Initial Pixel 9 leaks remove the annoying wraparound camera bar

Google has mainly relied on the camera bar aesthetic since the Pixel 6 debuted its current design language. The firm has only made small adjustments, such as adding more metal to the area surrounding the camera sensors or shaping the cutouts to resemble search bars. Many of us have expressed satisfaction with it, invoking the proverb “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” in response to criticism of the Pixel’s allegedly stale design. Nevertheless, it appears like Google is prepared for a shift since the initial renders of the Pixel 9 Pro have surfaced, indicating a significant divergence from the previous iterations.

Reliable leaker @OnLeaks has shared some important information regarding the next flagship with MySmartPrice. The camera bar has been changed, and the phone’s chassis is now flat on the sides. The latter seems to be an early design trend for 2024 Android firms, as they try to emulate Apple’s success with the latest iteration of the iPhone, which has the same flat style. The camera bar, which resembles a rounder version of the search bar-like shape of the camera cutout, is no longer integrated into the frame.

Examining the camera bar on the rear of the phone in more detail reveals a well-known sensor: the Pixel 9 Pro is expected to bring back Google’s contentious temperature sensor. Thus far, our findings indicate that it isn’t very helpful, primarily due to the significant amount of arithmetic required to utilise it as a human thermometer, which is the primary use case for such a tool. Hopefully, before the Pixel 9 Pro launches, Google can secure the necessary approvals to deploy it on humans.

The screen size of the Pixel 9 Pro is another intriguing detail. The leak indicates that it will measure 6.5 inches on the diagonal, which is less than the Pixel 8 Pro’s 6.7 inches. We’d assume a similar screen size when official specs are disclosed, but we’re a little sceptical about this claim because the reported height is actually a tenth of a millimetre taller than last year and the bezels don’t appear significantly larger.

Regarding those measurements, MySmartPrice states that the Pixel 9 Pro’s body will measure 162.7 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm at its narrowest point and will swell to 12 mm at the camera bar. This would measure 162.6 x 76.5 x 8.8mm, which is about the same height, slightly broader, and somewhat thinner than last year’s Pixel 8 Pro.

Based on the renders, it seems that the rear camera configuration has not altered much. The primary shooter is supported by a periscope telephoto camera and perhaps an ultrawide lens. This makes sense given Google’s tendency to stick with camera hardware for several generations in order to guarantee optimised software and post-processing, especially given that the Pixel 8 Pro debuted new camera sensors only a year ago.

Although the source doesn’t include the phone’s release date, price, or internal specifications, we anticipate that it will feature Google’s Tensor G4 SoC. The MSRP of the Pixel 8 Pro is $1,000, and we don’t anticipate it to drop. We don’t anticipate that to alter either. Google has a history of being very consistent with its autumn releases; in fact, they have previously revealed the release date of their flagship Pixel phone in October on multiple occasions.