Major Google Pixel 9 leak hints at new design – and teases a Pro XL model

The Pixel 9 Pro XL could bring big phones back to Google

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We might have gotten our first glimpse of theGoogle Pixel 9which is set to launch later this year –  and the leak once again teases that the Pixel’s rear camera bump is getting a redesign, while also hinting at the arrival of a third XL model.

Shared via91mobilescourtesy of information from tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer – aka OnLeaks – we can see that the Pixel 9 will apparently adopt a more iPhone-like appearance with flat sides rather than the curved ones found on theGoogle Pixel 8and older models. The rear camera island has also been shortened and rounded.

Rather than stretching all the way across to create that iconic Pixel camera setup which has defined the phone’s design since theGoogle Pixel 6, it’s now a pill shape. We’re not fans of the change, but it at least still houses two cameras like previous base Pixel models.

For more specific information, the leak suggests the Pixel 9 will boast a 6.03-inch display – which is apparently slightly smaller than the Pixel 9 Pro at 6.1 inches.

The power and volume buttons will also apparently be on the right side of the screen, and there will be a hole-punch camera at the top of the display as we’ve seen before from Pixels.

There is another

This isn’t the firstGooglePixel 9 leak we’ve seen this year. Back in January we got a leak from the same source thatshowed us the Google Pixel 9 Pro. It too looked a lot like an iPhone and featured a similarly redesigned rear camera island.

What’s most interesting, however, is that the leaker adds that this Pixel 9 Pro design will also be used by a new model: the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. This would be an extra large version of the Pixel 9 Pro and it would be the first of its kind since the Pixel 4 XL – which was launched back in 2019.

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At the time we gave thePixel 4 XLa four-star review, but it clearly wasn’t popular enough as theGoogle Pixel 5line didn’t include an XL model. If accurate, this could be big news for big phone lovers who have been interested in the Google Pixel’s impressive camera and Android software, but have been put off by the regular-sized handsets.

As always we should take the rumors with a pinch of salt until Google comes out and reveals the Pixel 9. There’s no telling what it might look like, but these leaked designs show us the the Pixel 9 could offer a major shakeup in more ways than one – so you’ll forgive us for getting excited about them, even if we aren’t in love with all of the changes.

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Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.

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