Pixel 9 Pro Leaked Images Reveal a Possible Drawback

Pixel 9 series is the next big thing for Google and the Pixel brand, and considering Google’s track record, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when we say the Pixel 9 Pro has already leaked six months before its launch! The leak shows the device in its full glory. While there’s a lot to talk about the design aspect of the device, there’s one thing we noticed, that if true, could be an issue.

If you’ve been following the Pixel coverage, you may know that the Pixel 9 series will consist of four devices — Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold. While the 9 Pro Fold is Pixel Fold 2 in disguise, the 9 Pro is a new device with a new form factor in the series. Let’s jump to the “problem” first before we glance at other aspects of the leak, that was shared on Rozetked.

One of the leaked images had the Pixel 9 Pro in Fastboot mode (refer to the image above). This screen reveals a few details like the phone’s codename “Caiman” and the 16GB LPDDR5 RAM unit from Micron. The value of the “UFS” string is “128GB Samsung”. This suggests that the storage is UFS 3.1 and not the latest UFS 4.0. UFS 4.0 starts from 256GB.

One of my complaints with the Pixel 8 Pro was the lack of UFS 4.0 storage when flagship devices like the Galaxy S24 launched with UFS 4.0. It’ll be disappointing if that’s true because UFS 4.0 delivers almost twice the read and write speeds and is twice as efficient compared to UFS 3.1. I had hoped that the Pixel 8 Pro’s 256GB variant may boast UFS 4.0 but that didn’t happen. Although, I’m hoping that happens in the Pixel 9 Pro series.

Besides this, the leaked images of the Pixel 9 Pro, reveal a triple camera setup. The camera bar is now a floating island rather than extending to the edges of the phone. It is boxy on the sides and curved on the edges making it quite similar to the iPhone 15 Pro. The camera bar also suggests Google is retaining the temperature sensor. The 9 Pro’s form factor looks visually more or less similar to the Pixel 8.

Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro’s design is a departure from Google’s curvy and warm aesthetics till the Pixel 8 series. It’s quite apparent that this design will make users switching from the iPhone feel at home with the in-hand feel. But the same cannot be said for Pixel users who might want to switch to the Pixel 9 Pro. Personally, design isn’t an issue but Android has embraced so many curvy aesthetics in the last three years that the sharper design may not complement it well.

What are your thoughts on Google not upgrading the Pixel 9 series to faster storage? Does it matter to you? Let us know in the comments below.