Google has all but confirmed that it will fully unveil the new Pixel 9 phones on August 13 – two months earlier than the usual October reveal date for new Pixel phones.
In a surprise announcement, the tech giant says it will host a Made by Google event at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, on August 13, weeks earlier than expected. The short teaser video is titled “AI… measures IX” – a fairly simple allusion to artificial intelligence and the Roman numeral nine.
Google typically unveils its new Pixel phones in October of each year, following Apple’s announcement of its latest iPhones in September. This year, the search giant appears to have changed course, with Google showing up first to the party to announce its latest tech.
After years of consciously never talking about artificial intelligence, Apple finally unveiled its AI plans for the iPhone 16 at WWDC in June, which may have prompted Google to push forward its own AI-related announcements. The Pixel 9 is expected to heavily utilize and integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology into its Pixel devices, similar to how Apple is taking advantage of OpenAI and other LLMs to improve Siri’s functionality on iPhones.
What is still unclear is exactly what features the Pixel 9 could offer the average user. Earlier this year, Google engineers demonstrated an impressive new multimodal AI assistant codenamed Project Astra, which can respond to continuous audio and visual input in a conversational style. When asked, Astra identified an audio speaker as an object that makes sound, explained the purpose of a code he saw on a monitor, remembered seeing a red apple on a desk before, and recognized the view from the window as Google’s Kings Cross campus in London, where the company’s AI team is based.
While it’s a sharp and flashy demonstration of Google’s AI capabilities for app developers, we’re still waiting to see what the Pixel 9 can actually do for the average person who buys and uses one every day. Particularly in the UK and Europe, where many of Google’s AI features – such as image generation and certain types of call screening and website summaries – are restricted by European law.
Either way, we’ve rounded up everything else we know about the Pixel 9 below. Check back for the latest news when we learn more during the Made by Google event in August.
Google Pixel 9 design
The Pixel 9 lineup, predicted to be announced in August, will feature a new, flatter bezel design, similar to the sharp lines of the iPhone 15. This is said to be a departure from the rounded aesthetic of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, which featured gentle curves that helped disguise the phone’s overall thickness.
Other changes include a redesigned camera bar. Instead of spanning the entire width of the phone’s back, the triple-lens setup appears on a wide, pill-shaped island. This update brings the Pixel 9 into line with the design of the Pixel Fold, which is also reportedly getting a newer version this year.
Is there a Pixel 9 XL coming?
One of the biggest surprises this year is the rumored Pixel 9 Pro XL, a brand new third flagship with a larger screen, a bigger battery and, presumably, a higher price to go with it. The phone, which does not yet have an official name, has been seen in leaked videos.
Google Pixel 9 Launch Date
The Pixel 8 phones were announced on October 12, 2023, while the Pixel 7 phones first debuted on October 6, 2022. However, this year, it looks like Google will announce the Pixel 9 in August. Whether that means an August launch date remains to be seen.
Over the past two years, Google has also launched the latest Pixel Watch alongside its latest phones. While we don’t have confirmation that a Pixel Watch 3 is in the works, it’s a fair guess that a new wearable will launch alongside the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro.
Google Pixel 9 price
We can only make an educated guess at how much the Pixel 9 might cost, but last year’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro saw a price jump to £999 and £699. With inflationary pressures in the tech market easing, we’d like to see that the latest Pixel phones will stick to that triple-digit price point.
Still, there’s reason to believe that Google could push the price of the Pro-model Pixel past the psychological £1,000 barrier. The tech giant compared the price of the Pixel 8 Pro to that of the iPhone 15 Pro last October , and Apple is rumoured to be looking at raising the price of its phones soon. If that turns out to be the case when the iPhone 16 is announced in September, Google will have cover to respond by raising the price of its latest Pixel phones in turn.
That said, we could also see Google sticking to its existing pricing. Samsung, not Apple, is Google’s biggest rival in Android phones, and the Korean tech company’s Galaxy S24+ starts at £999. If the Pixel 9 wants to have the best chance of luring more users away from Samsung’s hugely popular phones, sticking with £999 should be part of that plan.
