Google Pixel Compact Phone Said to Be in Development; Could Feature a Hole-Punch Display: Details

Google is tipped to be working on a compact flagship Pixel smartphone. According to the tipster, the rumoured phone has been codenamed ‘Neila’. The handset could feature a centred hole-punch cutout on the display that is expected to house the selfie camera. The purported Google Pixel phone is said to retain the design of the existing Pixel lineup. The tipster also said that smartphones with smaller screens are popular “overseas” and domestic handset sales are lower than expected (translated). Google is set to host the ‘Made By Google’ launch event on October 6.

Tipster Digital Chat Station has shared via the Chinese microblogging website Weibo that Google is working on a compact Pixel smartphone. The phone is said to feature a centred hole-punch cutout, which is expected to house the selfie camera. The tipster further said that the rumoured compact Pixel phone will be a flagship smartphone, and it has been codenamed ‘Neila’.

According to the tipster, the rationale behind Google’s decision to work on a flagship Pixel handset with smaller form factor could be because small-screen phone could be popular in the global markets, and the domestic smartphone sales are lower than expected. The purported handset is said to retain the design features of the existing Pixel lineup.

Google is set to host the ‘Made By Google’ launch event on October 6 at 10am ET (7:30pm IST). During the launch, the company will unveil the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro, alongside the Google Pixel Watch. The tech giant is said to also unveil the new Nest smart home products.

The company has confirmed that the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will be powered by Google’s second-generation Tensor SoCs. The phones will run Android 13 out-of-the-box. Recently, the Google store landing page for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro revealed the colour options of the phones. Both the handsets will come in Obsidian and Snow colour options. The Pixel 7 will also be available in Lemongrass colour option, and the Pixel 7 Pro will be available in a Hazel colour option.