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Pixel 2 XL leak shows off Google’s redesigned home screen

Pixel 2 XL leak shows off Google’s redesigned home screen

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It looks like Google will slightly tweak the home screen on the next Pixel phones. Serial phone leaker Evan Blass published two images of the upcoming Pixel 2 XL today that provide not only our cleanest look yet at the device, but also our first look at changes to the Pixel’s home screen.

Most notably, the Google search bar is moving from the top of the screen to the very bottom, below the app dock. It looks weird at first glance, but the placement makes enough sense. The search bar is easier to reach lower down, and Google would obviously like Pixel users to take advantage of search as much as possible.

The other change is a new widget up top that appears to show the user’s next appointment and the current weather. That could be useful if you’re a religious Google Calendar user.

What we’ll have to wait to find out is whether any of this is customizable. On the original Pixel, Google included a weather widget and a Google search button, neither of which could be removed. That could get more annoying on the new Pixels, especially if someone isn’t fond of Google Calendar. There’s a possibility that the colors and styling of the search bar could be tweaked, though, which seems fun.

This leak of the Pixel 2 XL is also the first head-on view we’ve seen, which helps give a much clearer impression of what the screen will look like. This new leak makes it clear that the screen still has bezels on either side of it, making it look much closer to the LG V30 than the Galaxy S8. It also looks really tall. (It’s supposed to have a 6-inch screen.)

The image also clearly shows a second speaker on the bottom of the phone, which seems to confirm that both the smaller and larger Pixels will be getting stereo speakers this generation.

Google is holding an event on Wednesday to announce both Pixel phones and a bunch of other new devices, so come back then for all the details — though at this rate, there may not be much we don’t know.