First Pixel 10 renders suggest more of the same, and I’m not excited

This week, we saw the first set of leaked Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro renders. If accurate, Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 series looks a lot like the current generation. Visually, the generational similarity could make even Samsung blush.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing that Google’s holding onto the Pixel 9‘s general vibe; the Pixel 9 series has a distinct look that helps it stand out from the crowd, and after nine consecutive generations of Pixel phones consistently looking radically different year over year, it’s about time Google picked an aesthetic direction and stuck with it. But as much as I like the Pixel 9’s external hardware, it’s far from perfect — and I’m a little disappointed Google doesn’t seem to be improving the formula this year.

The Google Pixel 10 looks very familiar

At a glance, it’s hard to see any physical differences between the Google Pixel 10 renders and the existing Pixel 9 phones. They’ve got the same flat edges, the same pill-shaped camera bump, the same button placement — it’s nearly copy-paste.

CAD renders of the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL.

Look a little closer and the differences come into focus: the SIM tray seems to have been moved from the bottom edge of the phones to the top, making room for symmetrical speaker and microphone cutouts on the bottom. It also seems like the base Pixel 10 will be getting a telephoto camera — a fascinating change that could fundamentally change the value proposition of the 10 Pro. That’s about all the visible difference there is, though.

Android Headlines’ reporting also included info about the Pixel 10 phones’ physical footprints. In terms of size, the 10, the 10 Pro, and the 10 Pro XL are all nearly identical to their Pixel 9 counterparts. They’re actually all a little larger: the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro are reportedly 8.6mm thick outside the camera bar, compared to the 9’s 8.5mm, and the 10 Pro XL will be a fraction of a millimeter taller than the 9 Pro XL.

The existing Pixel 9 series is already notably thick compared to its competition. The iPhone 16 is 7.8mm thick; the Samsung Galaxy S25 is a lithe 7.2mm. I think Samsung and Apple’s determination to make exceptionally thin phones in the S25 Edge and the iPhone 16 Air is a little silly, considering how airy their phones are already. But Google could certainly have stood to shave a good millimeter off the Pixel 9’s profile — making its already thick design even thicker is an unusual choice.

The Pixel 9 Pro next to the Galaxy S25.

I’m especially miffed that the Pixel 10’s camera bar doesn’t seem any thinner than the Pixel 9’s. Measured at its camera bump, the Pixel 9 is a full 12mm thick. The cameras take good photos, but that pill is chunky. The Pixel 10’s camera bump seems like it’ll be identical, proudly sporting the same 3.4mm thickness as the Pixel 9’s camera array.

A thick Pixel 10 is a missed opportunity

In a vacuum, I don’t think that the Pixel 9 is too thick, and adding another 0.1mm to the Pixel 10 certainly won’t break the experience for me. But in using the Pixel 9 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S25 back to back, my favorite aspect of the S25 experience was just how thin and light the phone felt compared to the Pixel I was used to. At the time, I’d hoped that Google’s next-gen phones would slim down a little to feel more like other modern flagships. Unfortunately, it’s not looking like that’ll be the case.

Making the Pixel 10 series nearly identical to the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL but just a fraction of a millimeter larger also means that accessories made to fit the last-gen phones will be *so close* to fitting the new models, but that 0.1mm difference means that any case made for a Pixel 9 will be almost imperceptibly too small for the 10 series. It does seem like the 10 and 10 Pro will be the same size again, at least — but they’re both a hair thicker than the 9 and 9 Pro.

If the Pixel 10 series’ marginally larger chassis means this year’s phones come with markedly improved battery life over last year’s Pixel 9 phones, I’ll be happy to be wrong on this. But as it stands, the Pixel 10’s slightly larger build seems like a swing and a miss from Google.