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Johannesburg - Tech giant Google will release its highly anticipated Pixel 2 and 2 XL smartphones on Wednesday.
According to phone specifications website, GSMArena, recent leaks suggest the devices will sport AMOLED displays with 18:9 aspect ratios, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processors, stereo speakers and new pressure sensitive sides.
These may let you "squeeze" the phone to perform certain functions such as turning on the Google Assistant.
Viewers in South Africa can watch the event live on YouTube, and follow live updates on Fin24tech
Big Apple Buddy, a company which bring US products to South Africa, have said that the standard Pixel 2 is expected to be available in blue, black, and white with two choices for storage – 64GB or 128GB - with an estimated price of around $649 (R8 800) and $749 (R10 120) respectively.
The company also said that the larger Pixel 2 XL will retail for around $849 (R11 531).
According to Android blog 9to5Google, meanwhile, Google is also expected to announce its Home Mini, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixelbook and the Daydream View 2 devices.
The Google Home Mini is said to be a direct competitor to Amazon’s Artificial Intelligence assistant Echo Dot. It is expected to retail for $49 (R670).
Google is also releasing a new, higher performance Chromebook called the Google Pixelbook which will also support a stylus and function and fold like a tablet.
Virtual reality fans will also be treated with the Google Daydream View 2, a more refined model than the previous one.
Users can attach their smartphone to the device and turn it into a VR headset.
While the first Pixel smartphone was never officially to the South African market, the device sparked huge interest locally and many SA tourists secured the devices from abroad or through grey market sales.
After their release on Wednesday, South Africans looking to purchase the devices have the option of doing so via websites that ship the devices from the US, including Zeek and Big Apple Buddy.
