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That Pixel 10 trio looks too boring for Google not to have an ace up its sleeve

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Mar 14, 2025, 10:44 AM

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Google was the "victim" of by far the biggest mobile tech leak this week, with pretty much all of the search giant's 2025 Pixel design secrets being spilled all over the web many months before the company's next Android flagships are expected to go official.

Without giving away any internal numbers, I was initially surprised to see our stories here at PhoneArena covering those super-high-quality Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL renders generate far lower reader interest than similar articles from the past on devices you'd think were just as highly anticipated.

What's also weird is that these three unannounced products don't seem to have caused much of a reaction (either positive or negative) even among those of you who did check out their leaked designs. Almost like you guys (and gals) looked at the images, shrugged, and moved on, which is quite unusual. But after a few days of careful consideration, I think I know exactly what's going on.

Is Google working on "one more thing"?

That phrase probably doesn't need much of an explanation for most long-time tech industry followers, but if you're not aware of its origin, let me give you a name you're definitely familiar with: Steve Jobs. Apple's founding father loved to keep the audiences of his electric keynotes on the edge of their seats, constantly saving the biggest announcements and surprises for the end of the company's events under the "one more thing" mantra.

Now, I obviously don't expect Google to rehash the actual legendary phrase for the introduction of a surprise fourth member of its Pixel 10 family this summer, but in the purest "one more thing" spirit, I do suspect such a phone exists. And no, I'm not talking about a foldable sequel to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which no one really views as a full member of the Pixel 9 family, but something altogether separate.

Wouldn't you love to see a phone like the Pixel 10 but significantly thinner?

I don't know if a Pixel 10 Pro Fold is happening (although I would put a buck or two on "yes" if I were a betting man), but I feel pretty confident a Pixel 10 Air or Pixel 10 Edge is being quietly worked on as we speak. And I think many of you are sharing my hunch, which is why you're not paying too much attention to the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL.

To be perfectly clear, this is a totally wild guess on my part and not something based on any rumors or inside chatter. I simply feel that the Pixel 10 series designs we've seen this week are way too... low-effort for the story of Google's next big iPhone rivals to end there.

Granted, the "vanilla" Pixel 10 does appear to add a third sensor to the Pixel 9's dual rear-facing camera system, but other than that, you need a magnifying glass and a lot of patience to discover... there are no cosmetic differences between these upcoming handsets and their predecessors.

Could Google have become this complacent?

You can never rule out that kind of explanation when looking at such incredibly familiar devices (especially in today's mobile industry), but this degree of laziness doesn't line up with the search giant's behavior over the last few years.

This is a company that totally took us by surprise in 2024 to move from a traditional two-model release strategy to three (non-foldable high-end) devices, and while the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro before that did look rather similar to the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro from 2022, they were certainly not identical.

This is the Pixel 9 Pro, but it could as well be the Pixel 10 Pro. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena

There's definitely something big that we don't know about the Pixel 10 series yet, and with the Galaxy S25 Edge right around the corner, a fourth ultra-thin model in the same vein as that and the more distant iPhone 17 Air just fits this equation so perfectly.

After all, the 6.3-inch Pixel 9 is kind of chunky, with an 8.5mm waist and 198-gram weight that make the 6.2-inch Samsung Galaxy S25 look like a... Galaxy S25 Edge at 7.2mm and 162 grams respectively. The "base" Pixel 9 is actually thicker than the S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max too, so if there's one major brand that needs to seriously consider joining this fledgling ultra-thin smartphone trend, Google could certainly be it.

Of course, you have to remember that this is a company that's never really cared about making cute, trendy, and fashionable gadgets, which is something that could always change. And besides, if we go all the way back to the Nexus years, Google and Huawei's Nexus 6P did rock a wasp 7.3mm waist that I feel could be around the sweet spot for a possible "Pixel 10 Air."

That wouldn't be as slim as the iPhone 17 Air and Galaxy S25 Edge, but it would allow Google to clearly differentiate this device from the rest of the Pixel 10 family and still put a reasonably large battery inside. Too bad we're all just dreaming with our eyes open here... for the time being, at least.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.