The Mountain View giant posted a not exactly cryptic message on X with a binary encoded message that translates to: “Fresh year, fresh drop”.
As Google’s website mentions, it will be a Minty Green color, and the photo posted alongside the teaser also gives us the first look at the shade. It looks funkier and brighter than the colorways that are currently available.
Google has been dropping subtle hints that a green Pixel 8 is on the horizon. For instance, the company already sells a mint silicone case for the Pixel 8, even though the lineup is currently only available in Hazel (green-gray), Obsidian (deep black), Rose (pink-orangey), Porcelain (white), and Bay Blue (sky blue).
As spotted by an eagle-eyed Redditor, Google also briefly listed a model with a green camera bar, stoking rumors that a new model was on the way.
Companies release their phones in new shades mid-cycle to boost sales. This is not a routine practice for Google though, as the company has only release one special variant — the barely blue Pixel 4a.
Though no official sales data is available, the Pixel 8 series seems to be doing quite well, with one report saying that Google was the only brand to see an increase in shipment in Q2 2023.
The new Pixel 8 will have the same specs and design as the models that are currently available but the fresh hue is a clever strategy on Google’s part to revive interest in its phones in the face of renewed competition from Samsung in the form of Galaxy S24.
