Pixel 9 Pro XL shown in latest leak, looks different to other models

Google is preparing to launch its latest hardware at the Made by Google event scheduled for 13 July, but there might not be much left to announce if the leaks continue at this pace. It has already been revealed that there will be a Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL at the event – and now we have more images comparing some of these devices.

The latest leak compares the Pixel 9 and the Pixel 9 Pro XL and comes from TikTok user pixo_unpacking (via 9to5Google). The handsets on display appear to be prototype designs – they aren't powered on, but the design matches that of the pink Pixel 9 from another recent video leak.

One thing that these videos reveal is some interesting design choices from Google. Both the pink Pixel 9 and the black Pixel 9 in the latest video have a matte frame and a glossy rear panel. What's interesting is that the Pixel 9 Pro XL doesn't have this same design.

It looks like the Pixel 9 Pro XL is going to have a glossy frame and a matte back instead. That's an interesting juxtaposition and exactly why Google is equipping the more premium device with a frame that might look less premium is open to interpretation.

In fact, the signs that this was going to happen goes all the way back to one of the first leaks we saw of the handsets together, so it might be that the Pixel 9 Pro also has the glossy frame and matte back too. Of course, these are prototype devices and there's every chance that Google has decided that it doesn't like that appearance and the final devices will be different.

Pixel 9 Pro XL: what do we know so far?

The Pixel 9 Pro XL – although having a new name – will be a direct replacement for the Pixel 8 Pro. The difference with the 2024 launch is that Google is introducing a new model in the middle, which is a smaller Pro phone. That will sit alongside the vanilla Pixel 9 in size, but pack in the more advanced camera system – so you'll have more buying choices for Pixel this year.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is expected to have a 6.73-inch display (compared to the Pixel 9 Pro which will be 6.34 inches), which will be AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate. The new phone is expected to debut the Tensor G4, Google's new in-house hardware, that will power all the new devices. We've already seen early benchmarks for the device with 16GB RAM.

The triple camera will continue, with the 5x optical telephoto the lens that makes this phone stand out against others. Rumours say that all the cameras will have a 50-megapixel sensor, although that wouldn't be a huge change from the Pixel 8 Pro. I'm expecting most of the advancements in the camera to come from computational photography – AI.

Beyond that the Pixel 9 series is expected to debut Android 15 when it launches and I'm expecting Gemini to move into a central role, replacing Google Assistant and becoming core to the phone's experience. Currently, Google isn't really being clear about what the role of Gemini or Google Assistant is and that could certainly do with some clarification.

That's where the mystery now lies for these phones – with the hardware comprehensively leaked, it's the new software features that remain unknown.