The Google Pixel 8 line is only a few months old, and yet we’re already hearing the first rumors about the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, and even a new third model that might debut alongside them.
Given that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were unveiled on October 4, 2023, these next handsets are probably almost a year away still, but Google is likely developing them already. So it’s not too soon to start talking, and speculating, about them.
As such, you’ll find all the credible Google Pixel 9 leaks and rumors that we’ve heard below. Early leaks mostly concern the screen, the design, and the chipset, but we’re sure to hear more about those, and about other specs and features, soon, and we’ll update this article as and when we do.
Based on the specs and pricing of the Pixel 8 line, we’ve also added some speculation and educated guesses about other aspects of the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, followed by a wish list of the key improvements we most want to see, taking into consideration our impressions in our Pixel 8 review and our Pixel 8 Pro review.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next high-end phone from Google
- When is it out? Probably October 2024
- How much will it cost? Likely upwards of $699 / £699 / AU$1,199
Google Pixel 9: potential release date and price
- Likely to launch in October 2024
- Will probably cost at least $699 / £699 / AU$1,199
There aren’t any Google Pixel 9 release date rumors yet, but the Pixel 8 was announced on October 4 of 2023 and the Pixel 7 was unveiled on October 6 of 2022, so early October of 2024 seems likely for the Pixel 8.
The Pixel 6 was announced on October 19 of its release year, so not every model landed in early October, but at the very least sometime in October 2024 seems most likely.
We haven’t heard anything about the Google Pixel 9’s price either, but for reference the Pixel 8 starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,199, and the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, so pricing for Google’s next phones might remain the same, or they might rise a bit. It’s unlikely that the starting prices would be any lower than this year’s models.
There may also be a third Pixel 9 model though (more on which below), which would likely sit between the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, and which, based on the prices above, could have a starting price of around $849 / £849 / AU$1,449.
Google Pixel 9: potential models
- Expect a Pixel 9 and a Pixel 9 Pro
- An unnamed third model might join them
One of the most interesting (and earliest) Pixel 9 rumors points to there being a third model in the series, with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro being joined by another phone that has roughly the same screen size as the Pixel 9, but the improved specs of the Pixel 9 Pro.
So in other words it would see Google take a similar approach to Apple with its Pro line of iPhones (except there’s no suggestion that you’ll be able to get a big-screen Pixel without getting a Pro model, as you can from Apple in the shape of the iPhone 15 Plus).
This leak came from “an anonymous but trustworthy source” speaking to Android Authority in December 2022. While we’d always take such early leaks with a pinch of salt, it’s worth noting that this leak also included details of the Pixel 8 line, and almost all of these have since proved accurate, so the source seems credible.
Google Pixel 9: potential design and display
- There could be a whole new design
- There might additionally be a smaller 6.3-inch Pro model
The leaker who predicted that we’d see three Pixel 9 models also claimed to know their screen sizes, saying the Pixel 9 will have roughly the same screen size as the Pixel 8 (which has a 6.2-inch display), while the Pixel 9 Pro will be around the same size as the Pixel 8 Pro (at 6.7 inches), and the unnamed third model will have a 6.3-inch screen.
However, this is slightly at odds with a more recent claim, with reputable leaker Ross Young saying shortly after the Pixel 8’s launch that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will both have bigger screens than the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
They also, incidentally, claim that the Pixel 9a and Pixel Fold 2 will have bigger screens than their predecessors.
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To further confuse things though, an even more recent leak (this time from reliable leaker OnLeaks and MySmartPrice) points to the Pixel 9 Pro having a roughly 6.5-inch screen, making it smaller than the current model.
This leak also includes detailed renders of the Pixel 9 Pro, some of which you can see above.
You’ll notice that the design has drastically changed if these images are accurate, with flat rather than curved sides shown, and a new camera design.
The leak also includes dimensions, which are apparently 162.7 x 76.6 x 8.5mm (rising to 12mm at the camera bump). That’s very similar to the Pixel 8 Pro, which comes in at 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm.
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The source of this has since returned with renders of the standard Pixel 9 too (above), this time in collaboration with 91Mobiles.
