Google is less than a month away from launching new smartphones, a new lineup that will span screen sizes and form factors. Like in previous years, the phones have leaked well in advance of Google actually saying anything about them publicly. Only recently did the company even acknowledge that its event on August 20 will be dedicated to the Pixel 10 with a teaser on its website. Based on what Google has shared and what’s leaked out, you can get a clear picture of what the company will launch. And surprisingly, it looks very similar to last year’s phones.

While the idea that Google is just shipping a refined version of the Pixel 9 might be disappointing, it does suggest something that’s been true for a while: hardware has never been the focus of the Pixel, it’s the software the hardware can run that matters. And at this point in 2025, Gemini is the software that matters most at Google.

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The Pixel 10 is a “Pixel 9S”

The new phone seems like a refinement, not a reimagining

Smartphones used to take much longer to evolve. Yearly releases have been common since the beginning, but the idea that each year new smartphones should have a radical new design or paradigm-shifting feature is a relatively recent idea. Most people were happy with a phone that just worked better.

The early days of the iPhone, for example, were defined by Apple’s “tick-tock” release schedule. One year the company would introduce new designs and materials and the next year, the same design, but with refinements. That could be improved components or a novel software feature, like when Siri was introduced on the iPhone 4S, but it never came with any big changes to the phone itself. Phones released in the years when the hardware didn’t change were given an “S” to signify that they were better than the numbered release.

Google hasn’t really followed the same pattern. Elements of its design carry across phones, like the idea of a two-tone finish or a huge camera bump, but each of its Pixels has been pretty different from the last, save for the jump from the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 7. You can justify this by saying that Google has been playing catch-up, but it still means that the Pixel 10 is a show of restraint. The phone, as depicted in the company’s teaser and the numerous leaks, did not fall far from the Pixel 9 tree.

The biggest visual change Google is making is the addition of a new camera to the entry-level Pixel 10, so that now all of its phones have a wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto option. Leaked specs suggest it’s an 11-megapixel telephoto camera, similar to the telephoto on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and it’ll support the company’s Super Res Zoom feature. While it seems like the quality could be better, it’s great that Google isn’t locking the option behind a more premium price.

Internally, the company is reportedly adding a Tensor G5 chip and a new magnetic wireless charging system likely based on Qi2. The Tensor G5 doesn’t seem like it’ll be that much more powerful than the Tensor G4, but switching to a 3nm design means that it should be more power-efficient. The new wireless charging system — reportedly called “Pixelsnap” — could introduce the convenience of MagSafe to the Pixel lineup. Will any of these changes make the Pixel 10 feel all that different from the Pixel 9? That remains to be seen, but based on what’s leaked and what Google has visually confirmed, the Pixel 10 seems like a Pixel 9S.

Gemini is Google’s main focus

The company is intent on pushing AI into every product

Gemini was a big part of Google’s pitch for the Pixel 9, and has only become a bigger part since. The company has regularly released Pixel Drops (surprise software updates with new features) since the phone was released, and a good number of them have been Gemini-focused. The lack of exciting new hardware changes in the Pixel 10 could very well be because Google is going to lean even harder into Gemini.

Pixels have been thought of as showcases for Google’s version of Android, an operating system the company maintains, but it seems like that could be changing. Given how many people are convinced smartphones might be the best place to interact with AI, it’s reasonable to assume that Pixels are shifting into being a tool for demoing Gemini first and foremost. At least until products running Android XR or Google’s own smart glasses become available.

Besides the refinements and design elements of Android 16, it’s hard to say what new software features Google might have planned for the Pixel 10. The company continues to demo Project Astra, so Gemini-powered features that take action on your behalf would make sense, but it’s hard to say if they are ready for prime time.

The Pixel’s hardware is already good

There are valid reasons to keep things consistent

It might initially feel strange that Google doesn’t seem to be changing Pixel hardware for the Pixel 10. But the company doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel every time, and probably shouldn’t. Sticking to largely the same hardware setup could mean the Pixel 10 is more affordable to produce and more durable. We won’t know everything until Google actually announces its new phones, but even if the phone’s hardware doesn’t set the world on fire, Gemini might.

For a look at the AI features Google included on the Pixel 9 Pocket-lint has coverage of Pixel Screenshots and the Pixel’s image generation feature. And if you’re interested in what’s leaked about the Pixel 10 so far, Pocket-lint has a roundup of all the features you should care about.