Updated April 18
• Code reveals enhanced on-device AI capabilities with Pixel 9 phones.
• Pixel 9 series is rumored to receive an upgraded modem with support for satellite connectivity.
• Pixel 9 renders have leaked, and we have another report that there will be three models this fall.
• Google I/O is taking place May 14, but the focus will likely be on the Pixel 8a and not the Pixel 9 flagships.
It may seem like the Google Pixel 8 just got here, but top phone makers never stop thinking about their next flagship. In Google's case, that would be the Pixel 9, and it won't be long before that new model sweeps in and replace the current Pixel with new features and enhancements.
How can we be so sure? Because Pixel 9 information is already starting to leak out — a sure a sign as any that work is moving forward on the next smartphone release.
It's very early in the Pixel 9 development cycle, with many months ahead of us before we finally get to see the newest Google flagship in person. (To put the Pixel 9 launch timing in perspective, it's likely the Pixel 8a will arrive long before then, so most Google phone rumors are focused on that midrange device.) But there's no time like the present to stay on top of all the latest Pixel 9 news and rumors as they surface.
Here's what we know so far about Google's Pixel 9 plans ahead of the phone's likely launch in the fall of 2024.
Google Pixel 9 at a glance
- A fall launch is expected, most likely in October.
- Rumors point to three models — a standard Pixel 9, a smaller Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro XL with a 6.7-inch screen.
- The Tensor G4 should power all Pixel 9 models.
- The standard Pixel 9 could feature a smaller screen than the Pixel 8.
- The phone will debut with Android 15.
Google Pixel 9 rumored release date and price
It may be early days in the Google Pixel 9 rumor cycle, but we can make a pretty good guess as to when the flagship phone is going to arrive, and that's all thanks to Google's fairly predictable release history.
Since the release of the first Pixel in 2016, every model but one has been announced in October. The one exception — 2020's Pixel 5 — was announced on September 30 and released at the end of October. For that reason, it's not really going out on a limb to guess that the Pixel 9 is likely to appear in October 2024.
That said, Google I/O 2024 has been scheduled for May 14. And while the only hardware we're likely to hear about during Google's developer event involves the Pixel 8a and the Pixel Fold 2, it's not outside the realm of possibility that Google tips us off about any Pixel 9 plans. After all, we got a sneak preview of the Pixel 7 during Google I/O 2022.
Pixel 9 pricing remains uncertain at this point. The Pixel 8 costs $699 and the Pixel 8 Pro has a starting price of $999. Both of those prices represent $100 hikes from what their predecessors cost. Google is hardly the only phone maker to raise prices recently — both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra saw $100 increases of their own. Our hope is that Google at least manages to keep current prices in place for the Pixel 9 launch if it can't find a way to roll back the Pixel 8 increases.
Expect to hear more concrete Pixel 9 pricing info as we get closer to the expected fall launch date for the phone.
Google Pixel 9: How many models
Normally, determining the number of Pixels coming out in the fall would be a pretty easy task based on Google's release record. With the exception of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 5, Google has always released two models with different screen sizes. Currently, the larger of the two flagships is known as the Pixel Pro and it differs from the standard Pixel with a larger display, bigger battery and telephoto lens.
A December 2022 leak laid out an alleged roadmap for future Pixel phones that forecast three Pixel 9 models. According to this report, Google would offer two versions of the Pro so that there'd be a smaller screen option that also included a telephoto lens. Normally, we'd dismiss a rumor that surfaced more than a year ago — even if that's what Google was discussing at the time, a lot can change in a year — but the Pixel roadmap rumor did get a lot of details right about the Pixels that came out in 2023. So who knows?
Subsequent reports continue to tout the possibility of a third Pixel model joining the mix. The latest to back that claim is leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (also known by his posting name of OnLeaks); when sharing Pixel 9 images, Hemmerstoffer said that Google's plans for the fall include the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Those latter two phones would feature a three camera array on their back and come with different-sized screens.
Google Pixel 9 design and display rumors
The Pixel 8 features a 6.2-inch screen while the Pixel 8 Pro ups the display size to 6.7 inches. At least one source expects the Pixel 9 panels to grow in size, though the presence of a third Pixel 9 model may scramble early forecasts.
Just after the Pixel 8 launch last fall, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants forecast increases in screen size or the entire Pixel 9 lineup. Earlier entry-level Pixel models featured larger displays than the Pixel 8 so increasing the size of that particular model wouldn't be out of step with what Google's done in the past.
