Trying to make sense of a Google Pixel 10 with three cameras – 9to5Google

We got our first look at the Pixel 10 series this week and it looks rather familiar, but Google is apparently planning to add a third camera to the base model, and that raises a lot of questions.This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of 9to5Google’s rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox early!Google’s core Pixel lineup has been pretty well established since 2021’s Pixel 6 series. A flagship “Pro” with three cameras, extra memory, and a bigger, better display, a more affordable “base” device with many of the same features, but at a couple hundred dollars less, with the removal of one of those three cameras being a core differentiator for the Pro model. And, then, an A-series release that further simplifies the package to fall under $500. Things have evolved over time, with the addition of a Fold, big adjustments to the release timing, and most recently a smaller Pro model that pushes the full-size device into “XL” territory.While there are often questions about the value proposition between the “base” Pixel and the A-series release, the separation between each device in Google’s lineup is at least relatively clear at this point.And now it seems like there’s about to be a wrench thrown in it.Leaked renders of the Pixel 10 series hit the web this week, revealing that Google’s 2025 smartphones are probably going to look nearly identical to the Pixel 9 series. That’s not a bad thing, but renders of the base Pixel 10 revealed that Google is apparently going to add a third camera sensor of some kind, claimed to be a telephoto lens.This is confusing because, as mentioned, one of the few major differentiators between the “base” Pixel and the Pro models is that third, telephoto camera lens. Without that, how does the Pro make sense?I’ve been trying to figure that out, and I think the most logical explanation is that this new camera isn’t quite what it’s been positioned as so far. It’s claimed that this new telephoto camera for Pixel 10 is a “periscope” lens, implying it’s similar to the one in the Pro models. I don’t think that makes sense, just because there’s little to no chance Google would equip its base device with such a shooter. What could make sense, though, is limiting that third camera. Perhaps it’s a periscope that only goes to 3x as opposed to the Pro’s 5x, and maybe it even has a lesser sensor behind it. Beyond that, I also think it seems entirely possible that Google could just equip a non-periscope lens here. A “cheap” 2x or 3x non-periscope telephoto lens would still benefit base Pixel 10 buyers, but without encroaching on the Pro models.Other things Google could do to keep separation between the base model and the Pro could be to add more storage to the Pro (though the lineup as a whole is due for a jump to a 256GB minimum), upgrade the main sensor in the Pro phones, or deliver things like faster charging, silicon carbon batteries, or more advanced face unlock. If Google were to leave things as they stand today, but just add that extra camera to the base model, it would really throw the balance out of whack. Specifically, it’d make the price of the smaller Pro nearly impossible to justify compared to that base model. And Google absolutely cannot just lower the price to make up for that.The pricing model for the Pixel lineup has been rather confusing lately. As we discussed last year, the current Pixel lineup has last-gen devices at the same price as current-gen models, and with specs that are all over the place for those prices. That already makes for a confusing buying experience, but if you throw in more feature overlap, it just makes matters much worse.What do you think? Does a Pixel 10 with three cameras make sense? Let’s discuss!Another Android 16 beta, another boring dayGoogle released its third Android 16 beta this week and, you guessed it, it’s still lacking any of the actual changes we’re expecting. There were a few notable tweaks, though.Chromecast issuesThere have been a lot of Chromecast problems lately. An issue behind the scenes on Chromecast (2nd-gen) and Chromecast Audio resulted in an “untrusted” error that left devices inoperable for days, only being fixed on March 13. Beyond that, the Chromecast with Google TV picked up its Android 14 update this week, which also delivered an assortment of problems.9to5Mac: Apple’s C1 is coming to this product next, and skipping the rest9to5Toys: Dataminers suggest Nintendo has shipped 380,000 Switch 2 units into the U.S. – but it better be a lot more than thatElectrek: Tesla’s upcoming cheaper electric car is basically a stripped-down Model YFollow Ben: Twitter/X, Threads, Bluesky, and InstagramFTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news:Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.
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Source: http://9to5google.com/2025/03/16/google-pixel-10-camera-rumors/