As we look forward to the Google Pixel 9, it's getting harder and harder to come up with meaningful things that Google can improve or add. The company went all-in on AI with the Google Pixel 8, introducing features like Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Best Take, Zoom Enhance, and so many more. So, what could Google possibly do for the next iteration of the phone?
First off, Google is completely revamping the hardware, swapping out the camera bar with what looks like something similar to Apple's Dynamic Island on the back. Google is even debuting a new Pixel 9 Pro Fold model, bringing the total to four Pixel 9 models launching this month (follow the link here to read more about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold).
In addition to that, several rumored Pixel 8 features never got announced, so it's entirely possible that Google is still tweaking them and could wait until this year to unveil them. We've got every rumor and leak for the Google Pixel 9 right here for you to see, so scroll down and dig in!
Google Pixel 9: Price and availability
Google is set to announce the Pixel 9 series at a hardware event held on August 13, 2024. At the event, we expect to see a Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold make a debut based on a plethora of rumors and leaks over the past few months. We even already have cases showcasing the difference in size between the models.
Google increased the price of its phones last year with the Pixel 8 series and it's rumored that the company will once again be raising prices for the Pixel 9. One European price leak shows an eye-watering €100 price hike for the 128GB Pixel 9, while the 256GB model is allegedly getting a €140 price hike. Here's a roundup from that leak:
- Pixel 9 — 128GB: €899
- 256GB: €999
- Pixel 9 Pro — 128GB: €1099
- 256GB: €1199
- 512GB: €1329
- Pixel 9 Pro XL — 128GB: €1,199
- 256GB: €1,299
- 512GB: €1,429
- 1TB: €1,689
We're not yet sure about prices in other regions but it's highly likely that there will be some kind of price bump for the Pixel 9 over the Pixel 8. That certainly makes good Pixel 8 deals sound even better now!
Google has also been offering preorder bonuses in Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore.
According to leaks, the base Pixel 9 will launch in Obsidian, Porcelain, Cosmo, and Mojito colorways. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL are rumored to change this up for Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Pink. Many of these colors look to match leaks for the Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Google Pixel 9: Design and displays
With the Pixel 8, Google directly addressed two items we were hoping for: better build quality and 120Hz displays for both models. As I noted in my Google Pixel 8 hands-on, the improvements to the build quality are palpable, particularly that matte glass back on the Pixel 8 Pro.
Two leaks show that Google is keeping the matte glass but changing nearly everything else about Pixel design. This Pixel 9 Pro leak shows that the display is shrinking down to 6.5 inches, a 0.2-inch reduction when compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. It's also said that the display bezels have been reduced "on all sides" which is a bit surprising considering how small the bezels were on the Pixel 8 Pro.
A full leak on TikTok corroborates all previous Pixel 9 leaks, even comparing it with the Galaxy S24 Ultra for size comparisons.
@pixo_unpacking ♬ оригінальний звук - pixo_unpacking
Further backing up this radical redesign is a Pixel 9 leak that shows the same flat side rails and buttons that look like they were ripped straight from an iPhone 15. The raised camera bar also seems to have been turned into an island, erasing one of our favorite design features of modern Pixel phones.
The smaller Pixel 9 is said to be rocking a smaller 6.03-inch display with dimensions of 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm, including a 12mm camera island bump. That's slightly larger than the Pixel 8, which measures 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm.
Even more interesting is the rumor that Google will launch a new Pixel 9 Pro XL model to complement the smaller Pixel 9 Pro. That means, for the first time, Google will offer customers the option of choosing their preferred hardware extras — like a telephoto camera and more RAM — without having to settle for a giant phone.
Rumor has it that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will remain small, while a Pixel 9 Pro XL will give users the choice of a larger screen.
Fittingly, the FDA-approved temperature sensor from the Pixel 8 Pro looks to be making an appearance on the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, according to these renders. That would make it one of the few times Google's experimental hardware features lasted more than one generation. The last time we saw something experimental like this was on the Pixel 4 with Soli, which was never included on another future Pixel phone.
The Pixel 8 also debuted a newly rebranded display Google custom-engineered with Samsung called the Actua Display. It was the brightest display on any smartphone when it launched, and it would be no surprise to see Google push this further with its ninth-generation phone. It's not yet known if Google will use an AMOLED display with a higher PWM rate than Samsung, which is included with the Galaxy S24 series.
It's also said that Google will likely include a new adaptive touch feature to the Pixel 9. This allows the phone to dynamically alter the touch sensitivity rate based on the screen protector used and possibly allows the phone to be used when wet. The OnePlus 12 debuted a similar feature called Aqua Touch, which makes the screen usable even when it's wet.
Google Pixel 9: Cameras
With the Pixel 8, Google gave us exactly what we were hoping for: even better cameras. Specifically, the company massively upgraded the ultrawide camera with a new 48MP lens, so it's probably unlikely we'll see a big enhancement for the Pixel 9. One camera leak backs that up, noting that we'll see small bumps to the rear cameras thanks to newer sensors but nothing revolutionary.
