Google isn’t exactly known for keeping its projects tightly under wraps, and we’ve seen time and again that the company’s phones leak in their entirety months before release. Just yesterday,we got a great look at the Pixel 9 Prothree quarters of a year before we expect it to hit shelves, and today, renders of its smaller sibling have leaked. While the timing makes sense, what we’re seeing in those renders raises several questions about the direction Google is taking with its 2024 flagships.
Industry insider@OnLeakshas provided renders and details to91mobilesthat show the smallerPixel 9in all its glory. The first thing that jumped out to us was the presence of a periscope telephoto lens and a temperature sensor in the revamped camera bar — two features that had previously been exclusive to the Pro line of Pixels.
Without the clear-cut hardware advantages of being the only phone in the line to sport a triple camera array, we’re curious how Google plans to differentiate its Pro-series model from its smaller flagship — or if the company will even keep those designations intact. You may remember aPixel roadmap leak from December 2022which suggested Google was considering a smaller Pro model in 2024, and this seems to line up with that. However, 91mobiles and OnLeaks are both referring to this as simply the “Pixel 9,” and other elements of that 2022 leak, like Google hinging this decision on potentially poor Pixel A-series sales, have not played out exactly as outlined in the roadmap.
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Taking a closer look at the renders, you can see some differences from yesterday’s Pixel 9 Pro leaks. The back glass cover appears to be matte rather than glossy like the 9 Pro, and the metal frame is more polished. The metal in the 9 Pro leak from yesterday had a sheen and hue that looked like it might be titanium, whereas the smaller Pixel 9 in this leak looks more like the polished aluminum frame on the current Pixel 8 series. Perhaps more premium build materials is how Google plans to differentiate its 9 Pro from the smaller model.
Source:91mobiles
91mobiles reports the smaller Pixel 9 will have dimensions of 152.8 x 71.9 x 8.5mm, or 12mm when measured at the camera bump. The publication is also reporting a 6.1-inch display, which would be a hair smaller than its predecessor. But this seems to be an artifact of how the leaker is measuring the screen size —OnLeaks measuresthe actual screen on the diagonal, from curved corner to curved corner, whereas smartphone manufacturers typically calculate a screen’s size as if it were a perfect rectangle. When everything goes official, we’d expect a very similar screen size to the Pixel 8.
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The major design departures we saw with yesterday’s leak are also present here. It appears the smaller Pixel 9 will sport a redesigned camera bar that doesn’t wrap around the edges, instead opting for an island look that resembles a Google Search bar in shape. It also features flat edges similar to Apple’s recent iPhone models and Samsung’s brand-newGalaxy S24and S24+. But if you preferred the wraparound look and curved frame, don’t worry — judging bya retail box that leaked earlier today, it looks as though thePixel 8awill still have those features if and when it is released in a few months.
