Pixel 10 latest news: Launching today in star-studded event

Pixel 10 Design & Build

The Pixel 10 design seems pretty much set in stone at this point, thanks to a tsunami of leaks showing all the devices, as well as this official teaser from Google itself.

As expected, the phones essentially have the same design as the Pixel 9 series with just some minor tweaks here and there (beyond new colourways).

The most noticeable change is a third camera lens on the back of the Pixel 10, suggesting that Google might be adding a telephoto lens to the standard model. However, the thermometer sensor appears to remain exclusive to the Pro models.

The following seem to be ‘official’ options, including the loss of Obsidian and/or Porcelain for certain models:

• Pixel 10 colours: Indigo, Limoncello, Obsidian, Frost
• Pixel 10 Pro/Pro XL colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Jade, Moonstone
• Pixel 10 Pro Fold colours: Jade, Moonstone

This means there are no less than five completely new colours and the Fold doesn’t come in black or white as previously.

We’ve ranked all the Pixel 10 colours, from “queasy” to “arboreal”

Android Headlines

Android Headlines

Android Headlines

It looks like Google might make an important upgrade to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, giving it an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. This would outpace current rivals from Samsung and Oppo and even the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7.

If you need more images of the Pixel 10 phones, then Google accidentally showed them off in the Play Store. Below you can see three models in Moonstone and one in Indigo.

Android Authority

Yet more leaked images show the Pixel 10 from more angles, including the front side. Here’s the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro.

Android Headlines

Android Headlines

We’re a bit bored of the leaked images now (there are yet more via Evan Blass if you want to see more), leaving nothing to the imagination when it comes to the big launch event at the end of August. However, you might be interested to know that it looks like a big upgrade many media and fans were hoping for is going to happen.

It’s been rumoured for a while that the Pixel 10 range will get some kind of MagSafe technology, meaning you can effortlessly connect chargers and other accessories.

It’s been sorely missing from Android phones and while you can add it with a case, the Pixel 10 phones look like they will have this Qi2 innovation built-in. The phones will be marginally thicker to accommodate and also heavier but this also includes larger batteries.

Google will reportedly brand this as ‘Pixelsnap’ and it’s unclear whether it will include all the phones or the Fold will miss out due to its design limitations.

Evan Blass

Sources: OnLeaks | Android Headlines (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) | Android Authority | Mystic Leaks (2) | Evan Blass

Pixel 10 Display & Speakers

Google is likely to push the limits of display technology with the Pixel 10 series.

While the 3000 nits brightness of the Pixel 9 is already impressive, the Pixel 10 might go even further; enhancing outdoor visibility and performance under direct sunlight. Also expect adaptive refresh rates from 60- to 120Hz to continue, ensuring smooth scrolling while conserving battery life when full performance isn’t needed.

Resolution may still differ across the lineup. Expect the base Pixel 10 to feature a 1080p+ screen, while the Pro models retain higher-resolution 1280p+ panels.

The split of 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch across the regular 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL seems inevitable.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s external display is expected to get a small jump from 6.3 to 6.4 inches. It’ll also apparently have a peak brightness of 3000 nits, up from 2700 nits on the 9 Pro Fold. However, the 8-inch internal display is set to remain unchanged.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

One area in which improvement is highly anticipated is PWM dimming (Pulse Width Modulation), which affects display flicker and can lead to eye strain for some users.

Currently, Google’s display technology flickers at a low 240Hz, which is half the rate of the Galaxy S24 series and the iPhone 15 series. With competitors like the OnePlus 12’s 2160Hz PWM rate, it’s expected that the Pixel 10 series will adopt a more eye-friendly approach. This would make it more comfortable for long-term use, especially in low-light settings.

Additionally, wet touch functionality – first introduced with the Pixel 9 series – should continue to improve, allowing users to interact with their phones, even when the display is wet, enhancing the overall user experience.

The Pixel 9 was the first of Google’s phones to get an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the Pixel 10’s implementation is tipped to be even faster.

Audio rumours are uncommon but it seems that the Pixel 10 phones might offer the best audio quality for Pixel to date. There’s no details on exactly how they will be better and they supposedly won’t feature Dolby Atmos.

Sources: Android Headlines | Android Headlines (2) | Android Headlines (3)

Pixel 10 Performance

The most significant performance leap for the Pixel 10 series will come from the introduction of the company’s own Tensor G5 chip.

According to a corroborated report, Google may be ditching Samsung and heading to TSMC to manufacture its own chipsets. This means that the Tensor G5 might be Google’s first fully in-house design built on TSMC’s 3nm process. And it looks like this could yield a significant improvement to performance and power efficiency on the Pixel 10 series.

The above leak of a Pixel 10 Pro prototype appears to confirm the Tensor G5, although it incorrectly states a 5nm process.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

This chip is expected to address the performance and heat management issues that plagued earlier Tensor chips, thanks to TSMC’s superior manufacturing process. The G5 is also expected to be significantly more efficient, enabling faster processing without overheating during tasks like gaming, video recording, or multitasking.

It’s thought that the regular Pixel 10 will miss out on a vapour chamber for cooling, as well as a downgrade due to missing out on Wi-Fi 7.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Other third-party components are expected for USB, PCIe, I3C, DisplayPort, and flash storage interfaces.

It’s likely to be paired with 12GB of RAM and 128- or 256GB of storage on the regular Pixel 9. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold might be paired with 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. In fact, all the Pixel 10 Pro Fold specs have been leaked.

