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Someone got their hands on a perfectly usable Pixel 7 Pro prototype

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Jun 02, 2022, 8:16 AM

Someone got their hands on a perfectly usable Pixel 7 Pro prototype

Google gave us an early look at the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro during its May I/O conference. Although the phones won't officially be released until the fall, some prototype units have already made it to the market. A few days back, a Pixel 7 unit popped up on eBay, and now, someone claims they got the Pro model from Facebook Marketplace.

Reddit user AMC20_ says that they were under the impression that they had bought the Pixel 6 Pro as the Pixel 7 Pro prototype was listed as so. As official images shared by Google have revealed, the Pixel 6 Pro and its successor do have the same general look, but they are different enough to be distinguishable. For instance, the phone features an updated horizontal aluminum camera bar with a pill-shaped cutout for the lenses.

When the Pixel 7 was spotted on eBay, the accompanying images had indicated that a Pixel 7 Pro unit was used to snap an image of its lesser sibling, so it was only a matter of time until someone got their hands on it.

AMC20_ used the device for three weeks before Google got wind of it and wiped the phone to make it unusable. As noted by Esper's Mishaal Rahman on Twitter, Google was probably able to identify the Pixel 7 Pro prototype by its markings.

When they now try to switch on the phone, they are redirected to Android’s fast boot recovery menu, which corroborates previously leaked information, such as the device is codenamed Cheeta and it features a Samsung-made modem. According to a separate report, the Pixel 7 range's second-generation Tensor chip will also be made by Samsung.

Apparently, Pixel 7 prototypes are freely being sold on Facebook, and how they made it out there is anyone's guess. Before the Pixel Watch was unveiled by Google last month, someone found an abandoned unit in a restaurant, so it's hard to say if Google is simply being irresponsible or if these things are being done on purpose.

There is still plenty unknown about the Pixel 7 phones, such as the exact camera specs and battery capacities, and this should help keep some mystery alive around the Pixel 7 series before their rumored October announcement. There is also a possibility that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro will be accompanied by a third, more premium model, so perhaps this is the secret Google is trying to distract us from by driving attention to the other two models.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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