Key Takeaways
- Google is expected to release three Pixel 9 models this year, deviating from its usual flagship phone strategy.
- The Pixel 9 series may feature smaller displays compared to last year’s models.
- Incremental hardware updates, as well as a new Tensor G4 chip, will likely be included in the Pixel 9 lineup.
Like clockwork, the Pixel 9 rumor mill is in full swing. As is tradition, Google is expected to officially unveil its latest lineup of Pixel phones sometime this fall, and there’s already a barrage of speculation and leaks for us to sink our teeth into.
This year could see a shake-up in Google’s flagship phone strategy, with the company expected to unveil not two, but three, models under the ‘Pixel 9’ banner.
Pixel 9: What we want to see from Google’s next Android trendsetter
Google’s next smartphone lineup might once again define what it means to be the best Android smartphone.
Here’s everything we currently know about Google’s hotly anticipated handsets — from release date, to features, and everything in between.
What will the Pixel 9 lineup actually look like?
Rozetked
Ever since the fateful release of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro in late 2021, Google has settled into what is now a fairly iconic design language. You can tell a modern Pixel phone apart from its competitors, by simply glancing at its visor-style horizontal camera bar, which gives it a unique and distinctly ‘Google’ flair of identity.
The Pixel’s iconic design language is expected to receive a shake-up
Recent leaks and renders of the Pixel 9 series have given us an idea of what to expect when it comes to the design language of Google’s upcoming handsets. A collaborative effort between 91mobiles and OnLeaks gives us a peak at what’s to come — a flatter frame, symmetrical display bezels, and a slightly altered design for housing the camera modules.
Rather than melting the camera bar into the side frame of the phone, as was the case in previous years, it appears the Pixel 9 series is instead taking a page from Google’s recent Pixel Fold. Separating the camera bar from the phone body itself appears to result in a fresh look that doesn’t deviate too far from that distinct Pixel design DNA. Of course, whether the new aesthetic is an upgrade or a downgrade, is subject to personal preference.
As for the phone’s more angular footprint, it certainly evokes familiarity when compared to the likes of the recent iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 flagship lineups.
We’re expecting to see three distinct models of Pixel 9 this year
Since the release of the Pixel 6 series, Google has offered its flagship phones in two configurations: a smaller, baseline flagship and a larger, ‘Pro’ model for enthusiasts.
According to rumors, we’ll see the tech giant branch out and offer three flavors of Pixel 9 this year, as opposed to two. We’re still expecting to get a standard, ‘compact’ Pixel 9, but with the addition of two separate size classes for the Pro: a Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro XL.
In other words, those looking to purchase the highest end Pixel with all the accompanying bells and whistles that Google can muster, will finally be able to do so in a non-XL form factor.
The Pixel 9 series might ship with smaller display sizes than last year’s models
Rumors and leaked renders indicate that the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL will ship with 6.03-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch display sizes, respectively. If this is true, it indicates an overall size reduction in Google’s Pixel offerings when compared to last year’s lineup.
Google/Pocket-lint
What will the Pixel 9 lineup feature under-the-hood?
With the smartphone market largely plateauing from an innovation standpoint, it’s fair to assume that Google’s upcoming flagships will be fairly incremental updates, at least from a hardware perspective.
Leaked specs from Russian outlet Rozetked indicate a base storage size of 128GB across the board, with the Pixel 9 outfitted with 12GB of RAM, and the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL each receiving 16GB of RAM.
Expect Google’s latest-and-greatest Tensor G4 chip to power the new lineup
Small tweaks such as a slightly thinner and more symmetrical display bezel are likely to arrive, if only on the Pro variants. We do, however, expect Google’s latest-and-greatest Tensor G4 chip to power the new lineup.
Expect the brand-new Tensor G4 under the hood
Earlier chatter indicated that Google was planning on swapping from Samsung to a fully in-house chip design, though a newer report from Android Authority indicates that this now won’t be happening until at least 2025.
We can expect Google’s Tensor G4 to offer a bump up in processing prowess over last year’s G3, though recent historical trends have left the processor somewhat behind competing Qualcomm platforms in terms of overall performance. The chip has allegedly been benchmarked by Rozetked, the same outlet that provided us with exclusive hands-on images of the three devices back in May.
Google’s June Pixel update brings Gemini Nano AI to Pixel 8 and 8a
The feature update also includes Summarize in Recorder, Smart Reply, expanded Find My Device and Display Port-out.
The coveted triple camera setup is likely to come to the non-XL Pixel 9 Pro
Rumors indicate that camera hardware will remain largely unchanged, though the new non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is expected to receive the same triple camera setup as its larger XL sibling. The standard Pixel 9, meanwhile, is shown in renders to only have two rear cameras, indicating that the telephoto zoom lens will remain a Pro feature across this year’s lineup.
What version of Android will the Pixel 9 series arrive with?
Google is currently beta testing its latest version of Android — Android 15 — with the intent of hitting platform stability sometime in June. A final release is set to arrive sometime at the end of the summer or beginning of the fall, if all goes according to plan.
It’s highly likely that Google will use the launch of its Pixel 9 series to hype up and properly introduce Android 15 to the world. The company often introduces a grab bag of AI-powered features to coincide with new Pixel hardware launches, and it’s unlikely that the Pixel 9 will buck that trend.
When will the Pixel 9 lineup be unveiled and released?
Last year’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were officially unveiled at a Google keynote on Oct 4, 2023, and were released to the public a week later, on Oct 12. Google has yet to confirm anything concrete, but it’s safe to expect a similar release window of early-to-mid October for the upcoming Pixel 9 series.
How much will the Pixel 9 lineup cost?
Google’s asking price for its upcoming portfolio of smartphones is still up in the air, and will likely continue to be so until closer to launch. I’d wager that the price will remain consistent with that of last year’s models, with the new non-XL Pro model falling somewhere right in the center of the pricing ladder.
Google upped the cost of its Pixel phones last year, and so it seems doubtful that the company will do so for a second year in a row. Of course, as it stands, pricing is still very much a guessing game.
Should you buy the Google Pixel 8a or wait for the Pixel 9?
With the Pixel 9 right around the corner, is the Pixel 8a a sensible buy?
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