle Summit, Slums, and Firing Range. You’ll also get access to the private beta in August.

See at Amazon

Get the Digital Deluxe Edition for $100 and you’ll get 2,400 Call of Duty Points and the Black Ops Pass to go along with it.

See at Amazon

The Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition is the same as the Digital Deluxe Edition, but comes with 8,500 Call of Duty Points. It’ll run you $130.

See at Amazon

Finally, there’s a $120 Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Pro Edition that adds in a steelbook, a pop socket, 10 specialist patches, three Zombies-inspired collectible art cards, 1,100 Call of Duty Points, and a Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) calling card. This version of the game is available exclusively at GameStop.

See at GameStop

When can you play it?

The boots hit the ground for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on October 12th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Let us know if you’ll be joining in on the fun.

Updated October 2018: Treyarch announced a key change to Black Ops 4’s looting mechanic. All the details for you right here.

PlayStation 4

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