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Detachable and thin-bezeled "Pixelbooks" spotted ahead of Google launch event

Leaked video shows an unreleased detachable-style Chrome OS device, but will it carry the Pixelbook moniker?
By
September 10, 2018
TL;DR
  • A leaked video has shown a Chrome OS device that appears to be strapped to a detachable keyboard.
  • Based on previous evidence, this could be one of the Pixelbook 2 candidates known as “Nocturne.”
  • A trio of adverts have also potentially revealed another more traditional Pixelbook successor with thinner bezels.

Google is expected to bring a bundle of new products to its Pixel 3 launch event this October, including a successor to the Google Pixelbook. There’s been some speculation that the search giant is preparing two new Google-made Chrome OS devices, but the rumors have been based solely on codenames and Chromium commits. Until now, that is.

Thanks to the detective work of Brandon Lall (via Chrome Unboxed), we may have now got a painfully brief glimpse at one of the two potential second-generation Pixelbooks. The video (below), which was posted in the Chromium Bug Tracker a few days ago before being swiftly taken down over the weekend, shows a Chrome OS device that appears to be strapped to a detachable keyboard.

IFA 2018 Chromebook announcements give us a big hint about the future of Chrome OS
Features
Lenovo Yoga Chromebook

Based on previous evidence, there’s a good chance this is “Nocturne” — a detachable 2-in-1 Chrome OS laptop/tablet that keeps popping up in commits.

Anyone familiar with the first-gen Pixelbook will no doubt have spotted a few glaring differences. The first is the color, as the Pixelbook sports a silver finish while the device in the video appears to be matte black. The other major change comes via the keyboard, as all the physical keys are rounded instead of square or rectangular.

Personally, the video makes me wonder whether the detachable will carry the Pixelbook moniker or if it’ll be the first a new range. Pixelpad, maybe?

As for the vanilla Pixelbook successor, several Chrome Unboxed readers (via Android Police) think they’ve already seen it in a couple of official Google ads, of all places.

Pixelbook ad comparison

The ads, hosted on Facebook and via Ad Choices, show a Chrome OS device that looks almost identical to the original Pixelbook. However, look a little closer and we can see that the pictured laptop has much smaller bezels.

Pixelbook 2 ad
No, that is not the Pixel Ultra on the left.

While this could just be a cheeky Photoshop job, it could also be the next Pixelbook. If so, this might be our first look at the 4K display-toting “Atlas” that we keep hearing about.

We’ll know for sure on October 9 when Google heads to New York to reveal its upcoming lineup of Made by Google goodies.