Pixel and Pixel XL leak again: blue version, pricing info, and “Google Magic”

Google will reveal the Pixel and Pixel XL in just a few hours, but leaks could continue to spring up until the very last minute.

Following the weekend revelation of the Pixel and Pixel XL specs on Carphone Warehouse and Bell, another carrier seems to have dropped the ball on pre-launch secrecy.

Verizon’s Enterprise division listed the Pixel and Pixel XL on its website. The listings have been removed, but preserved screenshots point to something called “Google Magic.” It’s not clear what Google Magic refers to, as this is the first time we’re hearing the name. That said, judging from the wording on Verizon’s listing, it’s very likely that Magic is the marketing name for the suite of services and features that Google is packing on the Pixels – stuff like Google Assistant and unlimited Google Photos storage.

The Verizon listing also gives us some clues about the pricing of Google’s new phones, although the news is not encouraging. The on-contract price for the Pixel 32GB will be $199. Knowing how Verizon tends to price devices, that would translate to an unlocked price of $600-$649. The Pixel 128GB will cost $299 on-contract, while the Pixel XL 128GB is listed at a whopping $419.99. Expect the top Pixel and Pixel XL versions to cost around $750 and $850 unlocked, respectively. Google is not kidding around with these prices, folks.

Separate from the Verizon Enterprise leak, Evan Blass posted the Very Silver and Really Blue versions of the Verizon Pixel and Pixel XL. This leak doesn’t bring much new to the table, but it does give us a good look at the blue model and it makes up hopeful that Verizon will not stamp its dreaded logo on Google’s latest creations.

The Google Pixel and Pixel XL are mere hours away, but assuming those prices are real, what do you think of Google’s strategy here?