Continuing the trend of the Pixel 2 XL, a small number of users have complained on Reddit and the Ars Technica forums about receiving devices which are completely missing the operating system. Google reports that they have fixed this going forwards, and they are sending replacement devices for those affected.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-replacing-Pixel-2-XLs-sent-to-customers-without-Android-installed.262366.0.html