It may seem like the Google Pixel 8 has just arrived, but top-tier handset makers never stop thinking about their next flagship model. In Google's case, it's the Pixel 9, and it won't be long until that new model swamps and replaces the current Pixel with new features and enhancements.

Why can we be so sure? Because information about the Pixel 9 has already begun to leak, a sure sign that work is underway on the next smartphone release.

The Pixel 9's development cycle is in the very early stages, and it will still be many months before we can actually see Google's latest flagship model. (Given the Pixel 9's launch date, the Pixel 8a will likely appear long before that, and we've only heard a tiny bit about that mid-range smartphone.) But it's now or never to miss the latest Pixel 9 news and rumors surfacing.

Here's what we know so far about Google's plans for the Pixel 9 ahead of its likely fall 2024 launch.

The Google Pixel 9 rumor cycle may still be early days, but we can make a pretty good guess as to when the flagship smartphone will launch.

Since the first Pixel was announced in 2016, all but one model has been announced in October. The only exception, the 2020 Pixel 5, was announced on September 30 and released at the end of October. Therefore, it is not too much of a stretch to speculate that the Pixel 9 will likely arrive in October 2024.

Pricing is less certain: the Pixel 8 starts at $699 and the Pixel 8 Pro at $999. Both are $100 increases from the previous model's price. iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra have both increased their prices by $100. If Google can't find a way to pull back the Pixel 8 price increase, we hope they at least succeed in keeping the current price when the Pixel 9 launches.

Specific pricing information for the Pixel 9 is expected to be announced closer to the scheduled fall launch date.

Normally, determining the number of Pixels to be released in the fall would be a fairly 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 flagship models is known as the Pixel Pro and differs from the standard Pixel with a larger display, larger battery, and telephoto lens.

A December 2022 leak presented what is believed to be a roadmap for future Pixel phones, predicting three Pixel 9 models. According to this report, Google will offer two versions of the Pro, as well as a smaller screen option that will also feature a telephoto lens. Normally we would dismiss a rumor that surfaced over 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 got a lot of details right about the Pixel coming in 2023. So who knows.

At this point, we assume that Google will at least bring out the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, as it has been doing for the past few years. If a third model is planned, rumors about it should surface soon.

The Pixel 8 has 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's panel to be larger.

Shortly after the Pixel 8 launch last fall, Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants predicted that the entire Pixel 9 lineup would have larger screen sizes. early entry-level Pixel models were larger than the Pixel 8 display, so increasing the size of that particular model would not be far removed from what Google has done in the past.

However, leaked renderings of the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 paint a different picture. From the Pixel 9 Pro renderings published on @MySmartPrice and compiled by @OnLeaks, we can see a phone with a 6.5-inch display. This could be the new Pro model with a smaller screen that some have rumored, or it could be that Google really intends to adopt a smaller panel. Either way, this would seemingly contradict reports of a larger screen on the Pro model this fall.

Similarly, the Pixel 9 renderings from @OnLeaks show off a phone with a 6.1" screen.

The renderings reveal another possible design change for Google's phone: instead of extending across the length of the back panel, as it has since been introduced on the Pixel 6, the edges of the horizontal camerabar are rounded and shortened to reach from edge to edge. The rendering also shows Google's move toward flatter sides, rather than the rounded edges favored by the recent Pixel.

The Pixel 9 renderings by @OnLeaks, first published on 91mobiles, hint at another major change in Google's smartphone lineup. A third camera lens can be seen on the shortened rear camera bar, which seems to suggest that the Pixel 9's main camera and ultra-wide camera could be joined by a telephoto lens.

Since the release of the Pixel 6, the telephoto camera has been a Pro model-only feature. Therefore, expanding that feature to the standard Pixel 9 would be a pretty big deal for Google. That said, it's not impossible that a lower-priced flagship could offer optical zoom capability; the OnePlus 12 and Galaxy S24 both have telephoto lenses on their rear cameras, and these two models are only slightly more expensive than the Pixel 8.

Rumors about the actual Pixel 9 camera specs have yet to materialize. Currently, the Pixel 8 uses a 50MP sensor for its main camera and is set up with a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The same 50MP sensor leads the Pixel 8 Pro's camera, but a 48MP sensor is used for the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses; if the Pixel 9 uses its own telephoto lens, the Pro will likely have a higher-resolution sensor to differentiate it from the standard model It is expected. But it all depends on what Google ultimately does with its phones.

Another easy prediction for the Pixel 9 lineup is that it will likely feature a new Tensor chipset (Tensor G4) if Google sticks to its current naming convention. Google bases its chips on Exinos silicon, but some say that the Tensor G5 chipset will be completely designed by Google. But that won't appear until the Pixel 10 in 2025.

Fortunately, the Tensor G4 chip appears to benefit from Samsung's latest silicon developments.

The Tensor G3 chip in the Pixel 8 series lags behind the performance of the silicon that drives other top Android devices, and phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra and OnePlus 12 are starting to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon Now the gap is widening, and while the point of Tensor is not necessarily to deliver blazing speeds, we expect the Tensor G4 to bring speed gains, especially in graphics rendering.

The real advantage of Tensor is its ability to provide AI-powered features, such as call screening and photo editing, which are available on current Pixels. Samsung's Galaxy AI features were introduced as part of the Galaxy S24 launch and coincide with some of these features while adding some unique functionality. Then again, software updates have added features like "Circle to Share" to the current Pixels. In any case, the Tensor G4 has received a neural engine update, and more details on the new features will be revealed in the run-up to the Pixel 9 launch.

It is almost certain that the Pixel 9 will debut with Android 15. In fact, the Pixel 9 model will likely be the first to ship with the Android 15 update pre-installed. If Google follows its normal Android development schedule, a build of Android 15 for developers could appear as early as next month. The public beta version will likely appear just before the spring Google I/O conference, and the full version will likely appear just before the Pixel 9 launch.

There is enough time before the Pixel 9 launch for more details about the phone to be revealed. And we are eagerly awaiting that information, as the release of the Galaxy S24 means that more AI-centric devices are joining the current Pixel. Given the other improvements to Samsung's flagship, it's not hard to imagine that Google will be feeling pressure to step up its Pixel game this year.

Ultimately, we expect Google to once again put unique AI features at the center of the Pixel 9. However, based on early rumors about the display, camera, and potential new models, we would not be surprised if the handset maker does everything in its power to make the Pixel 9 stand out.