One of Google's Pixel 10 prototypes just leaked on a Chinese auction site

6 hours ago 1

If there’s one thing to know about a Pixel pre-launch news cycle, it’s that Google’s going to experience plenty of leaks — some from unexpected places.

Today’s unofficial Pixel 10 reveal comes courtesy of a Chinese auction site similar to eBay. This seller listed what is described (via translation) as a “Pixel 10 prototype motherboard” sourced from an EVT unit (that’s Engineering Validation Testing, the final stage prior to general manufacturing), and sharing two photos of the phone itself alongside a picture of the Tensor G5-branded motherboard.

There’s plenty of odd elements with this listing, up to and including the description that focuses primarily on avoiding scammers and refusing to sell the unit to the person who took the photos of the actual device. The photos themselves have some strange discrepancies, too, including a “Liquid Detection Indicator” listing not usually displayed and the denotation of “DVT,” or Design Validation Test, within the device’s fastboot menu instead of EVT. Still, practically every element of this device — from the design to the prototype branding on the back — seem to point to this motherboard being sourced from a real Pixel 10.

This is looking like a fairly slim upgrade cycle for Google’s smartphone lineup, with the base Pixel 10 model seeing the most prominent of changes. This leak seemingly validates previous rumors pointing to the addition of a telephoto lens alongside the main and ultrawide sensors. It’s a change that could help differentiate this entry-level model from both the Pixel 9a and its eventual A-series successor, but potentially at the cost of main sensor quality.