This guide was updated on July 17, 2024, to include information on the Tensor G4, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the 50-MP selfie camera that will accompany them all. The Pixel 9 may also get an improved fingerprint sensor.
The ninth-generation Google Pixel has yet to debut, but we have already heard conflicting reports. Will it have a periscopic telephoto lens? Will the Pixel 8 Pro’s errant temperature sensor stick around its successor? Will we have three Pixels instead of two? And, more importantly, is Google planning to “yassify” the Pixel 9 Pro?
We thought we’d hear something more substantial closer to Google I/O. But the company wasn’t big on hardware this year since AI was its core focus. Instead, we’ll find out everything on August 13 at the next Made by Google event. We expect the company to reveal everything about the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Fold, and anything else that’s Pixel-branded behind the scenes. Here’s what the rumor mill has been churning out lately.
When to expect the Google Pixel 9?
Google typically launches its new Pixel generation in October. But this year, we’re getting it much earlier, with the event being held on August 13. The release date has yet to be revealed.
We expect to see the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and maybe even the Pixel 9 Pro XL revealed at the event. The rumors also tell us we’ll see the Pixel 9 Fold just in time to compete with Samsung’s latest releases.
What will the Google Pixel 9 look like?
Based on highly alleged renderings surfaced by MySmartPrice earlier this year, a website known to leak Android handsets, the next-gen Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will have flatter edges and a deeper curve around the edges. The images currently floating around suggest the Pixel 9 will almost mirror the rounded aesthetic of the Galaxy S24 series or the iPhone 15 Pro.
In April 2024, a set of too-good-not-to-be-true “real-life” images of the Pixel 9 Pro seemingly confirmed all of this. Leaker Rozetked shared the images through the popular Google News Telegram channel. The photos show a Pixel device that’s decidedly iPhone-ish from the front side—its corners are barely distinguishable from the iPhone 14 Pro Max, used as a comparison device in the photos.
A recent regulatory filing for the Pixel 9 hardware nearly confirmed all this. The filing shows the pop-out camera lens on the back of the Pixel 9/Pixel 9 Pro and teases the Pixel 9 Fold, which appears to adopt a stacked camera system for the backside. The entire Pixel 9 family features a protruding camera system.
We also have some leaks about the supposed Pixel 9 series color options. There will likely be Obsidian and Porcelain offerings like there are with the Pixel 8a, plus two other options called Hazel and Rose. This news stems from leaked wallpaper imagery.
Are three Pixel 9s devices better than two?
The latest leak percolating through the speculative airwaves is that the Google Pixel 9 may come in three variants. What would those sizes be, you ask? It would be the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
You’re probably wondering, “So, XL, that means extra large, right?” This one will probably be the larger version of the regular Pixel 9 Pro with an extra camera offering, a la the Galaxy S24 Ultra, which features additional telephoto capabilities and a wider camera aperture. It’s not purported to be very big. The Pixel 9 Pro XL may only top at 6.5 inches, making it a smaller display than Samsung’s Ultra variant.
At the very least, we may have a smaller Pixel 9 en route and an even smaller Pixel 9 Pro. And for that, I’m thankful. OnLeaks, the originator of the 5K renders of the three Pixel devices making the rounds, alleges we’re getting a 6.1-inch display with three cameras on the Pixel 9 Pro and a 6.03-inch display on the Pixel 9—smaller than the Pixel 8’s 6.1-inch display we have now.
What are the Google Pixel 9’s specs?
Google is apparently skipping the Tensor G3 and going straight for the G4. This comes from a recent Geekbench listing caught by 91Mobiles. The only caveat is that it’s not benchmarking so well after all, leaving many of us to worry about what’s to come. The model tested is also listed at 8GB, which leads me to believe that the smaller Pixel 9 will remain an underpowered device. (I know my hands are small, but I deserve 12GB of RAM.)
This regulatory listing mentioned earlier tells us the Pixel 9 may also get faster charging in the interim, with the Pixel 8 Pro topping out at 30W. It will offer a slightly bigger battery, though the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL will still have smaller batteries than Samsung’s.
Will the Google Pixel 9 get satellite connectivity?
Android users want to be as protected out in the wild as their iPhone brethren. The feature that lets you call for help via satellite has already appeared in the beta version of Android 15. Full screenshots show the interface’s appearance as it directs you toward the path with the strongest satellite connection.
What’s a little annoying is the idea that this ability may be offered first through a carrier like T-Mobile before it’s available to all users. Apple’s version of satellite connectivity is carrier agnostic since the company developed its dispatch system. There’s also talk about the latest Google Maps beta harboring strings of code that indicate the ability to share your location via satellite.
If you’re curious about Android 15, we have a whole breakout on the most exciting new features in the next operating system version.
