Pixel 3 leaks: Accident or Deliberate?

On October 9th, Google is expected to announce a plethora of new products at its Made By Google event in New York City including the Pixelbook 2, new Pixel Buds, and a possible Pixel Watch. However, most importantly, Google is expected to announce the successor of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL: the Pixel 3 and 3 XL. Unfortunately for Google, the only secret they may have left is the release date.

For months now, since the picture of the screen protectors surfaced, seemingly dozens of leaks, pictures, and renders have been released detailing everything there is to know about the upcoming phones.

Let's look at what we know. The Pixel 3 appears to be simply a smaller version of the Pixel 2 XL complete with symmetrical bezels, an upgraded Snapdragon processor, Android Pie, and potentially a FaceID rival with dual front cameras. On the other hand, the Pixel 3 XL, while seemingly keeping the same features, is shown to have the same front chin coupled with the deepest notch the world has ever seen.

Despite the complete shock of the Pixel 3 XL design, it is the clarity and quantity of the leaks that has the tech community in complete disbelief. Surely a company as large and structured as Google is not that careless about product launches that even a prototype left in a Lyft vehicle was recognizable to the average citizen? These amounts of leaks truly have me (and others) wondering: are these leaks deliberate?

Why would Google leak so much information before a product launch you may ask? Easy; they are gauging the public. It is no secret that the iPhone XS and Note product launches we're tremendous successes with the designs highly praised. Also, Google is surely aware of the public perceptions of notch/chin phones. With the need for the Pixel to be successful, Google knows the stakes.

So what better way to gather public interest? Leak any information you can. Dominate the headlines and maintain exposure. This could certainly be all theory, but the circumstances make perfect sense. Also, maybe they are just giving everyone plenty of time to warm up to that notch...I personally don't think it is working.