The Google Pixel 9 Pro may have a serious design issue, with some units literally peeling apart

The Google Pixel 9 Pro on an orange background
(Image credit: Google / Future)

  • Some users are reporting a durability issue with the Google Pixel 9 Pro
  • The phone's iconic camera bar is seemingly separating from the rear panel
  • We've reached out to Google for comment

User reports indicate that the Google Pixel 9 Pro may have a design flaw relating to the iconic camera bar mounted on its rear panel.

Multiple users have reported issues and durability concerns over the Google Pixel 9 Pro’s camera bar, which in the most extreme cases is literally peeling away from the rest of the phone.

In a now-deleted post to r/pixel_phones, Reddit user MohiFlaz shared images that clearly show the Pixel 9 Pro camera bar separating from the phone’s chassis.

PhoneArena recounts that MohiFlaz stated in the original post that they had been careful with the phone, never dropping it and keeping it “in a case with a screen protector since hour one of ownership.”

A damaged Google Pixel 9 Pro device

Reddit user MohiFlaz's Google Pixel 9 Pro device (Image credit: Reddit / MohiFlaz)

The poster also said that they had contacted Google for support, but had been offered no help due to the phone being more than 90 days old.

This seems to contradict Google’s own one-year limited warranty, which covers defective units for repair or replacement beyond the initial 15-day return window, a response which has garnered significant criticism online.

MohiFlaz has seemingly since deleted their Reddit account.

Not the first time

As Android Central notes, this isn’t the only time the r/pixel_phones subreddit has seen discourse about this issue. Back in October 2024, user lakhip shared a post, with images, detailing how the camera bar on their Google Pixel 9 Pro had begun to lift on the right side. Luckily, the user was able to get a replacement.

It’s worth remembering that complaints online typically represent a minority of users, and there's no suggestion that this issue is particularly widespread.

In fact, we were so impressed by the Pixel 9 Pro during testing that we crowned it our phone of the year for 2024 and gave it a spot on our list of the best phones, which makes these reports of camera-bar breakage all the more concerning.

We’ve reached out to Google for comment on this issue and will update this article with any new information. Hopefully, this is just a bump in the road for one of the best Android phones on the market.

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Jamie Richards
Mobile Computing Staff Writer

Jamie is a Mobile Computing Staff Writer for TechRadar, responsible for covering phones and tablets. He’s been tech-obsessed from a young age and has written for various news and culture publications. Jamie graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Since starting out as a music blogger in 2020, he’s worked on local news stories, finance trade magazines, and multimedia political features. He brings a love for digital journalism and consumer technology to TechRadar. Outside of the TechRadar office, Jamie can be found binge-watching tech reviews, DJing in local venues around London, or challenging friends to a game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

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