Google Pixel 9: all of the leaks and rumors so far

Google’s earlier-than-expected Pixel hardware event is just around the corner — it’s scheduled for Tuesday, August 13th. Thanks to the relentless flow of leaks that have emerged over the past few weeks, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

Google has already confirmed that it’s launching the Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but the company may have some other surprises in store, including the Buds Pro 2 and maybe even the Pixel Watch 3.

While there’s been no shortage of Pixel 9 leaks over the past couple of days, a new ad for the device seems to have leaked in full — and it shows off a new feature that makes sure you aren’t left out of a group photo.

The feature, seemingly called “Add Me,” appears in a leaked ad shared with Android Headlines by OnLeaks that was removed from YouTube after we first published this article. The ad shows someone using a Pixel 9 to take a picture of two friends in front of a van. After snapping a shot, the photographer trades spots with her two friends, allowing her to get a picture in front of the van — only the Pixel’s display shows the phantom-like image of the two friends standing beside her. Her friend snaps a photo, and boom, she appears in the picture as if she were there the entire time.

Yet another Google Pixel 9 leak has surfaced, and this time, it’s in the form of marketing materials shared with 91mobiles by reliable leaker OnLeaks. The marketing images offer a detailed look at the specs and features that could come with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, leaving us with very little we don’t know about the new devices.

As shown in the leaked images, the base Pixel 9 may feature a 6.3-inch display and 12GB of RAM, while the Pixel 9 Pro may come in 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch sizes with 16GB of RAM. The materials suggest that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold could arrive with an upgraded 6.3-inch display when folded and an eight-inch display when unfolded, along with 16GB of RAM. All devices are expected to come with Google’s new G4 Tensor chip.

Just hours after revealing the Pixel 9 Pro, Google is showing off the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a brief, Gemini-linked teaser video. As is standard for Pixel phones, the devices have been leaked all over the internet already, but at least now we can end speculation about the look or name of Google’s next foldable Android phone.

Google’s teaser video clearly shows double-stacked lenses for the rear camera module as well as the outside screen and hinge.

Google has revealed the Pixel 9 Pro following a series of leaks that revealed the phone in great detail, including hands-on videos and comparisons to other recent devices. The company plans to show off more about the Pixel 9 lineup as well as its other upcoming devices, with an event at Google HQ in California on August 13th.

In a video, the company showed a brief look at the Pixel 9 Pro and teased that AI and Gemini will be a big part of the device. You can also already sign up for information about the Pixel 9 Pro from Google’s online store, which has another image of the phone.

There have been leaks aplenty in recent weeks showing every angle of Google’s Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL. But so far, the company’s second-generation foldable phone has managed to keep better cover ahead of next month’s product event. So much for that! As reported by Android Authority, new regulatory photos from Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) have fully revealed the Pixel Fold 2 Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The images confirm that Google is moving away from the short and squat passport-style design that helped the original Pixel Fold stand out from Samsung’s tall, narrow Galaxy Fold. Now, we’re getting something closer to the OnePlus Open. The outer display still looks very usable in terms of how much screen real estate you’ve got to work with, but it’s definitely taller than before.

The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL could help you capture clearer selfies thanks to a major upgrade to the front-facing camera. Leaked marketing materials shared with Android Authority depict the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL with 50-megapixel autofocusing selfie cameras.

The selfie cam and the rear-facing ultrawide and telephoto cameras are all rumored to use 50MP Sony IMX858 image sensors, while the primary rear camera may feature a 50MP sensor from Samsung. You can get an early look at what appears to be the Pixel 9 Pro’s camera in action in this video posted to TikTok, which shows an up to 30x Super Res Zoom — just like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8. The device used in this video appears to be the same leaked hardware the account showed off last week.

We might not have to wait until August to get a full-on look at the Google Pixel 9 lineup. A new set of videos posted to the TikTok account pixo_unpacking shows what appears to be the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL, as spotted earlier by GSMArena.

The videos track with the leaks we’ve seen so far, with the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL swapping out the Pixel 8’s camera visor for an oval-shaped housing that protrudes from the back of the device. As shown in the video embedded below, the Pixel 9 Pro XL looks much larger than the base Pixel 9 and nearly as large as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Pixel 9 Pro XL also seems to come with a three-camera setup when compared to the Pixel 9’s two cameras.

Google’s upcoming Pixel 9 lineup will reportedly feature a faster, more reliable ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, according to Android Authority. It would replace the optical under-display fingerprint sensor that Google introduced on the Pixel 6 with the newer technology that’s capable of reading even wet or oily fingerprints.

The switch could also address some of the widespread issues that users have experienced when trying to unlock their Pixel devices, with some people saying that light levels and finger dryness can impact the reliability of the previous optical reader. Optical scanners are the oldest method of reading fingerprints. They work by flashing light against the user’s finger and then visually detecting patterns and ridges on the surface — meaning any changes like dirt or blemishes can interfere with the process.

The next generation of Pixel phones could come with new “Google AI” features, including one that sounds a little like Microsoft’s controversial Recall tool. As reported by Android Authority, Google is working on a “Pixel Screenshots” feature that can “save and process helpful details” from your screenshots, allowing you to search through them.

However, unlike Microsoft Recall, which automatically captures what you’re doing on your device, Google’s version would only process the screenshots taken manually — which should immediately make it less creepy-feeling than Recall. Microsoft delayed the rollout of Recall on Windows 11 after security experts raised concerns about the feature. Even though Google AI may only use the screenshots you take, it could raise similar concerns based on how the information is processed and stored.

If you’re waiting to see the Pixel 9, Pixel Watch 3, or other new Google hardware, then August 13th could be a big day for you because look what just hit our inboxes:

And this teaser posted by Google titled “AI… meet IX at Made by Google” makes the event’s purpose even clearer.

It’s a day that ends in Y, so naturally, we’re dealing with yet another Google Pixel hardware leak. This time, the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL can be seen side by side in new images from Rozetked — a full five months before Google’s typical October release timeframe.

I have many questions about how and why these units are out in the world so early, but here we are. And I know a lot of you are no doubt eyeing that regular 9 Pro, which will finally put Google’s very best camera chops into a normal-sized phone. Meanwhile, the 9 Pro XL looks a fair bit taller than Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Google could be adding a feature very similar to Apple’s Emergency SOS feature to the Pixel 9 and the next Pixel Fold. That’s according to leaker Kamila Wojciechowska, who writes for Android Authority that the company would partner with T-Mobile to offer the feature but may add other providers later.

Just like Apple’s system, Google’s SOS feature would reportedly present future Pixel owners with a series of questions to ascertain what’s happening, rather than let users thumb one out. A video in the Android Authority article features the animation Google will display to users to help them get the phone aligned with a satellite.

Google plans to shake up its smartphone strategy in 2024 by releasing three different models of the upcoming Pixel 9. That’s according to 91mobiles, with the site now claiming that the renders published earlier this year (created by OnLeaks) were in fact of the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro “XL” — and not the regular Pixel 9, which it’s sharing for the first time in new images today.

Google used the XL branding for its bigger Pixels until around 2019, but it went away with the one-size Pixel 5 and stayed gone when the company pivoted to the “Pro” name starting in 2021. Now it sounds like Google will follow more of an iPhone strategy and split the Pro tier into two different sizes, and resurrecting the XL moniker makes sense in that case.