news, rumors and everything we know so far

Google Pixels make up some of the best phones in the world, so now that the Google Pixel 8 is over six months old, we’ve started setting our sights on the next in line.

The Google Pixel 9 rumor mill is already churning with all kinds of predictions and theories about what will happen.

In 2024 the competition will be tough. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series is hot on Google’s heels with its Galaxy AI software, while the iPhone 15 series is still the most popular piece of pocket tech.

Bee Digital spyIn our opinion, Pixels are the best Android phones you can buy and some of the best iPhone alternatives. The best Pixel phones have elegant designs, top-notch camera systems, and innovative AI-powered features. When we reviewed the Google Pixel 8 Pro, we called it “the Android phone for power users and photographers.”

Google is already on a winning streak, so what can it do to keep that momentum going? Here are all the rumors and everything we know so far about the Google Pixel 9.

Google Pixel 9 Rumors: Release Date and Price

While we don’t know the exact date of the Google Pixel 9 launch, Google holds its Made by Google hardware launch event every year, which has been happening every October since 2021.

The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro launched on October 12, 2023. The Pixel 7 series launched on October 6, 2022. The Pixel 6 series launched on October 19, 2021. The exact date cannot be predicted, but we think early to mid-October is a safe bet.

If you can’t wait that long, check out the best Google Pixel 8 deals, all available right now.

When it first launched, the Google Pixel 8 cost £699, while the Google Pixel 8 Pro started at £999, which is in line with or slightly cheaper than Google’s biggest competitors. We don’t see much change in that this year.

Google Pixel 9 Rumors: Models

Google typically releases three models of its smartphones: the Pixel, the Pixel Pro and the Pixel a. The first two arrive at the same time, in October, while the third ‘a’ model usually arrives later at the Google I/O event, which starts this year on May 14, 2024.

We expect a very similar range of devices for the ninth series. However, there is talk of a fourth device arriving this fall that will cram Pro-level features into a smaller device.

According to a source on Android AuthorityGoogle has codenamed the mystery model ‘Caiman’ and is comparing it to the iPhone 15 Pro, which sits between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Time will tell how true this is, but we’re looking forward to finding out!

Google Pixel 9 Rumors: Design and Display

The same source on Android Authority claims that the next Pixel screens will follow a similar pattern to the 8 series: they think the Pixel 9 will have a 6.2-inch screen, the Pixel 9 Pro may have a 6.7-inch screen and the new model will have a 6.3-inch display.

There has been a lot of speculation online about this, with some other familiar leaks such as Ross Young on X claim that the new Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro devices will actually have larger screens than this year’s model.

Elsewhere a render posted by @OnLeaks and mysmartprice seems to suggest the Pro model will shrink to just 6.5 inches, while another shows the Pixel 9’s screen as just 6.1 inches. No one knows for sure, it all seems up in the air at the moment.

Design is another area that the internet is talking about. The same renders from OnLeaks show a new flat matte phone with straight edges, which ditches Google’s glossy curves and makes it look more like the 2023 Google Pixel Fold.

The camera bar can also be changed. The Pixel 8’s camera module extends across the entire width of the phone, but leaks suggest it could instead be converted into an island in the center of the back panel.

Google Pixel 9 Rumors: Cameras

Currently, the Pixel 8 Pro has a 50 MP wide-angle camera, a 48 MP ultra-wide lens and a 48 MP telephoto lens. The Pixel 8 has a 50 MP wide camera and a 12 MP ultra-wide lens.

Some of the renders of the little phone we mentioned appear to have an additional lens, which we hope is a new telephoto zoom lens. It seems more likely that this could be used in the mid-range device, should it exist.

Every year, Google adds more and more advanced camera features to its portfolio, such as Magic Eraser and Best Take. We expect the ninth generation of the device to build on this, although we have not heard anything more so far.

Google Pixel 9 Rumors: Performance and Software

Since the Google Pixel 6 came out in 2021, Pixel phones have all come with Google’s own Tensor chipset under the hood. Google has upgraded it every year, so the Pixel 7 came with the Tensor G2 and the Pixel 8 came with a Tensor G3.

Therefore, we can safely assume that the Pixel 9 will be powered by the Google Tensor G4. We’d expect it to run a little faster than the previous generation, although not as fast as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor used in the top Samsung phones. Google Tensor chips are fit for purpose and built to perform AI-based functions quickly and efficiently.

In terms of software, each Pixel series coincides with the launch of Google’s latest Android operating system, so the Pixel 9 should come with Android 15 pre-installed.

Google Pixel 9 rumors: What we’d like to see

2024 has already been a banner year for phones with AI at the forefront of the conversation. Since Pixels are known for AI, we hope to see even more AI processing features on-device (as opposed to in the cloud) on the Pixel 9 devices.

At Digital Spy we strongly believe in smaller phones. Don’t get us wrong: big screens are ideal for using the best streaming services, taking impressive shots and for mobile gaming. But the prospect of a new small phone that comes with many of the same specs and features as the Pro model is very exciting.

We’d also like to see a telephoto lens in the smaller handset, something the Pixel series lacked. Plus, faster charging wouldn’t be out of place and we’d always be happy with better battery life across the range. The Pixel 8 phones are both very good in that area, but it would be great if Google pushed that even further.

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