Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro unlikely to support Active Edge sensors; cheaper Fabric Cases to return this year

Roland Quandt and XDA Developers have discovered more tidbits about the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, Google's next flagship smartphones. Apparently, the company will release Fabric Cases for both smartphones, as it has for previous Pixel generations. Based on the listings published by VoiceComm, Google plans to release seven new Fabric Cases, split three for the Pixel 6 and four for the Pixel 6 Pro. The case names are as follows:

Pixel 6

• Cotton Candy
• Light Rain
• Stormy Sky

Pixel 6 Pro

• Golden Glow
• Light Frost
• Soft Sage
• Stormy Sky

VoiceComm has priced all cases at US$29, US$10 cheaper than equivalent Fabric Cases for the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G or Pixel 5. VoiceComm matches Google's prices for other Fabric Cases, so US$29 could well be the MSRP for Pixel 6 series ones.

However, VoiceComm's descriptions have thrown some people off. For some reason, the retailer states that all Pixel 6 series Fabric Cases are designed to allow people to 'squeeze the sides to talk to Google Assistant', a description of Google's Active Edge sensors. 

Understandably, this has lead to speculation that Active Edge would return on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, having been scrapped last year. VoiceComm includes the same description for Pixel 4a 5G Fabric Cases, though, a device that does not support Active Edge. Hence, we suspect that any Active Edge references in the equivalent Pixel 6 series listings are an error.

Google is yet to confirm when it will fully unveil the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, nor when it will begin selling them. An October 19 release date has been mooted, which could be just over two weeks after Google brings Android 12 to AOSP and existing Pixel smartphones.

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