Updated July 31
• The Pixel 10's price could stay the same, but it may cost more to get a Pixel 10 Pro XL
• Leaked renders include a look at potential Pixel 10 specs
• A Pixel 10 teaser from Google gives an official look at the phone
Ahead of Google's hardware event next month Pixel 10 rumors are starting to pick up. And that's giving us a better idea of what Google has planned for its next flagship phone — though some mysteries remain.
Still, this could be a significant update if you're considering Google's entry-level flagship device, as the Pixel 10 is being tipped to make a major change to its camera setup. New AI-powered features are likely, too, as Google switches to an upgraded chipset.
Here's a look at all the Pixel 10 rumors we've heard so far and what that could mean for this leading Android phone.
Google Pixel 10: Rumored specs
Google Pixel 10 (Rumored) |
|
Screen size |
6.3 inches |
Chipset |
Tensor G5 |
RAM |
12GB |
Storage |
128GB, 256GB |
Rear cameras |
48MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10.8MP 5x telephoto |
Front camera |
10.5MP |
Battery size |
4,970 mAh |
Size |
152.8 x 72 x 8.6mm |
Weight |
204 grams |
Colors |
Obsidian, Indigo, Frost, Limoncello |
Google Pixel 10: Rumored release date and price
For many years, Google released its new phones in October, but that changed with the Pixel 9 series. Instead those phones arrived in late August, two whole months ahead of Google's usual schedule.
It turns out that wasn't a one-off. After rumors pointed to another August release, Google has gone ahead and confirmed that it's holding an event on August 20. The company hasn't said what's going to be at that show, but the timing of this Made by Google 2025 event lines up with a Pixel 10 launch.
Unlike with last year's Pixel 9 rollout, a new version of Android will be waiting for the Pixel 10. Android 16 is out now and already available on current Pixels. You can bet that the Pixel 10 will ship with the new software installed — and maybe the updated Android interface will be ready then, too.
As for price, that’s a more contentious topic. The Pixel 9 was subjected to the second price hike in as many years — costing the same $799 as the iPhone 16 and Samsung Galaxy S24. The Pixel 9 Pro officially stayed at $999, but since it’s smaller than previous Pro Pixels, and the large screen Pixel 9 Pro XL cost an extra $100, you wouldn’t be out of order to consider it a stealth price hike.
More evidence is emerging that Google intends to keep the cost of the Pixel 10 at $799, with a report at the end of July contending that Google plans no price changes to most models. The one exception could be the Pixel 10 Pro XL, which might see a starting price of $1,199 for a 256GB model — the Pixel 9 Pro XL had a 128GB option that cost $1,099.
We've also heard that the price of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold could drop from the $1,799 Google charges for the current version of its foldable phone. That would be a big move considering the Galaxy Z Fold 7 saw a price hike to $1,999.
Google Pixel 10: Design and display
The Pixel 9a made headlines for dropping Google's horizontal camera bar, a feature that's been in place since the Pixel 6. But that design change may be limited to Google's budget phone based on what we're hearing about the Pixel 10 design.
An alleged case leak gave us the first hint that the Pixel 10 could look a lot like its predecessor. Then in March, CAD renders claiming to show off the Pixel 10 appeared that also showed a camera bar on the standard Pixel 10 as well as two Pro models.
Google posted its first teaser of the Pixel 10 and it looks like those previous leaks turned out true, as the phone shows a design similar to the previous Pixel 9, complete with the camera bar on the back.
The Pixel 10 could weigh more than the Pixel 9 and be a little thicker than its predecessor, too. That could be to accommodate Qi2 wireless charging magnets; we've also heard that the Pixel 10's battery is growing. (More on that below.)
At the same time, leaked Pixel 10 renders from Android Headlines implicates four colors: Obsidian, Indigo, Frost, and Limoncello.
Because of those renders from tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer, it looks like screen sizes will remain the same, with the standard Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro set to feature a 6.3-inch display. The Pixel 10 Pro XL would provide a 6.8-inch screen.
A Pixel 10 Pro model spotted during a commercial shoot certainly looked a lot like the current version of the Pro.
Other display rumors have yet to surface about Google's Pixel 10 plans, However, Google has said that it's working on improving the dimming rates on its displays — a move that would benefit people who suffer headaches and other symptoms triggered by flicking screens. That improvement could make its debut with the Pixel 10 series, though it may be restricted to just the Pixel 10 Pro models.
Google Pixel 10: Cameras
We've seen only a few Pixel 10 camera hardware rumors at this point, but what's rumored is quite substantial.
The Pixel 10 could depart from previous basic Pixels by gaining a telephoto camera. It could lack the high-resolution sensors that the pro models have but getting a telephoto camera in the first place is a big bonus. Apparently, this might also boost the macro photography capabilities of the standard Pixel 10.
Unfortunately, the addition of a telephoto lens could come at the cost of a lower-resolution ultrawide camera (going from 48MP to 12MP) and a physically smaller sensor for the main camera, which could now be a 48MP sensor. On the bright side, the Pixel 10's telephoto lens could support a 5x optical zoom, which would give it an edge over the similarly priced Galaxy S25, which has a 3x zoom lens. With Google's Super Res Zoom feature, leaker Evan Blass has posted that the Pixel 10 Pro could offer up to a 20x zoom.
