Google’s Pixel 9 lineup is seen in hands-on images from five months ago

It’s a day that ends with the letter Y, so naturally we’re dealing with another Google Pixel hardware leak. This time, the Pixel 9, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL can be seen side by side New photos from rosetkd — a full five months ahead of Google’s usual October release timeframe.

I have many questions about how and why these units came into the world so early, but here we are. I know a lot of you are no doubt looking forward to the regular 9 Pro, which will finally put Google’s best camera features into a regular sized phone. Meanwhile, the 9 Pro XL appears slightly longer than Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max.

I’m a bit curious as to whether Google will still call this the “camera strip” now that it no longer spans the full width of the phone. It represents a pretty big change in the visual identity of the Pixel, but the new style still looks fairly unique compared to what Apple and Samsung are doing. As usual, the standard Pixel 9 will have a dual-camera system, while the Pro will have a third lens for zoom purposes.

Is Google trying to outdo itself with previous leaks every year? Could the fact that these devices already exist mean that the company is planning to postpone their release to an earlier date of 2024? Could we see a Pixel 9 teaser during tomorrow’s Google I/O keynote? I mean we already know what it looks like; At least show us some different colors, Google. Where is the Pixel Fold 2, er… Pixel 9 Pro Fold hiding during all these leaks?

Anyway, the mid-range Pixel 8A goes on sale this week for $499 and shouldn’t be overlooked if you don’t mind having thicker bezels and not having Google’s more advanced camera hardware.