It’s no secret at this point that the Pixel 10 series is not going to be a massive upgrade, but with that in mind, leaks point towards it being perhaps the best kind of subtle upgrade. Here’s why.
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On the surface, the Pixel 10 series is going to look pretty much the same as the prior generation. Four devices including a semi-affordable base model, two Pro devices, and a foldable. All with the same basic design and hardware, but with refinements behind the scenes. It’s not really all that exciting, but I think there are reasons to look forward to what Google has in store, besides the fact that the “tock” portion of a “tick-tock” release cycle usually results in the better product anyway.
One of the biggest reasons to look forward to Pixel 10 is Tensor G5, which is Google’s first fully-custom chipset and the first one made by TSMC. The switch from Samsung’s foundry to TSMC’s should, on its own, deliver some efficiency improvements which Google’s phones have desperately needed in the Tensor era. We don’t expect any major performance upgrades here, but that’s never been Google’s focus anyway. I’m just looking forward to a Pixel that stays a bit cooler.
The other thing to look forward to in Tensor G5 is the custom camera ISP, which could deliver a more focused camera experience. I’ve been vocal about how the Pixel camera has fallen a bit flat in my eyes in recent years, and I’m really hoping that Google putting in the effort of building its own processing pipeline for the camera will bring back some of the aspects of the Pixel camera I loved in the past in an upgrade for the Pixel 10 series.
Under the hood, it also sounds like there’s a small chance of faster storage. Recent leaks have suggested the Pixel 10 Pro XL will start at 256GB instead of 128GB, opening the door to the potential that, at least with some variants, Google could finally be moving away from UFS 3.1. There are still 128GB models of the base Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro, though, so it’s anyone’s guess at this point. It’s a change Google needs to make, though.
Personally, I’m also looking forward to a splash of color in the Pixel 10 series’ hardware. The “Indigo” base Pixel 10 that leaked earlier this week looks stunning, and I’m increasingly looking forward to seeing “Moonstone” and “Jade” in person, though I fear my colleague Will Sattelburg may have been right on the latest episode of our podcast, Pixelated, in that those Pro colors might look more subdued in person.
Underneath those colors, the addition of Qi2 with magnets is looking more likely. Alongside bigger batteries in the Pixel 10 series, these are the pair of upgrades I’m really looking forward to.
Will I be disappointed if Google forgoes built-in magnets? Of course! But the “Pixelsnap” ecosystem still seems like it will be a fun addition nonetheless.
Finally, I think the best part of all of this is that the Pixel 10 prices appear stable. Google doesn’t seem to have plans to jack the price on any of its new devices, beyond just removing the most affordable Pixel 10 Pro XL storage option. In a world of tariffs and ever-increasing prices, that’s something I’m really glad to see, that is assuming it actually happens.
All of those upgrades, to me, add up to a device that’s going to be pretty great. Pixel 10 builds on the strengths of the Pixel 9 series, being a worthwhile upgrade for those who didn’t buy last year’s phone, all without being overly tempting for those with this year’s model. I think that’s exactly what Google should be trying to do.
Are you looking forward to the Pixel 10 series?
This Week’s Top Stories
Pixel leaks en masse
Alongside Google’s first official teaser, we’ve seen just about everything there is to see about the Pixel 10 series this week, though some questions are still left unanswered. We also got some new information about Pixel Watch 4 and Buds.
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Samsung’s latest foldables are officially on sale as of this week, with our Galaxy Z Fold 7 review also now live.
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