Google’s Pixel 10 cameras are a combined bag of upgrades, downgrades, and stagnation

Abstract

• New leaks counsel that the bottom mannequin Pixel 10 will characteristic a telephoto lens for the primary time, however at the price of downgrading the primary and ultrawide digital camera sensors to these used within the Pixel 9a, probably to offset prices.
• The Pixel 10 Professional and Pixel 10 Professional XL digital camera {hardware} will stay unchanged from their predecessors, with any enhancements doubtless coming from software program optimizations.
• The Pixel 10 Professional Fold will see a principal sensor change to the Samsung GN8, whereas different sensors stay principally the identical, suggesting Google’s focus is on computational images enhancements fairly than {hardware} upgrades for this collection.

Google’s follow-up to the August 2024-released Pixel 9 — the Pixel 10 collection — is poised to reach in simply a bit of over 4 months from now. Mannequin numbers for the upcoming collection leaked all the best way again in February, adopted by early renders that paint a really acquainted image.

Surprisingly, although, the renders spotlight the bottom Pixel 10 donning not two, however three rear cameras, with subsequent leaks confirming a serious shift in Google’s digital camera technique — the arrival of a telephoto/periscope lens on the bottom mannequin.

The machine has since made an look in AOSP, highlighting potential startup velocity enhancements.

Now, as anticipation for the upcoming collection intensifies, new leaks are beginning to paint a greater image of the whole Pixel 10 collection’ digital camera {hardware}, detailing not solely the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Professional, and the Pixel 10 Professional XL, but additionally the Pixel 10 Professional Fold. Psst, it is a combined bag of upgrades, downgrades, and a few unchanged {hardware}.

The digital camera leak comes courtesy of credible leaker Kamila Wojciechowska, quoting a supply inside Google in a report for Android Authority.

Pixel 10

Confirming the sooner leaks, Wojciechowska means that the Pixel 10 will certainly be the primary base Pixel to supply a rear telephoto lens, albeit with sacrifices in tow. The addition comes on the expense of the first and ultrawide cameras, with the bottom machine’s digital camera system reportedly being inferior to final yr’s base Pixel 9, and extra in step with the mid-range Pixel 9a.

The Pixel 10 will use the identical 50 MP Samsung GN8 principal and 13 MP Sony IMX712 ultrawide sensors because the Pixel 9a, that are each smaller than the sensors deployed on the bottom Pixel 9. The selfie digital camera, on the flip aspect, stays unchanged, whereas the telephoto lens would be the Samsung 3J1 — the identical because the Pixel 9 Professional Fold, albeit with a barely smaller megapixel rely.

Providing barely inferior cameras may very well be Google’s manner of offsetting prices associated to the brand new telephoto digital camera. Alternatively, the smaller sensors is also vital change wanted to slot in the extra telephoto.

Pixel 10 Professional and Pixel 10 Professional XL

Opposite to the adjustments anticipated with the bottom Pixel 10, digital camera specs for the higher-end Pixel 10 Professional and Pixel 10 Professional XL stay unchanged, with software-side images tweaks more likely to drive picture high quality enhancements, if any.

Pixel 10 Professional Fold

Google’s digital camera technique for the Pixel 10 Professional Fold additionally doubtless depends on computational enhancements, with solely the primary sensor being modified from the Sony IMX787 (seen on the Pixel 8a) to the Samsung GN8 (seen on the Pixel 9a and probably the bottom Pixel 10).

At this charge, the upcoming Pixel 10 collection is shaping as much as be lukewarm within the digital camera division. Contemplating that leaked renders spotlight extra of the identical, the Pixel 10 collection may simply be an iterative spec-based refresh, with the brand new Tensor G5 chipset being the one notable enchancment.