It’s been a while since Google have pulled the covers off its latest flagship phones, so work is surely underway on its successors.
As good as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, there’s still room for improvement, so there’s plenty of excitement regarding the upcoming Pixel 9 range.
Here’s all we know so far about it, including the rumours of a brand-new third model.
When will the Google Pixel 9 be released?
At this early stage, there’s no official release date for the Pixel 9 phones.
But Google has a pretty regular routine when it comes to its hardware launches. October is the usual slot, as you can see from the previous models listed below:
We don’t see any reason why this pattern would change in 2024, so there’s a very good chance that the Pixel 9 models will make their debut next October, with rumours of a potential third device being added to the roster.
However, we sometimes see the phones teased at Google’s I/O developer conference, which tends to take place in May.
How much will the Google Pixel 9 cost?
The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro both saw price increases over their predecessors, to the tune of $100/£100 per model.
As Google held the previous versions’ prices for a few years, we’d expect to see the same with the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro. So, you should be looking at $699/£699 and $999/£999 respectively, though there’s no concrete evidence for this year.
Here are the starting prices for the last few generations:
- Google Pixel 8: $699/£699
- Google Pixel 8 Pro: $999/£999
- Google Pixel 7: $599/£599
- Google Pixel 7 Pro: $899/£849
- Google Pixel 6: $599/£599
- Google Pixel 6 Pro: $899/£849
However, if the rumours of a brand-new third model are true, it’s anyone’s guess as to how much it’ll cost.
What features will the Google Pixel 9 have?
Given that the Pixel 9 series isn’t due to appear until near the end of 2024 you wouldn’t expect there to be many rumours yet.
However, that hasn’t stopped a few stories appearing regarding what Google has in store for its next flagship phones.
Third model
According to Android Authority, the upcoming Pixel 9 series will consist of three devices for the first time.
The lineup is expected to include the standard Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, which will supposedly match their predecessors with 6.2-inch and 6.7-inch displays respectively.
However, a smaller Pro model may be introduced, with Android Authority believing it’ll have a 6.3-inch panel.
The strategy is likened to Apple’s iPhone launches, with the Pixel 9 comparable to an iPhone 15, the new Pro model to an iPhone 15 Pro, and the current Pro model to an iPhone 15 Pro Max. Of course, Apple has a fourth model, the iPhone 15 Plus, which isn’t factored in here.
Display
Ross Young, a display industry specialist and reliable tipster, says that all of the Pixel 9 models will get bigger displays:
However, leaked renders on MySmartPrice tell a different story.
They show two phones: one with a 6.5-inch display that could be the rumoured smaller Pro model, and a phone with a 6.1-inch screen. The latter could be the regular Pixel 9, but this would be a smaller display than the 6.2-inch Pixel 8.
Design
The renders below also indicate a design shift for Google’s phones. The horizontal camera bar, present since the Pixel 6, now has rounded ends and does not stretch to the edges of the back panel:
Moreover, Google seems to be moving towards flatter sides, departing from the rounded edges seen in recent Pixel models. It remains to be seen if this will be true, or applied to all Pixel 9 models.
Performance
While it’s a pretty safe bet that the Tensor G4 will power all the the Pixel 9 phone, it’ll probably follow earlier models in being based on Samsung Exynos chipsets.
According to The Information, the earlier rumours of Google making a brand-new chipset from scratch won’t materialise. Now, this is unlikely to happen until the Tensor G5 arrives with the Pixel 10.
Android Authority reports that all three phones of the Pixel 9 range will feature the Tensor G4 chipset (based on the Exynos 2400) and also claims that it will be closer to the refinement we saw between the G1 and G2, rather than a big leap forward.
Cameras
The recent Pixel 9 renders from MySmartPrice hint that a third camera lens may appear in the shortened rear camera bar. This addition implies the possible inclusion of a telephoto lens alongside the main and ultrawide cameras on the Pixel 9. Beside that, little is currently known about the specs of these cameras.
Google tends to keep its camera hardware around for a while and refine it rather than upgrading every year. As the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro both benefited from a new 50Mp main sensor that the company claims has 21% more light sensitivity than the Pixel 7 series, it could be software where any strides are made in the Pixel 9 cameras.
The Pixel 8 Pro did get a few more upgrades, with 48Mp ultrawide and 48Mp telephoto lenses that were more sensitive to light. There may be further improvements in this area, helping to make night photography even better.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Before the launch of the Pixel 8 series, 9to5 Google published a breakdown of some new features that it found in the code of a Google APK, which suggested it might appear in the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
They didn’t, but that could be because Google is perfecting them to launch with the Pixel 9 models. These include Video Unblur, which works in the same way as Photo Unblur but for video. This would allow you to sharpen footage where it isn’t quite in focus. There’s also overlay filters for video, which appear to be filters for film-style effects.
Software
It’s Google, so at this point it’s pretty obvious that the phones will run Android 15 out of the box.
Tensor’s primary advantage lies in its AI capabilities, such as call screening and photo editing on current Pixels. Samsung’s Galaxy AI features, launched with the Galaxy S24 range, offer similar functions but some unique additions.
Expect Tensor G4 to receive neural engine upgrades enabling additional software features leading up to the Pixel 9’s launch.
And as for software updates, expect the Pixel 9 phones to continue Google’s class-leading promise of seven years of OS and security updates.
We’ll update this article once more is revealed about the Pixel 9 range. In the meantime, read our round-ups of the best smartphones and best Android phones to see what they’ll be up against.
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.