Thankfully, that same leak shows that Google is likely upgrading the selfie camera from 10.8MP on the Pixel 8 Pro up to 50MP on the Pixel 9 series. We're not yet sure if this upgrade is only for the Pro models or if all three non-folding Pixel 9 models will get the same treatment. Either way, this is great news for selfie-takers as the front-facing cameras on previous Pixels were its weakest spots.
A telephoto camera is reportedly making an appearance on a smaller phone for the first time in Pixel history.
All leaks show that the smaller, cheaper Pixel 9 will feature a main and ultrawide rear camera. The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL will add a telephoto camera to the mix, offering customers the ability to have a telephoto camera on a smaller phone for the first time in Pixel history.
As noted before, a few rumored Pixel 8 camera features never got announced at the Made by Google 2023 event, so it's possible we'll see these features make their way to the Pixel 9.
One of the unannounced features is called Video Unblur. As the name implies, this AI trick would let you select a blurry video you took and retroactively improve the focus quality.
The leaked code also showed the option to add "Overlays" like black and white or Polaroid to your videos, similar to how you can use filters on photos. Google is really pushing the limit with video capture on the Pixel 8 series, so it'll be interesting to see if the company implements new features like this on the Pixel 9.
Google Pixel 9: Specs and performance
Of all the things we hoped for on the Pixel 8, Google delivered the most in this section. The Pixel 8's fingerprint scanner is finally great, and the company even debuted bank-grade face unlock technology alongside it. There are a ton of new AI features and seven years of software updates, which was uncommon until Google started the trend.
At this point, every major spec for the Pixel 9 series has been leaked. That includes a Tensor G4 processor for all models with an upgraded Samsung Exynos 5400 modem. That modem is also capable of satellite connectivity, which could make the Pixel 9 series the first major Android release with this functionality out of the box.
Folks hoping for a major processor upgrade will be disappointed by the latest Tensor G4 rumors, suggesting that we'll need to wait for the Tensor G5 before we see significant changes to Tensor. Still, the G4 is said to be the most power-efficient Tensor to date, which hopefully also addresses the overheating issues common to Pixels.
Google is said to be outfitting the base Pixel 9 model with 12GB of RAM, while both Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL will see 16GB of RAM.
Google Pixel 9: Wishlist
As with any new phone, there are a few things we'd love to see Google improve on the Pixel 9 over existing phones like the Pixel 8.
Further improved Tensor
This year's Google Tensor G3 sports a brand new CPU, GPU, TPU, DSP, ISP, and many more important components that all lead to greater efficiency and faster speeds. However, Google didn't spend a lot of time on stage talking about general performance improvements for a reason. It talked a lot about AI processing improvements.
Google has long focused on AI-powered tasks as a way for its phones to be differentiated from the pack, but it would be nice if Pixel phones played the best Android games as well as other flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Plus, we're pretty tired of seeing Tensor get hot and slow down the experience — or stop it entirely, as is the case with photo backup and some other features.
A real dark mode
Dark mode is a lie on more phones than I'd like. Unfortunately for Pixel owners, the Pixel is one of the worst offenders of this sin. I'd love to see Google give users a proper "lights out" dark mode where the background is completely black instead of this dark grey nonsense Google has been using for years.
It'll both be better for battery life and help with the next request!
Flicker-reduction option
As the nits delivered by displays continue to grow higher and higher each year, more companies are using OLED displays that don't dim in a traditional way. Instead, they use Pulse Width Modulation (or PWM), and people like me are, unfortunately, very sensitive to this kind of display flickering.
While we have some tips and tricks for PWM-sensitive folks, the best solution is for manufacturers to offer a flicker-reduction option. Lots of companies like Motorola, OnePlus, Nothing, Honor, Xiaomi, Vivo, and others have adopted PWM rates in the thousands of hertz and we know Google can do it, too.
Add MagSafe via Qi2
This year, phone companies came together in a rare moment and agreed on something: MagSafe is great, and all phones should have it. The Qi2 charging standard was born, but so far, no phones have bothered to employ it. The Pixel 9 really needs to add this feature, as it's incredibly convenient and opens up a whole new world of great MagSafe accessories.
Until then, though, you can always add MagSafe to your existing phone like I did with a Spigen ring. It would just be nice to have it built into the phone, though.
Ditch the 128GB option
In 2023, users need more room than 128GB of storage. Unfortunately, both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's lowest priced models only pack this much storage in. In 2024, Google needs to upgrade that base storage to 256GB to help meet the needs of users since it doesn't allow microSD card expansion.
Faster charging
We've long been hoping for faster charging in Pixel and Galaxy phones, and while Google provides 30W fast charging on the Pixel 8 series, we'd still like to see them push that number a bit. Phones like the OnePlus 12 offer 100W charging and many phones offer even faster charging.
Even if Google wants to keep that number lower, it would be OK, but something faster than 30W would be great. How about adopting the 68W charging solution Motorola employs for most of its phones these days? It's amazing how fast those phones charge without making me think they might catch fire.
