What you need to know
- Google's Pixel 12 series is still at least two years away, but its codenames have already been leaked.
- A leaker claims the Google Pixel 12 series is codenamed after primate animals (and one folk creature).
- The leak seems to indicate that Google plans to keep the Pixel lineup mostly as-is through the 2027 model year.
While the Google Pixel 9 series is still the latest and greatest and the Pixel 10 lineup is on the horizon, the company's rumored codenames for the Pixel 12 series have already leaked. There will be four smartphone models in the Pixel 12 all codenamed after primates (with the exception of a folk creature) according to Mystic Leaks on Telegram (via 9to5Google).
The leaker claims the base-model Google Pixel 12 is codenamed Galago, the Pixel 12 Pro is codenamed Sasquatch, the Pixel 12 Pro XL is codenamed Silverback, and the Pixel 12 Pro Fold is codenamed Capuchin. The names could correlate, at least in part, to the models' respective sizes.
Galagos, for instance, are known for their small size. That's the alleged reference for the smallest Pixel 12 member, the base model. Meanwhile, silverback gorillas — the codename for the large Pixel 12 Pro XL — are known for being five-feet tall and weighing over 400 pounds on average.
Google has used families of animals for Pixel codenames dating back to the Pixel 6 series, which were all named after birds. Since then, we've seen references to cats, dogs, and reptiles. The Google Pixel 10 series is said to be codenamed after horses, and the next Pixel 11 generation is rumored to be codenamed after bears. Now, Mystic Leaks believes the further-out Pixel 12 lineup will be named after primates.
Of course, these codenames are strictly for internal development use. But like old-fashioned Android codenames, they serve as fun ways to track the progress of future Google Pixel hardware. For now, these references don't reveal much about the company's plan for its 2027 lineup of flagship Android smartphones.
It does seem to indicate that Google plans to keep the Pixel lineup roughly as-is in terms of offerings and sizes. If the company wanted to add a different-sized base model flagship, we might've seen five leaked codenames instead of four. The same could be true if Google planned to introduce a flip-style foldable to pair with the Google Pixel Fold series.
However, it's always possible that Google has tricks up its sleeve, so we can't rule anything out based on rumored codenames alone.
