Why Google's Pixel 10 design strategy is more genius than lazy

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

Apart from the iPhone Pro models, the only other phones that are truly recognisable in the wild are Google Pixel phones. You can tell them apart from virtually any other phone because you can spot the iconic horizontal camera bar that sits at the top. Google Pixel 10 Pro is expected to look just like the Pixel 9 Pro.(Shaurya Sharma/HT Tech)
I have spotted countless Pixels at airports, cafés and more, but I can't say the same about other brands' phones. You know what a Pro model iPhone looks like thanks to its triple-camera setup, which is laid out in a distinctive fashion. The same is the case with the Pixel.
So, when renders and leaks about the Pixel 10 series models started surfacing, and when Google officially unveiled the Pixel 10 Pro, I was relieved. Why? Because it continues to feature the iconic design language and aesthetic that Google has built over the past few generations.
Yes, Google switched to an all-new design language with the Pixel 6. Since then, there have been minor iterations, but the core aesthetic has remained the same: a large, iconic camera bar that sits in the top half of the phone and minimal pastel colours. That is the aesthetic formula Google is following, in the footsteps of Apple. Let me explain.
How Apple Created The 'iPhone Look'
If you look at the Pro model iPhones up to the iPhone 16 Pro from the back, they technically look largely the same, ignoring the different colours. Take the iPhone 11 Pro, for example. It debuted the triangular camera module look. Many people compared it to various designs and created gas stove memes about it, but since then, Apple has stuck to the same triple-camera layout for all its Pro models, including the latest iPhone 16 Pro. This is expected to continue with the iPhone 17 Pro, albeit with some changes to the camera module.
So, what has this achieved? You know that someone is holding a Pro iPhone just by looking at it. In fact, this is so effective that some Android manufacturers, like Infinix, have launched devices over the last few years that resemble the iPhone Pro model's camera layout. This is because a connotation is now associated with this look: a triangular camera module in the top-left of the phone signifies a premium device, specifically a premium Pro iPhone.
Applying a similar logic to the Google Pixels, Google has done more or less the same. The Pixel 6 debuted this visor-like camera bar with minimal colours, and it has since continued to offer more or less the same design up to the Pixel 8 series. Yes, with the Pixel 7, 8, and 9, Google did switch from an all-glass design to a combination of glass and metal for the camera visor, but the core look remained the same. An enthusiast would know you are using a Pixel at a glance.
Thus, Google was able to craft a unique aesthetic for its Pixel phones. The Pixel 9 certainly shook things up with a disconnected camera module, flat sides, and a flat display, but it too, in a way, resembles the last few Pixel generations. Yes, the camera module is now disconnected, but the core look remains, again creating a unique and recognisable aesthetic.
Same is good as long as it creates identity
Based on what Google has shared officially, it is confirmed that the Pixel 10 series will feature the same design as the Pixel 9 series. I think that is a very good thing for Google. The company should not consider changing or revamping the entire Pixel look and feel, as it may make some people feel disconnected from the new models. Nowadays, people associate the camera visor look with the Pixel models, and a total revamp could alienate some buyers and ruin the very effort Google has put in over the last few years.
With its fortunes turning around, Pixel sales are also better in North America. Many people recognise Pixels, and I, for one, think this strategy is working in Google's favour, just as creating a unique aesthetic did for Apple.
Therefore, I was elated when official images of the Pixel 10 surfaced online. The Pixel 10 is going to offer the same core design language, and I believe that it, along with processor refinements and other improvements, will make for a great, iterative update that cements the visual identity for the brand.