These show the same new design as the Pixel 9 Pro, and apparently this phone has a 6.1-inch screen (also making it smaller than its 6.2-inch predecessor), but is slightly larger (though slimmer) overall at 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm (or 12.0mm including the camera bump).
You can also see that there’s a third camera lens on the rear, which is absent from the Pixel 8.
Google Pixel 9: potential cameras and battery
There aren’t many Pixel 9 camera rumors so far, but leaked renders (shown in the previous section) show a triple-lens camera, complete with a square lens which would presumably be a periscope camera, for long-distance optical zoom. The Pixel 8 doesn’t have a periscope/telephoto lens, so this would be quite an upgrade.
Similarly, we’ve seen leaked renders of the Pixel 9 Pro with three rear cameras, though that would be the same number as the Pixel 8 Pro. This leak also suggests one of the lenses might offer a variable aperture, and shows a single-lens camera on the front.
For reference, the Pixel 8 has a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10.5MP front-facing one, while the Pixel 8 Pro has a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide, a 48MP periscope (with 5x optical zoom), and a 10.5MP selfie camera.
It’s likely that some of these cameras will reappear in 2024’s phones, while others will probably be upgraded, either with more megapixels or simply a change in sensor. We doubt Google will add any additional cameras to the phones, but that’s speculation for now.
Oh, and if there is a third model, that will presumably have the same cameras as the Pixel 9 Pro, if indeed it’s being positioned as a smaller Pro option.
It’s also likely that we’ll see some new camera modes, as Google often adds to the camera software with new models.
We haven’t heard anything about the batteries in the Pixel 9 line either, but the Pixel 8 has a 4,575mAh battery and the Pixel 8 Pro has a 5,050mAh one. So we might see similar sizes with the Pixel 9 line, though those are both increases on the Pixel 7 models, so another increase is also possible.
Google Pixel 9: potential specs and features
- Rumored to use a new Tensor G4 chipset
- Might not be much more powerful
The Google Pixel 9 and its siblings will all almost certainly use the Tensor G4 chipset, since the previous three models used the first three generations of the Tensor chip respectively. Indeed, the source that pointed to there being a third Pixel 9 model has specifically said this, and claimed the chipset is codenamed ‘redondo’.
We’ve elsewhere heard that the Tensor G4 will apparently be a “smaller upgrade than initially planned”, so the Pixel 9 line might not have much of a performance boost. That’s a shame, especially when you consider that Google’s Tensor chipsets never match the top mobile chipsets from Qualcomm or Apple for power.
That said, the phone might have an improved AI assistant at least, with one leak claiming the Pixel 9 line will have a new AI assistant called Pixie, which is described as more personalized and powerful than Google Assistant.
Beyond that, we haven’t heard anything, but it’s very possible that Google will keep the temperature sensor that it added to the Pixel 8 Pro, and perhaps even bring it to more models.
Google Pixel 9: what we want to see
Based on the Pixel 8 series specs, we already have a wishlist of what we want from the Pixel 9 line, with the following things being top of it.
1. A refreshed design
We’re big fans of the design Google introduced with the Pixel 6, but roughly the same design has been used for the Pixel 7 and now the Pixel 8, so we think it’s time to change things up with the Pixel 9.
We’d love to see a similarly distinctive design, one that stands out from the crowd, but which also stands out from other Pixels. That might be a big ask, but Google managed this once, so we’re hopeful it can do it again. So far leaks suggest the design might be changing, but arguably not for the better.
2. A 10x telephoto camera
The Google Pixel 8 Pro can already optically zoom further than most phones, at 5x, but that’s no better than the Pixel 7 Pro, and still lags behind the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and its 10x optical zoom. It also has more competition from Apple now, as that company introduced a 5x optical zoom on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
So we’d like to see Google increase the zoom distance to 10x for the Pixel 9 Pro, to help ensure this is one of the best camera phones.
3. A temperature sensor for all models
One of the more intriguing additions to the Pixel 8 line is a temperature sensor, but Google has made this exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro.
While that’s an understandable decision, it’s a feature that helps the Pixel 8 Pro stand out from other phones, and it’s a feature that could help the rest of the line do the same if it was offered on them. So we’d like to see it included on all Pixel 9 models, to give them an extra selling point.
