A Pixel 7 Prototype Is On Sale Months Before The Official Launch

The launch of Google's Pixel 7 series phones is still a few months away, but an alleged device prototype has already gone up for sale on eBay. First spotted on the r/GooglePixel subreddit, the listing has now been pulled. The aesthetics are consistent with what Google showed at I/O 2022 last month. The device that went up for grabs on the auction website had a glossy rear panel, while the surrounding metal frame and the camera island bar have a distinct metallic look to them.

The USB-C port is located at the bottom flanked by stereo speakers, while the SIM slot is positioned on the side. Google's design approach is fresh, save for one aesthetic element that stands out like an eyesore on the Pixel 7 prototype — that thick chin below the device's front display panel. The likes of Apple and Samsung have managed to shrink the so-called "chin" significantly over the years — to such an extent that their freshest wave of flagships has a bottom bezel that's as thin as the bezels at their tops and sides. 

With the Google Pixel 7 — at least in this prototype version — the chin appears to be thicker than what the Pixel 6 and its Pro sibling had to offer. And given the finished state of the prototype, this divisive design change is likely going to appear on the final version.

As you'll see above, the Pixel 7 prototype appears to have been photographed using the Google Pixel 7 Pro (again, very much likely a prototype version), which is clearly visible as a reflection in one of the images on the pulled eBay listing.

Not much is known about the two upcoming Google phones so far, save for what Google revealed a few weeks ago. The Pixel 7 and its Pro version will come armed with Google's next-gen Tensor SoC, but details about any core or performance upgrades are still under the wraps. The dual-camera and triple-lens imaging hardware seen on the Pixel 6 and its Pro variant, respectively, are being carried over to their 2022 successors. 

The color scheme is also being jazzed up a bit. As per the official renders shared by Google, the Pixel 7 will come in a cool lime green color with contrasting gold trim on the surrounding frame and camera bar. The Pixel 7 Pro, on the other hand, appears to be getting what looks like a teal green finish similar to the upcoming Android tablet from Google. Google also appears to have gone with a matte glass finish on the Pixel 7 phones. 

In SlashGear's Pixel 6 review, editor Chris Burns pointed out that the phone's glossy rear panel is quite slippery. The Pixel 6 Pro, didn't turn out to be any different, either.  The Pixel 7 duo will go official in the fall season, and it would be interesting to see what upgrades they bring to the table, and whether they can manage the same level of success that Google enjoyed with the Pixel 6.