New Pixel 8 case leak hints Google will keep the distinctive camera bar

Google Pixel 7 review camera

Fresh leaked case renders serve up more clues as to what the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro could look like when they launch, most likely in October, based on previous Pixels' release schedule.

These new renders come from MySmartPrice and showcase protective cases for the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro. Starting with the Pixel 8 case, it points to a design not much different to that of the current Google Pixel 7. There’s one pill-shaped hole in the case for the wide and ultrawide cameras, and slits on both sides for the power and volume buttons. The Pixel 8 is expected to be a little smaller than the Pixel 7, with a 6.16 or 6.2-inch display, meaning it wouldn't fit the Pixel 7, despite their similar designs and dimensions.

The case renders for the Pixel 8 Pro, meanwhile, suggest a design similar to the Pixel 7 Pro. The two Pros are expected to share similar dimensions, so it’s not surprising that the case designs would be broadly similar too. It too has a pill-shaped hole for the camera, albeit a wider one compared to the one shown in the Pixel 8 case renders, because Google’s Pro Pixels have an additional telephoto camera. The Pixel 8 Pro is expected to follow suit, although its camera bar is rumored to be getting an additional backup sensor.

(Image credit: MySmartPrice)

(Image credit: MySmartPrice)

 An iconic design

If – as these renders suggest – Google is sticking with the distinctive camera bar on its new phones, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Much like the iPhone's home button in the past, the camera bar is a feature that makes Pixel phones immediately recognizable, and retaining it would help to keep the brand distinct in the minds of buyers.

Though we rate the Pixels as some of the best Android phones out there, and as some of the best phones outright, Google has yet to win substantial market share anywhere. Things are going in the right direction, though, based on research from Kantar, published around the time of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro's launch. Google is, no doubt, hoping that this trend continues with the Pixel 8 and Pixel Pro 8, but regardless, you can't deny that its phones are hard to miss.