If a new report is to be believed, Google has canceled plans for a new Pixel smartphone. The handset was reportedly codenamed “muskie” and was meant to be a successor to the Pixel XL. It may have been referred to as the Google Pixel XL 2 if the company had decided to release it. The report claims that Google is not going to do that.
AndroidPolice has heard from three separate sources that Google has shelved its plans for a new Pixel device codenamed muskie. They believe to be reasonably sure that this handset was meant to be the second-generation Pixel XL.
The report does point out that this doesn’t mean there’s not going to be a new Pixel XL handset. What this report merely suggests is that it’s not going to be the device that Google had previously prepared. It’s going to be an entirely different device that gets to be the Pixel XL 2.
Google has another device in the pipeline that’s reportedly codenamed taimen. While not much is known about this device at this point in time, it’s believed to be bigger than muskie. This suggests that the new Pixel XL 2 might be larger than the one Google had previously earmarked for release.
The reason behind this decision is not publicly known at this point in time. Google is expected to unveil two new Pixel smartphones this year and there will be much anticipation for them given that their predecessors were very well received.