Pixel 2 Smartphones to be Joined by a 3rd Larger Version
May 15, 2017

The Google Pixel smartphone will be upgraded with two new Pixel2 models and perhaps a third.  Google released its Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones last October with 5” and 5.5” OLED screens at 441ppi and 534 ppi respectively using Qualcomm chipsets, displays from LGD, and fairly standard features.  Google’s intent was to create a smartphone that could compete with the iPhone 7 (they sell for the same price) with a focus on integration of all Google services, and while this is the 1st ‘Google branded’ offering from the company, the Nexus brand series of smartphones was also a Google offering. The next generation of Google phones codenamed Muskie and Walleye are now expected to be joined by Taimen, a 3rd variant that is expected to have a larger OLED screen than the other two models.  Google has been cited as possibly investing $900m with LG Display to gain access to LGD’s flexible display capacity but will likely have limited availability this year.  LGD is happy, with another customer to justify its small panel OLED business, but without something new, the Google brand seems a ‘me-too’ entry.  The company does have the ability to create applications that are eminently consumer centric, and given the AI orientation of the consumer electronics space, this could give them an edge.  

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