The Google Pixel 10 stars in the best leaked images so far – here are 5 upgrades to expect

An official image of a phone believed to be the Pixel 10 Pro
An official image of a phone believed to be the Pixel 10 Pro (Image credit: Google)

  • Marketing material for the Pixel 10 series has seemingly leaked, including photos and videos
  • This material also includes a claim that Google AI Pro will be offered free for a year with select Pixel handsets
  • We've rounded up the five upgrades that could make these phones worth waiting for

The Google Pixel 10 series is now less than two weeks away, with August 20 being the big day, but ahead of that, various official marketing materials have seemingly leaked.

Shared by Evan Blass, these include videos of the Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and marketing photos of every model. These materials don’t actually show us much that we haven’t seen before, though, especially as Google itself has previously leaked the Pixel 10 line.

However, there are two particularly notable things here. First, the presence of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold in leaked marketing images suggests a recent rumor that this model might not land until October could be wrong.

Second, the leak also includes an image saying that you’ll get one year of Google AI Pro with the purchase of select Pixel phones. So, some or all of the Pixel 10 series will probably come with this bundled subscription.

Even without that freebie, though, these phones could be worth buying, and below we’ve detailed five of the biggest upgrades to expect.

1. An AI-powered Camera Coach

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review camera

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Google has always been more of a software company than a hardware one, so it’s no surprise that one of the most exciting rumored Pixel 10 upgrades relates to its software.

According to a leak, the entire Pixel 10 series could launch with a ‘Camera Coach’, which is apparently a Gemini-powered tool that will use AI to help you take better photos.

It’s said to do this by analyzing the photos you take and then offering contextual suggestions, such as holding the camera at a different angle or looking for better lighting. So, this could be a great tool for anyone who still values real photos (rather than heavily AI-edited ones) but wants to use AI to improve them.

2. An IP68 rating for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold in Porcelain

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

One exciting rumor about the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is that it could have an IP68 rating, which would mean it’s not only got serious water resistance – like most foldable phones – but that it’s also dust-tight, which is something no foldable phone has managed yet.

IP68 ratings are common on non-foldable phones, but the hinge and other components required in a foldable make this harder to achieve on dual-screen handsets.

So, hopefully Google has cracked this, because it could make the Pixel 10 Pro Fold more durable than alternatives, and give it a significant selling point.

3. A new Tensor G5 chipset

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review front handheld

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

One expected but still appreciated upgrade is the move to a newer, more powerful chipset, likely to be dubbed the Tensor G5.

Of all the upgrades we’ve listed here, this is the one we’re most sure of, as it would be surprising if a new model didn’t have a new chipset.

This should help it perform better, whatever you’re doing, but will likely prove particularly helpful for high-end games, AI, and other demanding tasks. That said, benchmarks suggest the Tensor G5 still isn’t a match for the Snapdragon 8 Elite used by some rival phones.

4. A telephoto camera for the base model

Google Pixel 9 in green Wintergreen color showing AI features on screen

The Google Pixel 9 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Google Pixel 9 just has wide and ultra-wide cameras on the back, but for the Pixel 10, Google could equip the base model with a telephoto camera too according to multiple leaks.

It’s not all good news – reports suggest the main and ultra-wide sensors could be downgraded, presumably to accommodate a new sensor without a price hike, but hopefully, the additional lens will be more of an upgrade than the changed sensors are a downgrade.

5. Bigger batteries for the Pro models

Google Pixel 9 Pro

The Google Pixel 9 Pro (Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

One of the main upgrades for the Google Pixel 10 Pro and the Pixel 10 Pro XL could be a boosted battery capacity, with the Pixel 10 Pro reportedly having a 4,870mAh one (up from 4,700mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro), and the Pixel 10 Pro XL said to have a 5,200mAh one (up from 5,060mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro XL).

A bigger battery will hopefully mean greater endurance, so you won’t have to plug the phones in as often. So, while it’s arguably not that exciting, this is always a desirable upgrade.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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