Google Pixel 5 XL shocker isn't the news fans wanted to hear

It may seem a bit preemptive to be looking towards the Pixel 5 XL launch when Google has yet to officially announce the Pixel 4a or the Pixel 5, but thanks to the tech giant's May I/O event being cancelled because of the pandemic, the window of time it has to release 2020's handsets is getting smaller.

We're pretty sure the Pixel 4a is on the cusp of being  revealed, while Pixel 5 leaks suggest Google's flagship device will be making an appearance later this year - possibly with a radical redesign - but it's been suspiciously quiet on the Pixel 5 XL front, and this leak may have just explained why. 

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The Google Camera app has just been updated to version 7.5 for some Android 11 Beta users, and 9to5Google has had a good old ferret around in the APK to discover what new features could be on the cards for the app.

The code reveals that motion blur, and audio zoom are likely to be rolling out, while adjustable flash intensity seems to be in the early stages of development. Video sharing is also going to get a lot easier, with the option to quickly and easily share photos to a slew of social media and messenger apps.

The motion blur feature is described as a mode that offers "DSLR-like quality to photos of moving targets, similar to how portrait mode simulates the bokeh effect," while audio zoom lets users 'focus' their mic in a particular direction when recording a video and zooming in.  

But more interesting than the laundry list of improvements to the camera app is the fact that the Pixel 5 XL is mentioned nowhere. 

According to the site, Google Camera 7.5 references the three Pixel handsets set for a 2020 launch - the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, and Pixel 5 - along with their codenames, but the Pixel 5 XL is notably absent.       

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As it stands, there's not a lot of evidence that a Pixel 5 XL exists at all, and given the nature of leaks around smartphone launches, we'd almost certainly have had an inkling by now that it's on the way.

So if you're an Android user who's been waiting on Google's next flagship, you may be faced with the dilemma of making do with a Pixel 5, or jumping ship to one of the iPhone 12's four models instead. 

Source: 9to5Google