On August 13th, the next Made by Google event will take place and the new handsets we expect to see unveiled include the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google itself has teased some of the phones even releasing a promotional video for the Pixel 9 Pro. Google has been known to release legitimate images of its Pixel phones well before the date of the unveiling event in an effort to minimize the importance of leaks posted online by third parties.
Back in 2019, Google released information about its version of a biometric facial recognition system for the Pixel 4 line that used many of the same cameras and lighting components as Apple’s Face ID. At the same time, Google revealed information about its Soli-powered Motion Sense gesture recognition system that helped users navigate through the device. By releasing all of this information about an upcoming phone itself, Google was able to reduce the number of leaks and rumors about the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
Today, however, we have something different to show you. A YouTube subscriber in Ukraine obtained a design sample of the Pixel 9 Pro XLand filmed a hands-on video. Even though the device couldn’t boot up, the video lasted nearly 20 minutes giving us a good look at the device. One thing that you might notice is how rounded the corners are. I compared the Pixel 9 Pro XL with my Pixel 6 Pro which has squared-off corners.
Another difference is that the edges of the Pixel 9 Pro XL are flat similar to the iPhone. The Pixel 6 Pro had a curved screen with the sides draping down to create a waterfall effect. Rounded edges fit this design better. Now that the last two top-of-the-line Pixel models (Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL) have moved away from a curved display, flat edges might tend to feel better in the hand. The change in design gives the Pixel 9 Pro XL an iPhone 15 Pro Max appearance although the camera bar is obviously nothing like the rear camera module used by Apple.
The temperature sensor returns on the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the bezels are not only symmetrical on all sides, according to the video’s host, the Pixel 9 Pro XL‘s bezels are thinner than the ones on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Compared to the Pixel 8 Pro, the upcoming model cuts off the sides of the rear camera bar before they reach the end of the rear panel. The video goes on to compare the Pixel 9 Pro XL with current high-end handsets such as the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Based on leaked specs, the Pixel 9 Pro XL will feature a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1344 x 2992 resolution. The 4nm Tensor G4 application processor (AP) is under the hood along with as much as 16GB RAM. The rear camera bar will feature a 50MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide camera, and a 48MP telephoto sensor. The front-facing camera weighs in at 42MP.
We’re a little more than two weeks away from the Made by Google event and with four new Pixel handsets ready to be announced, August 13th is going to be an exciting day.
