If Google sticks to its usual device launch flow, the Google Pixel 9 will be released in about nine months. It's still a long way off, but not so far that it can't leak. The ever-reliable Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka OnLeaks) has a set of Pixel 9 Pro renders available at MySmartPrice. Typically, these renderings are based on CAD files that accessory designers need before they begin creating the product, so all major components must be accurate to the millimeter, but materials, colors, and some of the smaller details can be guesses.
there is many Differences between these renderings. First, the renders show a flat metal band around the side, making it look very similar to an iPhone. It seems like everyone wants to look like their biggest rival, as Samsung has also adopted this design for the Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus. This allows the front and back of the phone to be completely flat sheets of glass instead of the round glass back of the Pixel 8. The screen is also completely flat again.
Another major visible difference is the camera bar. These bars used to extend from side to side across the back of the phone, but are now floating bars that are not connected to the sides. This brings the camera bar closer to the Pixel Fold design. The Pixel Fold camera bar used to be a rounded rectangle, but it's completely pill-shaped, which in these renders follows the shape of the camera glass cover. In addition to the camera lens, the bar also has an LED flash and a second mystery sensor circle. On the Pixel 8, the circle below the LED is the temperature sensor. I wouldn't be surprised if the temperature sensor broke as it seems to have been panned or forgotten. However, due to the realities of the smartphone development cycle, it may be too soon for that.
MySmartPrice's report lists a “6.5-inch” display, but that's not accurate. The listed dimensions of 162.7×76.6×8.5mm are basically the same as the current phone, which is 162.6×76.5×8.8mm, so the screen can't be any smaller without a major bezel size increase, which isn't in the renders. Reports measure between the rounded corners of the display, which is likely to get “6.5 inches,” but the industry standard is Imaginary square corners And we measure in between. That measurement style gives a typical 6.8 inches.
OnLeaks also has a set of renders for the base model Pixel 9 that ended up on 91mobiles. As usual, this is almost identical to the smaller-sized Pro design with a few more expensive items cut out. Cameras typically scale down to these cheaper models in quantity, quality, or both. We don't know about the individual camera components, but these renders surprisingly show three rear cameras, just like the larger Pro model. The Pixel 8 base model only has two rear cameras. There's also a mystery sensor underneath the LED flash, but the Pixel 8 doesn't have any additional sensors. The phone is also larger, measuring 152.8×71.9×8.5mm, while the Pixel 8 measures 150.5×70.8×8.9mm.
If I were to guess for a moment, the more powerful base model Pixel 9 would be a better fit for Google's device lineup. The mid-range A-series Pixel line has been leveled up significantly with the launch of the Pixel 7a in 2023, which made the base model Pixel 8 feel obsolete, we wrote. Both phones feature the flagship Google Tensor G2 chip, 90Hz display, and similarly sized battery, but the 7a is $100 cheaper, killing all of the market for the base model Pixel 8. If Google makes the A-series that good, it might be better to make the Pixel 9 a “mini Pro” model, if that makes sense. This means that it has all the same features and specifications as the Pixel 9 Pro, but has a smaller body. Google needs to do something to separate the base model from the A-series, and a better camera array suggests that Google is heading down this path. After all, this is how the iPhone works.
It's already incredibly early to talk about the Pixel 9, but this is only the second time rumors about the phone have hit our desks. The first report is about the AI assistant 'Pixie' that Google is working on, which will likely be exclusive to the Pixel line.