One leak, which confirms many 10 Pro specs we’ve already mentioned, suggests the 10 Pro XL will drop the 128GB storage capacity and come with 256GB as standard.

If you like physical SIM cards then there might be bad news. In the US, a rumour suggests only the Pixel 10 Pro XL will have a physical SIM card tray, while all the other models will offer eSIM-only, like the iPhone.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Sources: Business Korea | Android Authority (2) (3) | China Times | Evan Blass

Pixel 10 Cameras

Google’s Pixel phones have always been known for their stellar camera performance, especially in terms of computational photography. And with the custom ISP in Tensor G5, things are about to get even better.

That said, a report has revealed that camera hardware across the Pixel 10 range is receiving significant changes – though not necessarily improvements.

Starting with the Pixel 10, it will indeed feature a telephoto lens, confirmed as an 11Mp Samsung 3J1 – the same one found in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. However, that comes at a cost and it reportedly won’t get Ultra Res Zoom or ultra-stable video recording features found on the Pro models.

The main sensor is being downgraded from the 50Mp Samsung GNV to the smaller 50Mp Samsung GN8, while the ultrawide is shifting from a 48Mp Sony IMX858 to a 13Mp Sony IMX712. These same sensors were previously used in the Pixel 9a.

The selfie camera is also changing, from a 13Mp IMX712 to the same 11Mp Samsung 3J1. While Google could use advanced AI and ISP processing to improve results, the smaller sensors may lead to worse low-light performance and reduced image detail.

The Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, by contrast, will reportedly stick with the same camera hardware as last year: a 50Mp Samsung GNV primary sensor and a 48Mp Sony IMX858 for ultrawide, telephoto, and front-facing duties. However, the new Tensor G5 ISP might help squeeze more out of the existing setup.

Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will receive a minor update, with the main 64Mp Sony IMX787 from the Pixel 9 Pro Fold replaced by the 50Mp Samsung GN8 or a 49Mp sensor, again used in the Pixel 9a. Aside from this primary lens change, the rest of the camera configuration remains untouched.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Those models with a telephoto lens are reportedly going to benefit from ‘tele-macro’ photography, meaning you can use the telephoto lens for super close-up shots. You’ll still be able to use the ultrawide and get even closer, but the tele-macro option is likely to be higher quality.

The Pixel 10 series will also likely continue to focus on AI-driven improvements rather than just these hardware upgrades. We can expect AI-driven features like ‘Add Me’ and ‘Reimagine’ – which debuted on the Pixel 9 series – to evolve, giving users more creative tools to edit and perfect their photos.

In fact, the Google Pixel 10 is set for two exclusive AI camera upgrades.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Sources: Android Authority | Android Headlines (2) (3)

Pixel 10 Battery & Charging

Will any of the Pixel 10 series get bigger batteries than their predecessors? The one that’s looking most likely is the 10 Pro Fold, which looks set to go from 4650- to 5015mAh. That’d make it much bigger than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (4400mAh), though still smaller than the 5820mAh Honor Magic V5.

It also looks like the Pro models will be getting upgrades, albeit more modest ones. The Pixel 10 Pro is rumoured to go from a 4700mAh cell to a 4870mAh one, while the Pro XL could jump from 5060mAh to 5200mAh.

As for charging speeds, the 10 Pro is expected to sit at 29W, while the 10 Pro XL could jump to 39W. The latter would make it the fastest charging Pixel ever, but still well behind much of the competition. However, we don’t know if the 10 Pro Fold will get faster charging than its predecessor’s 21W.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is expected to get a huge 5015mAh battery, the largest on any foldable without using silicon-carbon tech.

Battery longevity is always a concern with high-performance smartphones, and the Pixel line has seen mixed results in this area. With the new Tensor G5 chip built on TSMC’s 3nm process, we expect better battery efficiency, which could translate to longer-lasting usage, even at higher loads.

A big upgrade could come in the charging area as it’s been rumoured that the Pixel 10 will get Qi2 wireless charging. In other words, adding MagSafe, which is one of the best iPhone features. It could be as fast at 60W based on the chip’s capabilities, but a recent report suggests it’ll be capped at just 15W.

Chris Martin / Foundry

As part of this, Google is tipped to be launching accessories under the ‘Pixelsnap’ brand. This will include a magnetic charger, a charger with a stand, and a “Ring Stand” – the latter supposedly being the stand but without the charger.

Close to the event, a new 67W Dual Port charger has been leaked by retailers, suggesting that the Pixel 10 phones could be getting faster wired charging.

Sources: Android Authority | Android Headlines (2) (3) (4)

Pixel 10 Software

The Google Pixel 10 series is very likely to launch with Android 16, depending on whether Google introduces the phones in August or October.

It will introduce an overhauled user interface called Material 3 Expressive, which is about “Making key actions stand out, and grouping like elements together,” according to a blog post Google mistakenly published and then pulled down.

You can get an idea of the vibe from the image below.

Google via 9to5Google

A brand-new feature called Pixel Sense is expected to debut alongside the phones. According to a report, this is a rebrand of the rumoured “Pixie” assistant.

Pixel Sense is designed to offer personalised, on-device assistance using contextual data from a wide range of Google apps and services – including Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, Keep, and even screenshots.

Pixel Sense will run fully on-device, preserving user privacy and allowing it to function offline. It promises to offer predictive suggestions, speed up daily routines, and adapt to your evolving interests using Gemini Nano-powered AI.

Sources: Android Authority