Google Pixel 9 screen
Accessory maker Thinborne apparently already has examples of their Pixel 9 cases floating around the internet that indicate the new shape and three models.
Other plausible Pixel 9 leaks come from a trusted source Unleaked via Indian tech site MySmartPricewhich has shown alleged renders of the latest flagship Pixel phones in great detail.
The leaked images show a freshly redesigned Pixel 9 with a new flat frame. The Pixel 8 Pro already ditched the slightly curved display in favor of a flat one, though this year’s phone goes one step further with a uniformly flat and neat iPhone-style bezel.
According to the leaks, the power button and volume rocker remain unchanged on the right side of the device, as does the empty left side of the frame. The SIM tray has migrated to the bottom of the phone, sharing space with the speaker grille and USB-C charging port.
MySmartPrice Reports that the Pixel 9 Pro will measure 162.7mm x 76.6mm x 8.5mm. Including the camera bump, the thickest part of the phone measures 12mm. That camera bump is getting a new design, too. Rather than spanning the entire width of the back of the phone and blending into the frame, the three camera lenses will live in a pill-shaped camera island with a wide-angle lens, periscope telephoto, and main lens. The hole-punch selfie camera appears to be largely unchanged from the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
The Pixel 9 Pro’s display is said to be slightly smaller than that of last year’s phone: it’s now 6.5 inches, up from 6.7 inches.
Google Pixel 9 Specifications
A new Tensor G4 chip will almost certainly debut with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latest Tensor chipset will predictably offer a performance boost over the G3, although it’s difficult to quantify how big an improvement it could be at this early stage. What is certain is that Google will use the new technology to improve AI performance on the device, which is expected to be a key pillar for the Pixel 9 phones.
According to Android AuthorityThe Pixel 9 series is also getting an upgraded modem for the first time since the Pixel 7. A new Samsung-built modem should offer an efficiency boost, better connectivity, and the ability to connect to satellite networks in case of emergencies.
Google Pixel 9 features
Software is where the Google Pixel series really shines. While not much is known about how the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will perform in terms of features and functionality, we’re expecting the Pixel 9 series to be the first to launch with Android 15, the latest version of Google’s backed operating system, much like the Pixel 8 launched with Android 14.
Google is pushing AI features hard and recently relaunched Bard, its big language model, as Google Gemini. The tech giant has slowly started replacing some Google Assistant and Google Search functionality with Google Gemini-powered results, although the rollout has been stuttering. To date, the Gemini app is officially unavailable in the UK and Europe.
Google is also reportedly working on a Gemini-powered replacement for the Google Assistant on phones, called Pixie. This AI helper will be designed to work on the device rather than waiting for cloud-based results, meaning faster response times to queries, commands and queries. Pixie will reportedly be able to snoop through your Gmail inbox, as well as your reminders, calendar events, and Google Maps information to give you relevant and tailored responses.
Android Authority reports that the Pixel 9 could get an emergency SOS feature similar to Apple’s, allowing users to connect to emergency services via satellites, although this feature is likely region-specific. Mobile network coverage is more extensive in the UK and Europe than in the wilds of North America, so we suspect SOS features will remain exclusive to the US and Canada for now.
Best Google Phone Deals
The latest Pixel phone is now just £28 a month from Metrofone, with no upfront costs. Our Pixel 8 review called it the “best Google phone yet”, powered by the new Tensor G3 processor that enables powerful AI photo and video editing features.
Buy now
Here’s a great deal on the Google Pixel 8 Pro over at Carphone Warehouse . You can get the latest and greatest Google phone with 100GB of monthly data through id Mobile, which works out at £809 in total over the two-year contract, not including the price increase on the mid-plan.
Buy now
Voucher codes
Try the links below for the latest phone discounts and other tech offers:
Looking for a new smartphone? We have the best phones from Apple, Samsung and more