Leaked Pixel 9 cases give us hope for the Pixel Fold 2’s awkward rumored rebrand

Summary

• Google’s Pixel 9 series is rumored to have four models, including a possible Pixel Fold 2 that was said to be getting a controversial rebrand.
• Leaked cases suggest the Pixel 9 will retain its power button, volume rocker, charging port, and various sensors, while also showing a camera cutout redesign.
• Uncertainty remains around the naming of the Pixel Fold 2, with previous reports indicating a rebranding to Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but the leaked cases are still using the Fold 2 nomenclature.

Even though Google’s Pixel 8 series debuted less than a year ago and the Pixel 8a just reared its head today, the hype is already growing for the Pixel 9 and what’s to come. The company has been relatively mum on everything from its launch date to its specs, but rumors point to some big changes for the lineup. Based on the latest reports, we’re expecting three flagship Pixel phones this year, and possibly even a fourth in the Pixel Fold 2. Now, a series of accessories designed for the upcoming line have hit the online marketplace, leading to more speculation on its potential features.

As reported by Android Central, Thinborne phone cases have popped up on the case maker’s official website, supposedly designed for the upcoming Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9 Pro XL, plus one curious addition. According to the product page, it seems that wireless charging will once again be a feature of the upcoming phone, as the Thinborne case supports MagSafe chargers. The accessories take the rumors one step further, though, with cutouts for supposed ports.

What do these cases mean for the full Pixel lineup?

If the Thinborne phone cases are to be any indicator of what’s to come, it seems that there will still be a power button and volume rocker on the side of the Pixel 9, as well as a charging port at the bottom. A slot for what will presumably be the phone’s microphone, as well as two more – one on the bottom and an elongated slot at the top – can be seen as well. We also see a somewhat large, rounded camera cutout with three sensors on two of the models, as well as two sensors on a third Pixel 9 phone.

But the most interesting aspect of this leak is the fact that there are a total of four models listed as part of the “Pixel 9 Series.” This aligns with previous rumors that suggested Google could have two Pro Pixels this year: the smaller Pixel 9 Pro and larger Pixel 9 Pro XL. Combined with the standard Pixel 9 model, this accounts for three of the four phones — the last is the Pixel Fold 2.

We had previously heard rumors that Google might be marketing its next foldable as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This information was tentative, but it coincides with previous rumors suggesting Google wanted to bump its foldable release from summer to fall in order to ship the Pixel Fold with the latest Tensor chips alongside its Pixel 9 series. The foldable appearing here among the rest of the Pixel 9 series seems to support those claims.

Notably, the case maker has the standard Pixel 9 models named as we’ve seen in rumors, but the foldable isn’t called the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in these product pages — rather, the Pixel Fold 2. So there’s hope yet that we may not have to suffer through an awkward rebrand for Google’s nascent foldable phone, but as with all of this information, things are still subject to change. Again, Google hasn’t confirmed nor denied such changes to its lineup, so you may want to wait for official word before planning to splurge on the new series.