What you need to know
- We’ve reportedly received Thinborne cases for the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.
- Thinborne points out that three models of the Pixel 9 will be released this year, which is consistent with rumors.
- The cases feature completely flat sides and smooth corners as well as the typical Google Pixel camera bar.
The Google Pixel 9 launch may still be months away, but some phone case makers are wasting no time making sure their products are ready when Google finally launches its next flagship phones. We’ve already received a pair of Thinborne cases, reportedly for the Google Pixel 9 Pro and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the company also already has listings for a third Pixel 9 model on its website.
While Thinborne will add a MagSafe ring to its final cases, these early models give us an idea of what the Pixel 9 series might look like when it launches as expected in October this year. Thinborne isn’t the only one who already has cases – a quick Amazon search shows that several other companies are already selling them – and they all seem to be using a design that’s already been leaked multiple times.
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Last year, Google completely flattened the display on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, but kept the rounded edges on the sides of the phone. According to rumors, the Pixel 9 will be flattened even further, making the side rails completely flat. These Thinborne cases show just how flat these pages could be if this design turns out to be true.
The corners don’t appear to have changed at all from the Pixel 8 series, suggesting that Google doesn’t want to align its next-generation phones, just flattening the sides.
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Additionally, these cases could help substantiate rumors that Google will release three Pixel 9 models: a base Google Pixel 9, an upgraded Pixel 9 Pro that’s similar in size to the Pixel 9, and a Pixel 9 Pro XL, which features the improved Pro models-Up specifications in a larger body.
Based on the cases, the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro could be as small as the Pixel 7a, pictured above next to the thinborne Pixel 9 Pro case.
These cases also seem to confirm the rumor that the Pixel 9 Pro XL will be slightly larger than the Pixel 8 Pro, currently the most comparable model.
This should also be treated with caution for the time being, as Google has not yet officially presented the design of the Pixel 9. However, if these cases prove to be completely accurate and fit the final retail models of the Pixel 9, they would likely set a new record for phone accessory availability before a phone is officially announced.
Google phones have been known to leak long before their official announcement, but even now it’s incredibly early for live cases and accessories to make their way to Amazon’s virtual shelves. As it stands, we don’t expect Google to announce a Pixel 9 series until the first week of October if the company’s track record of fall announcements continues into 2024.