However, leaked renders of the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 paint a different picture. Starting with the Pixel 9 Pro renders put together by @OnLeaks and published at MySmartPrice, we see a phone with a 6.5-inch display. Now this could be the new rumored Pro model with a smaller screen that some have tipped to join the lineup, or it could be that Google really does plan to go with a smaller panel. In either case, this seemingly contradicts reports of a larger screen in this fall's Pro model.
Similarly, Pixel 9 renders also from @OnLeaks show off a phone with a 6.1-inch screen — again that would be smaller than the Pixel 8.
The March 2024 renders posted by OnLeaks at 91Mobiles have another take on the size of the three potential Pixel 9 models. The standard phone is tipped to feature a 6.03-inch display, while the Pixel 9 Pro will be available with 6.1- and 6.7-inch panels, respectively.
There's another potential change in these renders. Rather than stretching across the length of the back panel as it has since its introduction with the Pixel 6, the horizontal camera bar now has rounded ends that stop short of going edge to edge. The renders also indicate a move to flatter sides for Google instead of the rounded edges favored by recent Pixels.
While we're on the subject of displays, another rumor talks about the possibility of an Adaptive Touch feature. Spotted in an Android 14 beta, Adaptive Touch would adjust the sensitivity of the display based on "your environment, activities and screen protector." Presumably, this would make the screen easier to interactive with.
Google Pixel 9 camera rumors
When initial Pixel 9 renders appeared showing a third camera lens, there was momentary speculation that Google was adding a telephoto camera to its entry-level flagship. Now that rumors of multiple Pixel 9 Pro models has taken hold, it seems pretty clear that any renders showing a telephoto lens feature either Pixel 9 Pro model — be it the smaller version or the rumored XL offering.
Additional rumors about actual Pixel 9 camera specs haven't yet materialized. Currently, the Pixel 8 uses a 50MP sensor for its main camera with a 12MP ultrawide lens completing the setup. That same 50MP sensor leads the Pixel 8 Pro's cameras, but it uses 48MP sensors for its ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
Google Pixel 9 performance and software rumors
Another easy prediction for the Pixel 9 lineup is that it will likely run on a new Tensor chipset — the Tensor G4, should Google stick with current naming conventions. Google bases its chips on Exynos silicon, though there's talk that the Tensor G5 chipset would be one that's completely designed by Google. That wouldn't appear until the Pixel 10 in 2025, though.
Fortunately, it seems that the Tensor G4 chip could benefit from Samsung's latest silicon developments, hopefully meaning it's more powerful and more efficient than the current-gen Tensor chip.
The Pixel 8 series' Tensor G3 chips lag behind the performance of the silicon powering other top Android devices, a gap that only figures to widen now that Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon is starting to appear in phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12. While the point of Tensor isn't necessarily to deliver blazing speeds, we do hope the Tensor G4 brings some speed improvements particularly for graphics rendering.
The true advantage of Tensor lies in the AI-powered features it can offer, such as the call screening and photo editing capabilities built into current Pixels. Samsung's Galaxy AI features introduced as part of the Galaxy S24 launch match some of those capabilities while adding a few unique ones. Then again, a software update brought capabilities like Circle to Share to current Pixels.
At any rate, we'd expect the Tensor G4 to get a neural engine update that fuels new features that we'll find out more about between now and the Pixel 9's launch. Code uncovered from the latest versions of Google's AI Core app and the Google Messages beta reveal more on-device AI capabilities for the Pixel 9, which would minimize the need to offload data for cloud-based services to process. Meaning, it could be possible for text to image conversions to happen locally on the phone.
The Pixel 9 is all but certain to debut with Android 15 running the show. In fact, it's likely that the Pixel 9 models will be the first to ship with the Android 15 update pre-installed. If Google sticks to its usual Android development schedule, we could see a build of Android 15 aimed at developers as soon as next month. A public beta would likely appear just ahead of the Google I/O conference in the spring with the full version coming out just ahead of the Pixel 9 launch.
Google Pixel 9 outlook
There's plenty of time ahead of the Pixel 9's likely launch for more details about the phone to emerge. And that's something we're eagerly waiting to hear about, as the release of the Galaxy S24 means that more AI-centric devices have joined the current Pixels. Given the other improvements to Samsung's flagships, you can imagine the pressure Google likely feels to step up its Pixel game this year.
Ultimately, we'd expect Google to once again make unique AI features a focus on the Pixel 9. But based on early rumors about the display, cameras and potential new models, we wouldn't be surprised to see the phone maker pull out all the stops to make the Pixel 9 stand out.
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