Google Pixel 2 launch date: New Android phone promises better camera and battery life

'Thinking about changing phones?' asks the company

Google has revealed the launch date for its next flagship smartphone: the Google Pixel 2.

The company has just announced that the handset will be revealed on 4 October, exactly a year after the original Pixel and Pixel XL came out.

Though Google hasn't explicitly mentioned the Pixel 2 in its new teasers, it is using the tagline, "Thinking about changing phones?"

"Stay tuned for more on 4 October," says its new Made By Google marketing site, which is inviting people to sign up for updates with an email address.

Google has also released a video teasing some of the new phone's key features.

It suggests the next version of the Pixel will focus on battery life, storage, camera quality.

The original didn't pick up a great deal of praise for its looks, but it features what many people consider to be the best smartphone camera ever made.

Google Assistant, the company's virtual helper, is also expected to be a central feature of the new phone.

The Pixel 2 is, once again, expected to be manufactured by HTC. Rumours suggest it will have squeezable sides and optical image stabilisation, which last year's model lacked.

A 6-inch follow-up to the Pixel XL is also set to land next month. It, however, will reportedly be built by LG, and could look a lot like the widely praised new V30.

Both new phones will come pre-loaded with Android 8.0 Oreo, which was announced last month but is yet to officially start rolling out to users.