Google Pixel 4 case renders suggest the big notch isn't going away

The Google Pixel 3 XL. Image credit: TechRadar

One of the more surprising yet enduring Google Pixel 4 rumors is that both the standard model and the Pixel 4 XL would have a large bezel above the screen, making for a design that sounds rather dated for 2019. 

But that might not be happening after all, as new case renders show a big notch instead, more in line with the Google Pixel 3 XL.

Shared on SlashLeaks by Sudhanshu Ambhore, the renders show a dual-lens front-facing camera in that notch, while below the screen you can see a big bezel housing a speaker.

The back meanwhile shows that square camera block we've now seen many times, including from Google itself. There aren’t any other real details on the back, but the phone is pictured in blue, so that might be one of the shades offered.

We would however take all of this with a huge helping of salt, as the renders lack detail and could easily be fake, not to mention the fact that the front design is at odds with most other Google Pixel 4 rumors.

That notch might seem a more modern choice than a full bezel, but given the size of it we’re not sure it’s any better, and there’s supposedly a reason for Google using a full bezel, as according to a previous leak it’s packing five "imaging unis" into the front, which needs lots of space.

It’s also worth noting that Google reportedly had several Pixel 4 designs in the works, before settling on the full bezel look, so this could be based on one of the other prototypes. It still might be the real deal of course. 

We should find out for sure in October, when the Google Pixel 4 range is likely to be announced.

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James Rogerson

James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.