TL;DR
- Google is inviting Pixel Superfans to apply to attend a June 27 pre-launch Pixel event.
- Last year’s Pixel 9 launch was in August, following years of October launches.
- With Android 16 expected for early June, a late June/early July Pixel 10 launch feels plausible.
If you’re not already a big fan of Pixel smartphones, this is the year to start changing your tune. Google’s move to having TSMC produce the Tensor G5 chip that will power its Pixel 10 series has the potential to be the most impactful change we’ve ever seen when it comes to Pixel performance. And we’re already quite excited about Android 16, which is likely just days away from hitting stable. So with the software nearly here, when can we expect the hardware to arrive? We still don’t have a precise date, but a new Google teaser has that launch looking like it’s coming sooner rather than later.
Google’s Pixel Superfans program is exactly what it sounds like, and offers the most voracious Pixel enthusiasts a chance to feel closer to the action than many smartphone users could ever dream of. That means occasionally getting access to some exclusive events, and earlier today we became aware of a new message hitting the inboxes of Superfans:
Google invites them to apply for a shot at winning one of 25 slots to attend a pre-release Pixel event scheduled for June 27. And while Google doesn’t out and say “Pixel 10” anywhere here, there’s not really a long list of alternative devices we could be talking about.
You may remember that most recent Pixel launches have taken place in early October, although last year saw Google slide things up considerably to August for the Pixel 9 series. That seems to be a pattern that’s continuing, from the early release of the first Android 16 previews, to the March launch of the Pixel 9a — two months ahead of the Pixel 8a’s debut the year before.
As such, it’s not crazy to think about a late June/early July introduction of the Pixel 10 family. We’d been kicking around August again as a possibility before, but based on what we’re seeing today, it feels like Google’s timetable could be even more advanced.
Of course, it’s possible that Google’s coyness here could conceal a bigger secret, and maybe it really does have something that’s not the Pixel 10 to show off. But based on the momentum we’ve witnessed over the past several months of Google sliding release schedules up earlier, the Pixel 10 is definitely the safe bet here. It’s also possible that this early look the Superfans are getting will just be very, very early, and an August launch could still be in the cards. Hopefully we’ll learn something a little more concrete as June gets started.
