Google is believed to be about to unveil its next smartphone to rival Apple's iPhone X.

The technology giant has announced it will host a live event at the beginning of October, where new versions of the firm's Pixel and Pixel XL will be unveiled.

A teaser video on the company's Twitter feed shows a series of questions about phone performance being typed into a Google search bar

It includes queries about poor battery life, before a message appears reading: "Answers are coming. Oct 4."

Answers are coming. October 4. pic.twitter.com/3CQrBcwi47 — Made by Google (@madebygoogle) September 14, 2017

It will be exactly 12 months since the original Pixel was announced. At the time, it was marketed as Google's first own-built phone, which had virtual helper Google Assistant at its centre.


Reports are now naming Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL as the likely new devices to be unveiled.

The event follows Apple's latest live event earlier this week, when it introduced three new iPhone handsets, including the £999 iPhone X, which marked the 10th anniversary of the phone's original launch.

Details of new Apple iPhone X 'leaked'

Critics warmly received the original Google Pixel in 2016 - and according to some reports, notable upgrades to this year's device will include the addition of optical image stabilisation (OIS) to the rear camera for the first time to reduce the number of blurred photos being snapped.

It completes a busy period for smartphone announcements with Samsung, LG and Sony having all introduced new devices in September.