Google has released the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones last October, raking in high record sales for the search engine giant in just a few months in the market. However, there are reports hinting that the company is already working on the third iteration of its flagship smartphone, the Pixel 3. One of the killer features of the rumored device is the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. 

A leaked list of 2018 flagship phones that will include Qualcomm's latest top-tier mobile chipset was posted on the Chinese social networking site Weibo. It was revealed that the Google Pixel 3 will be among the first few premium handsets powered by the successor of the Snapdragon 835 chip. The highlight of the more powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset is its new 10nm FinFET chipset build, offering incredible performance boost and more power efficiency that can lessen Pixel 3's battery consumption by 30 percent. 

Aside from the Google Pixel 3, the leaked list reveals that the HTC U12, Sony Xperia XZ2, and Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphones will be launched with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip in the coming months. It is rumored that the Google Pixel 3 will boast faster mobile internet access, still thanks to the new Snapdragon 845 processor. The chip is expected to feature LTE speeds exceeding 1Gbps due to its new X20 LTE model configuration. It can also allow users to use Ultra HD video capture and other AI functionalities, including facial and object recognition.

In other news, Google is speculated to launch three different variants of the Pixel 3 smartphone. The tech firm is expected to introduce a budget Pixel 3 that resembles the old design of the Nexus phone. In the face of tight competition with its top rivals, Apple and Samsung, Google is expected to launch a high-end Pixel 3 model that can match the power of iPhone X. Lastly, there will be a mid-tier variant for the Pixel 3. The common denominator of the three variants is that they are all packed with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip.

It should be noted, however, that the Google Pixel 2 was also rumored to have three variants prior to its launch in October 2017. Instead, the public only saw two versions of the handset, a regular-sized Pixel 2 and the larger Pixel 2 XL device. There is a possibility that Google will release two Pixel 3 variants as well for this year.

The Google Pixel 3 is expected that arrive during a special unboxing event of the company in October 2018.