Google Pixel 3 is one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year (Image: inDIGI)
Google Pixel 3 is one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year.
That’s because it is expected to build upon everything its predecessors did right in addition to addressing fan criticisms.
Pixel 3 is expected to come in two varieties; one is predicted to tout a 5.5-inch display while the larger Pixel 3 XL is presumed to boast a panel over six inches.
It seemed as though the lid had been lifted on both devices ahead of a presumed announcement at Google’s October 9 hardware event.
Videos and images had emerged of both alleged pieces of hardware with the Pixel 3 XL seemingly being plagued by the most leaks.
The larger flagship was shown touting an all-screen design that featured a notch at the top.
As leaks emerged prominent YouTubers created content expressing their distaste for the design compromise.
One such channel was “Front Page Tech”, that recently made a video declaring Google had contacted its host, Jon Prosser, about using a clip of him criticising the alleged device shown in leaks.
Prosser noted: “So Google emailed me about the Google event and Google Pixel 3 XL and they did not make me sign an NDA, a non-disclosure agreement, that was a mistake.
“Google reached out to me, they emailed me, specifically someone from Google’s hardware team emailed me.
“Yes we verified it.
“Now this person from the hardware team emailed us, reached out to us to get permission to use a very specific clip of a past Front Page Tech episode.
“They wanted to use the clip during the Google event itself and somewhere on the front-page of YouTube and maybe some other things.”
The YouTuber then insisted he had got in touch with other content creators that said they had also been contacted.
Prosser emphasised the other clips that had been requested were similarly showing distaste for the supposedly leaked hardware.
He went on: “Now normally I wouldn’t question this, this is somewhat normal, companies do reach out just before an event to get clips to use and make some sort of montage that they can show during the event.
Jon Prosser was reportedly contacted by Google ahead of the tech giant’s hardware event next month (Image: YouTube Front Page Tech)
“I can’t tell you what clip they asked for, I’m not allowed.
“But if you are new here you know every episode, every time I talk about the Pixel 3 XL I end up yelling, I end up screaming at Google, calling them names, swearing, it’s a whole thing.
“So why would Google play a clip of me yelling at them about a phone they are about to announce and then announce it?
“It turns out Google reached out to a handful, literally just a handful of other big YouTubers and asked for similar clips from them.”
The content creator then questioned whether a third phone from Google, that was not seemingly plagued by leaks, could be announced on October 9.
Prosser continued: “What I can tell you is Google is creating a very specific narrative here with this montage of clips, all of the clips are people mocking them and making fun of them about the leaks and how terrible the phone looks.
“I’m sorry, but why in the hell would Google roll a montage of clips, of YouTubers yelling at them, saying how terrible the phone looks, how embarrassing the leaks are, and then go ahead and announce the terrible looking phone.
“Why would they do that? Unless the phone they are about to announce isn’t the one we have been talking about.”
Brandon declared one of his insiders emphasised leaks would continue to emerge surrounding the Pixel (Image: YouTube This is Tech Today)
Following his upload, another YouTuber named Brandon for “This is Tech Today” declared he had been contacted by a “few sources” who suggested the stream of leaks surrounding the Pixel 3 are all part of a “viral marketing campaign”.
He said: “I’ve been contacted by a few sources and it provides a bit of context to everything that is going on, admittedly I’m not entirely sure how reliable these sources are, but I’m going to put it out there for us to talk about and honestly have some fun.
“Apparently the security for asset management has been higher for the Pixel 3 devices compared to the 2, yet we have so many leaks.
“Another source that is connected to two people who work at a marketing campaign that Google hired states that this is all a viral marketing campaign.”
And Brandon declared one of his insiders emphasised leaks would continue to emerge as Google’s hardware event on October 9 draws ever closer.
He went on: “The source that talked about the viral marketing campaign also said that the leaks are going to become more active around the Apple iPhone event, as if the leaks weren’t already active to begin with right?
“Supposedly we will see this out of FCC filings that will become public to take attention away from the iPhone event.”
Such speculation about a third Pixel 3 device was heightened after images were posted on SlashLeaks by a user showing hardware with minimal bezels and no notch who claimed they were from setup pages as they updated to Android 9 Pie on a Pixel 2 XL.
Images were posted on SlashLeaks by a user showing hardware with minimal bezels and no notch (Image: SlashLeaks)
A video was displayed on one particular setup page that showed the back of the device touting a similar-looking two-tone design Pixel hardware has become renowned for.
The images led to suggestions online such a futuristic-looking piece of hardware could be a so-far unannounced flagship from Google.
Although such a shock theory has not been confirmed, Google fans will not have to wait long to see what is in store for the Pixel product line.
Express.co.uk will be covering the tech giant’s hardware event on October 9.