The only other rumor we've heard about the Pixel 10's camera features is that the phone is due to get improved video stabilization.
Google Pixel 10: Performance
Performance is where the Pixel 10 is set to shine compared to previous models, and it’s all thanks to the Tensor G5 chipset likely to power the new phone. According to reports, this is set to be the first chip Google has made entirely from scratch; previous Tensors were based on existing Samsung hardware — albeit with some serious modifications. Subsequent reports have clarified that Google may turn to a few external components.
Designing the chips from scratch gives Google total control over the chip and its processes, which is an opportunity to make Tensor the Android equivalent of Apple’s A series. Since Google develops Pixel hardware and Android software, it’s in a position to better optimize the two to work better together. And that could translate to a serious performance advantage compared to other phones.
The Tensor G5 is also reportedly being built using TSMC’s 3nm process, the same one used for Apple’s A18 chips and the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The 3nm chips are smaller than the 4nm Tensor G4, and this should offer better performance and power efficiency — two things Tensor chips have generally struggled with.
Before you celebrate, though, others are throwing cold water on that 3nm report. One leaker claimed that "G5 is basically TSMC-made version of G4" — in other words, we could be looking at a 4nm chip once again.
Other changes reportedly coming include a faster GPU with accelerated graphics from Imagination Technologies, and an improved TPU that is 14% faster and suports 40% more Trillions of Operations per second. Whether it will make the Pixel 10 a performance powerhouse isn’t clear, but if Google leverages the chip for camera and AI features as well as it has done so far, then the phone should offer a big leap forward for both.
While the Pixel 10 Pro models will reportedly get a vapor cooling chamber to keep performance steady during demanding tasks, the regular Pixel 10 might miss out on that feature.
Google Pixel 10: Battery and charging
Battery rumors are promising for the standard Pixel 10. An Android Headline specs post claims the new phone will have a 4,970 mAh battery, up from 4,700 mAh in the Pixel 9.
We’d also like to see Google offer meaningful advances to the charging speed. Currently the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the fastest of the current generation, topping out at 37W wired charging. Considering Google just started selling a 45W charging brick, we’d like to see all three Pixel 10 phones push closer to that figure.
We’d hope to see faster wireless charging, courtesy of a third generation Pixel Stand. Considering Google discontinued the second generation wireless charger after the Pixel 9 launch, it’s currently much harder for Pixel owners to achieve maximum wireless charging speeds.
A third generation Pixel Stand could fix that, and make some much-needed improvements in the process. Ideally this would come with Qi2 wireless charging, complete with a MagSafe-style magnetic ring, and wireless charging speeds that top 30W.
Certainly, with the report of Qi2 magnets appearing on the back of the Pixel models, the prospect of faster charging seems very possible — especially that we've now seen official-looking renders with the Pixel 10 attached to a wireless charger.
It's also worth noting that Samsung's Galaxy S25 phones support Qi2 charging but lack those magnets — a complaint we had about Samsung's latest phones.
Google Pixel 10: Software and features
The one thing we do know for sure about the Pixel 10 is that it will arrive running Android 16 — rather than repeating the Pixel 9’s Android 15-free launch. That’s down to Google accelerating the timeline for the new software update so that the update arrived in the late spring, rather than early fall like it has been.
There's an Android 16 feature that could directly benefit the Pixel 10. Some code specifically mentions the Pixel 10 by name when talking about a new “performance mode” in the “Parallel Module Loading." The bottom line: the Pixel 10 could see faster boot times.
A new version of Android and a new Tensor chipset also mean there’s room for a many more unique and exclusive software features to arrive with the phone. Recent reports indicate that this may include easier post-video editing powered by AI and a feature called “Speak-to-Tweak”. This would let you speak to the phone and tell it what edits you want, using LLMs, rather than tapping through the menus yourself.
Pixel 10 may also feature its own version of Galaxy AI’s Sketch-to-Image, an unknown feature called Magic Mirror and the ability to film 4k 60fps video with HDR. Word has it that the G5 will be able to run Stable Diffusion-based models locally as well, which will speed up AI image generation and not have to rely on cloud servers.
One rumor claims that a new AI assistant will debut on the Pixel 10. Called the Pixel Sense, this feature would apparently offer a personalized experience depending on how you use your Pixel.
Google Pixel 10: Outlook
Clearly, there's a lot of details still to come about the Pixel 10, though we know all about the challenges Google faces with this phone. Google will need to maintain all the things that the Pixel 9 did well, and then find a way to improve upon them in ways that people actually care about.
Thankfully what we’ve heard about the Tensor G5 and incoming AI features is rather positive, and suggests the Pixel 10 will be a considerable upgrade over its predecessors. At the very least, it should deliver noteworthy AI and performance advances.
Until we know more, though, we’ll just have to stay cautiously optimistic about the phone’s chances.
