Leaked Pixel 9 renders show off an unfortunate iPhone clone

Not going to lie to you; I don’t like this at all. Earlier today, I wrote about Google and Samsung needing to join forces to fight off Apple’s continuing advance as the largest smartphone maker in the world. And now, I’m seeing early renders of the Pixel 9 that look like absolute iPhone rip-offs if you ignore the camera bump. I suppose Google still has that going for them?

As we’ve seen so many times in the past, trying to copy or emulate Apple isn’t the way to win customers over. Samsung did this years ago and has since grown out of that trend to build their own brand, look, and feel. And I really thought Google was on the way to doing the same since the launch of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. And now we’re sitting here staring at a phone that looks at first glance to be a basic copy/paste of the last few iPhone designs.

Ooh, is there titanium?

I understand the similarities are always going to be there. If I’m being fair, there’s only so much you can do with a rectangular slab of glass and aluminum (or titanium if you are trendy), but there is something so iPhone-like about the front and sides of this render that I’m really put off by it. Again, I know flat side rails aren’t a big, trademarked feature; but watch that video and tell me that doesn’t look like an iPhone to you. Even the radius of the screen and corners is similar.

Here’s the thing: iPhone design has become so boring that the last 6 months of commercials simply talk about the fact that it has titanium rails. That’s the most interesting design feature on these phones, and Google is mimicking it? I just don’t understand the draw.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves

I suppose we shouldn’t get the cart before the horse, here. It is WAY early, so these renders do have a shot at being flat-out wrong. They don’t tend to be if you allow history to be your guide, but there’s a chance Google might change course and de-iPhone the Pixel 9 before production really begins. But the chances of that are admittedly low.

As I hold the well-made, gorgeous, supple, and comfortable Pixel 8 Pro in my hands, I simply don’t understand a move that wouldn’t have Google continue to iterate on this lovely phone design. It doesn’t look like an iPhone at all, and that’s one of its best traits. For 3 straight years, I feel like Google has done a spectacular job of creating a design brand, and this simply feels like a big step backwards. Perhaps things will change, but if they don’t, I’ll be pretty sad to see Google’s design language reduced to this for 2024.