We’re less than a month away from the next Made by Google event, and we may already know what one of the biggest announcements will look like. TikTok user pixo_unpacking (via YTechB) posted videos of apparent pre-production models of the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 XL over the weekend.
The phones in the video have different backs: a glossy finish on the standard Pixel 9 and a matte finish on the larger Pixel XL. 9to5Google notes that they appear to feature etchings on the back that Google uses for prototyping, though in the clips they are largely covered by labels.
Based on the video, the Pixel 9 appears to have dual cameras, while the Pixel 9 XL has three. Additionally, Google appears to have changed the camera visor to an elongated oval. It appears to be quite a bulge, as evidenced by the video portions showing the two phones together.
Google sent out invites last month for the August 13 event. While (unsurprisingly) without details, it promised to “showcase the best of Google AI, Android software, and the Pixel portfolio of devices.” The event will take place at Google’s Mountain View headquarters rather than the typical Pixel launch setting in New York City.
In addition to the Pixel 9 series, we’re also expecting a next-gen Pixel Fold, a new Tensor chip, and a third-gen Pixel Watch. (And a possible arrival of Pixel Buds.) Since it’s 2024 and no company can pull off an event without a near-comical obsession with AI, it’s almost certain we’re going to hear more about new Google AI features, like the rumored Pixie AI assistant. Plus, the phones could include iPhone-style emergency satellite messaging.