Joe Maring / Android Authority
We’re still a few months away from when we expect Google to launch the Pixel 10 series. Even so, we already have a very good idea of what all four phones will look like. Last month, renders for the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL all made their way online. And just a few weeks later, Pixel 10 Pro Fold renders followed suit.
Assuming these leaks are accurate, which we have reason to believe they are, Google isn’t changing much of anything on the design front this year. The Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL all look virtually identical to their predecessors — including the flat sides, rounded corners, and iconic camera bar on the back. Similarly, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold bears a striking resemblance to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the only difference being a possible reduction in thickness.
There are two trains of thought here. On the one hand, Google got an incredible amount right with its Pixel 9 series design, and as such, there’s not much of a reason for the company to drastically change things a year later. On the other hand, even if we aren’t due for a total redesign, even some slight visual tweaks would be great to see. So far, we haven’t seen any sign of those.
I’m of the mindset that reusing the Pixel 9 design for the Pixel 10 series isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but only if Google doesn’t make a crucial mistake while doing so.
What do you think is most important in a new phone?
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Reused designs aren’t inherently bad
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
There’s so much that goes into building a new smartphone. Between the chipset, RAM and storage amounts, battery capacity, charge speeds, display panel, etc., the sheer number of components is staggering — and many of them are things you can’t see. The iPhone 16e is a great example of this. It’s the first-ever device with Apple’s custom-made C1 modem, but unless you go out of your way to learn this, you’d never know.
That’s all to say that smartphone brands have to invest their money in many different areas, and on top of all that, there’s also the design to contend with. A new design is visually exciting and refreshing, but it also requires its own chunk of R&D, time, and money to create — resources that could be put towards some of those other specs mentioned above.
This all creates a very delicate balancing act. It can be easy to sit at home and demand upgrades for everything with a new smartphone generation, but in reality, that’s never going to happen. If a company goes all-out with its design and hardware, many internal specs will likely need to remain unchanged — and vice versa.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Take the Pixel 9 and Pixel 8 as an example. The Pixel 9 has a pretty dramatic redesign compared to its predecessor, featuring a brand new frame, camera bar, and more durable glass. Visually, it’s a significant refresh compared to the Pixel 8, and it looks fantastic.
But that also means many internal specs remain unchanged between the phones. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 have the same primary camera and front-facing cameras, slow charge speeds, the older Bluetooth 5.3 standard, and UFS 3.1 storage. Those are far from dealbreakers on their own (and even when combined), but they serve as a reminder that you can’t have it all.
If a brand dumps all of its time and money into one aspect of a phone, compromises need to be made elsewhere.
This can be easy to forget, but it’s a simple, hard truth in the smartphone world (and in most aspects of life). If a brand dumps all of its time and money into one aspect of a phone, compromises need to be made elsewhere.
But the opposite of that statement is true, too. If Google isn’t crafting a big redesign for the Pixel 10 series, that should free up the company to upgrade other aspects that need attention — such as faster charging, increased base storage amounts, greatly improved chipsets, etc. They may not be upgrades you can see, but if done correctly, a phone with a reused design and ample internal changes can be just as exciting — if not more so — than a phone that makes its new design its entire identity.
The one mistake Google can’t make
Lanh Nguyen / Android Authority
At least, that’s what should happen. By not changing much with the Pixel 10 design this year, Google should be able to deliver meaningful upgrades in other areas. But as other companies have shown us, that’s not always true.
Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series is a prime example of this. Design-wise, the phones are nearly indistinguishable from their S24 series counterparts — which also looked identical to the S23 series before it. Other than some new colors and a slightly thinner/lighter profile, the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S24 are the same phones, at least visually. Surely, that means Samsung packed the S25 to the gills with other internal upgrades … right?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Well, not really. In fact, not at all. The S25 and S24 have the exact same displays — including the size, resolution, brightness, etc. The phones also share the same three rear cameras, front-facing selfie camera, battery capacity, and charge speeds. Other than a new chip, updated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, and a bit more RAM, the phones are as similar as it gets. The same is also true of the S25 Plus and S25 Ultra compared to their respective predecessors.
Despite Samsung not changing much with the S25 series’ design, that didn’t translate to worthwhile spec enhancements elsewhere — at least not nearly as many as you’d expect. This has been Samsung’s strategy for the last few years, and it’s a mistake I’m worried Google might follow with the Pixel 10 lineup. I’m okay with Google reusing design hardware, but if it’s saving resources there, they need to be put into the phone somewhere else.
What Google needs to do with the Pixel 10
Pixel 10 Pro XL leaked renders
So, what should that look like? There are a lot of ways it could take shape. Google could reinvest the money it would have spent on a new design into delivering fast charging speeds on a Pixel phone. It could finally upgrade the 128GB base storage amount to 256GB. It could put resources into significantly upgrading the Tensor G5’s performance and efficiency.
It could also be freed up to invest more in unique software features. Remember how magical Now Playing felt when it launched alongside the Pixel 2 series? Or how unbelievably good Night Sight on the Pixel 3 was? When Google conjures up a clever software trick, it’s often leagues ahead of what’s available on competing phones. And while Google is still releasing new software features for current Pixels, recent additions like Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio haven’t felt nearly as impactful as some of Google’s previous innovations.
Google has an opportunity to do something special with the Pixel 10 series.
Being able to reuse the foundation of the Pixel 10 series hardware sets Google up for a lot of exciting possibilities. The question, however, is whether Google will act on that. The company could deliver an onslaught of new internal specs and software goodies, but it could also take a page out of Samsung’s playbook and play things incredibly safe this year. Considering how much things have plateaued in the smartphone industry as a whole, I wouldn’t be shocked if that’s the case.
Google has an opportunity to do something special with the Pixel 10 series. With the design already accounted for, this could be the year Google gives its phones the internal overhaul and software innovation they deserve. We just have to hope that’s what actually happens because, if not, the alternative is Google fumbling the Pixel 10 series and making it one of the dullest releases yet.
