New flagship smartphones are some of the most closely guarded secrets in tech, and while leaks often occur a month or two before an official release, there’s typically enough mystery to keep things interesting until then. Advertisement But in a nearly unbelievable turn of affairs, Russian blog Rozetked appears to have gotten its hands on a finished Google Pixel 3 XL and posted a number of pics for the world to see. But wait, you say. Google hasn’t even announced an official date for a Pixel launch event, so how could this Russian blog get its hands on a finished Pixel 3 XL? Well, according to a few folks on Twitter, an unknown source may have stolen a shipment of Pixel phones in transit before passing a device along to the Russian blog. This sequence of events was not explicitly confirmed by Rozetked, but when translating the blog’s post from Russian into English, one section states: “Google made a big mistake, and two months before the release of the smartphone has lost track of a batch of finished gadgets.” Wow. And it seems Rozetked may not have been the only site to get its hands on a Pixel 3 XL, as another Russian vlogger who goes by Wylsacom posted more photos of a similar-looking device on Twitter. If the device pictured above is legitimate, and if the rest the info posted by Rozetked is too, what does this tell us about the upcoming Pixel 3 XL? Advertisement The first big takeaway is that giant notch at the top of the screen, which, combined with the phone’s large bottom bezel, makes for a pretty awkward-looking device. Judging by the two grilles on the top and bottom of the phone, it’s probably safe to say that like on the Pixel 2, the Pixel 3 will retain its dual front-facing stereo speakers as well. Unfortunately, it seems one thing Google hasn’t carried forward onto next-generation Pixels is their unique, two-toned color scheme. On the back of the pictured device, it looks pure white all the way down. Previously, even on single-color Pixel 2's, Google included a little glass section that contrasted with the matte metal back on the lower portion of the device. Advertisement Another major thing to note is the purported Pixel 3 XL’s camera, which Rozetked claims is once again going to out-perform the imaging capabilities of other high-end smartphones. The Russian site posted a separate story and a few Instagram shots showing photos taken with the supposed Pixel 3 XL, and they do look quite impressive. That said, it’s difficult to judge image quality without having another picture from a different device to use as a comparison. Specs-wise, the Pixel 3 XL reportedly features a 2960 x 1440 display and a Snapdragon 845 processor while running Android 9 Pie, which are all things we’ve been expecting to see on a new flagship Pixel. Sadly, Rozetked didn’t mention the actual size of the device’s screen. Advertisement In the box, it looks like the Pixel 3 XL will come with a double-sided USB-C cable and USB-C power brick, a bundled USB-C-to-headphone-jack dongle, and an OTG adapter for transferring data from one phone to another. Lastly, according to the leaked photos, it appears the Pixel 3 will include a wired version of the Pixel Buds Google released last year, though without seeing them in action, it’s hard to say if these wired versions would include the on-the-fly translation or Google Assistant features that made the Pixel Buds so interesting. We have reached out to Google for an official statement about this supposed Pixel 3 XL leak. However, as the company’s official policy is to not comment on rumors or speculation, the statement we get back may not clarify anything.<doc-sep>Enlarge Image Rozetked It's been a wild ride of Google Pixel 3 XL leaks recently. Now, with some detective work, we may have an idea where all these unreleased phones are coming from. The source is reportedly a Ukrainian black market dealer, who somehow got a hold of prerelease stock of the Pixel 3 XL, according to 9to5Google. The publication traced the leaked Pixels back to a Telegram account, where an anonymous person is allegedly selling Pixel 3 devices for $2,000 a pop. Enlarge Image 9to5Google It's unknown how this seller obtained the unreleased phones, how many they sold and how many are left. Due to the sketchiness of it, 9to5Google originally wondered whether the seller may have simply been scamming potential buyers. The report also links the seller to a Wylsacom, who could be the same Wylsacom responsible for some of the leaked Pixel 3 XL pictures. Perhaps that's where they got the phone in the pictures (not left behind in a taxi like the tweet claims). Нашел тут Pixel 3 XL. Такое себе, на первый взгляд стыдный. Вот сфоткал и оставил в такси. pic.twitter.com/fXU3W9EUgW — Wylsacom (@wylsacom) August 22, 2018 After purchasing a phone, the seller reportedly allowed buyers to pickup the device in London, which is the same city Instagram user Khoroshev posted pictures allegedly taken by a Pixel 3 XL. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.<doc-sep>Details about the forthcoming Google Pixel 3 XL have been leaking out for several months now, and in recent weeks, that steady stream of information has kicked into full gear. Today alone, camera samples, a video of the phone charging wirelessly, and some high-res photographs surfaced, proving that there are several people that already have near-production units in hand. 9to5Google has learned that many of the leaks in recent weeks have come thanks to one Ukrainian seller, offering a large number of possibly stolen Pixel 3 XL units for $2,000 each. This story begins earlier this month, when a Ukrainian blogger got their hands on a very authentic-looking Google Pixel 3 XL unit. The leak was notable since it purported to show not just the Pixel 3 XL, but the entirety of its near-retail box, included manuals, accessories (namely wired Google Pixel Buds), and more. This blogger goes by the name Luchkov, and their Telegram bio as of this writing says they are associated with a company called Wylsacom Media. (Wylsacom, for what it’s worth, is also the source that shared today’s high-res photos of the Pixel 3 XL up close.) That very same blog shared some hands-on video footage with the Pixel 3 XL on August 10th, but this time, a watermark linking to a mysterious Telegram account