Someone is about to take a close look at HTC’s unreleased Google phone. According to a 9to5Google An anonymous eBay user reportedly sold a prototype of the HTC Pixel 2 XL for $ 580.
The auctioned HTC Pixel 2 XL, code-named “Muskie”, is an example of EVT (Engineering Validation Test). True to previous leaks, the standard Pixel 2 is really capitalized. It still has huge bezels and eye-catching front speakers, just with an ornate pattern on the back and a modified “G” logo to disguise the Google brand.
There are other clues about the prototype status of the HTC Pixel 2 XL. This model is running a debug version of Android 8 Oreo, codenamed “Muskie” multiple times – the software was clearly specific to this phone. It uses an Android security patch dated August 2017, suggesting that Google and HTC Code waited until just a few months before its official debut in October 2017.
See also: The Best HTC Phones You Can Buy Right Now
There’s no indication of who bought the phone, and the recipient may not be delighted if the novelty wears off. The seller warned that the HTC system could be “unstable or not working” and that there are no guarantees that the networking will function properly. Even if you ran into it yourself, you might end up with little more than a paperweight.
Still, the auction is useful to illustrate what could have been. Google had invested heavily in the HTC Pixel 2 XL before switching to the LG design, which eventually reached the public – this wasn’t a throwaway item. While you probably won’t see such a shift again given Google’s increasingly hands-on approach to design, it’s fun to imagine what would have happened if Google had moved forward with an all-HTC Pixel range.