was included. Placed on the video presumably to attract buyers, the Telegram channel itself is where this dealer has been soliciting buyers for both many Google Pixel 2 XL units and the as-yet-unannounced Google Pixel 3 XL. The company writes in Russian, but I’m told it is rather a Ukraine-based company. To actually buy a phone, you had to contact yet another Telegram user. See for yourself (the user’s two Telegram handles have been censored as to not encourage purchases): Despite backing up their claims to have many Google Pixel 3 XL units on hand with many original and unique photos of what were purportedly their own units (not to mention Luchkov’s leaks, which linked to the seller), the possibility that this was an elaborate scheme to attract online buyers with no plan of actually shipping the Pixel 3 XL goods could not be ruled out. One YouTuber was offered a unit presumably from this very same seller, and noted the sketchiness of the deal last week. One trustworthy 9to5Google reader provided us with screenshots of a conversation had with the dubious seller themselves, which shed some light on their claims — including the $2,000 price and possible pickup in London. While at first, details about the Pixel 3 XL deal (price, shipping, location of pickup) were withheld from the public Telegram group, those details would later be shared widely. Translated from Russian, a message posted in the same Telegram channel by the seller just minutes before this story was published says there are 3 units left and note the $2,000 price again: Remains only 3 pcs. Google Pixel 3 XL I answer immediately to the most popular questions: • The price is 2000 $ • Payment is possible via PayPal or Bitcoin. The second is preferable because PayPal has a horse commission for international transfers. • Dispatch is made from London via DHL or FedEx. Regarding the purchase, please contact [removed] Also I remind you that there is a large amount of Google Pixel 2 XL at a good price. Please! It’s unknown at this point just how this dealer acquired the units. It’s also unknown how many they have obtained and sold, although the reader who provided us screenshots show the dealer offering as many 10 units to one buyer, which would suggest the total number they had on hand at one point to be significant. In the screenshots shared with us, the dealer refused to show images of how many Pixel 3 XL units they had. They also said that the phones couldn’t be remotely deactivated by Google. One thing we’re clarifying with this report, despite many obvious reasons to be skeptical, is that this seller is indeed successfully selling many pre-production Google Pixel 3 XL units on the black market. In the screenshots we viewed, the seller claimed to have sold to some of the sources that have shared leaks of the device in recent weeks, and 9to5Google has independently confirmed this claim to be true. At least some Google Pixel 3 XL devices we’ve seen recently are from this seller, in addition to the one featured in a video linking to the seller directly. Besides the fact that many of the recent leaks are from Russian language sources, another interesting aspect is that so far the leaks themselves are mostly uniform. All the leaks from these sources, including the seller themselves, the Ukrainian blogger Luchkov, Russian publication Rozetked, Wylsacom, and a Rozetked staff member, have seemingly been the same white Pixel 3 XL model. According to a source, there are more buyers, and more leaks are to be expected. Buying unannounced smartphones on the black market is not a new practice by any means, and its legality is certainly dubious at best depending on your jurisdiction (knowingly buying stolen goods is a misdemeanor or a felony in the United States), but this is definitely a big leak at Google’s expense and one that is coming earlier than even the most revealing leaks of previous Pixel phones. Update: “Past 48 hours have been interesting,” a source tells us. The Google legal and security teams, and Foxconn’s team are both involved in internal discussions about the leaks. Notably, there have also been plenty of Google Pixel 3 XL leaks that are likely entirely unrelated to this particular smartphone dealer, and you can check out some of those below. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:<doc-sep>
There's no information as to how many units of the smartphone the seller has managed to acquire. (Representational Image) Among the upcoming smartphones which have been leaking, Google Pixel 3 XL has been on the forefront with several images and videos coming out. And, a majority of leaks are been shared by a Ukranian blogger named as Luchkov who reportedly works for Wylsacom media. However, leaks apart, the blogger has gone a step further and is selling the Google Pixel 3 XL through black market. Wylscom blog had published a hands-on video of the Google Pixel 3 Xl a few days back. The video had a watermark attached which was a Telegram account. And, as our folks at 9to5Google think, it was to attract buyers of the Pixel 3 XL. They are also reported to sell Google Pixel 2 Xl along with the upcoming handset. The price for which they are offering the Pixel 3 XL is $2000. For buying the smartphone, viewers need to connect with the provided Telegram account holder. However, the source has blurred the account in order to not promote purchasing of the phone from such source. (Image Source - 9to5Google) It is believed that the Pixel 3 Xl handsets' which are available with the sellers, have been stolen and they have a whole bunch of it. Moreover, they don't just have the device but we could spot the box along with user manual and Google Pixel buds. However, it is also believed that this could be a scam for getting buyers while not actually having an intention to deliver the device. There's no information as to how many units of the smartphone the seller has managed to acquire and has any of them being sold. But, the source acquired information about them offering 10 units to a buyer. Disclaimer: The above report is completely based on online rumours and leaks from the respective sources. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Deccan Chronicle and/or other staff and contributors to this site. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.