Pixel 9 leak gives us more hope for good network reception

We previously reported that the upcoming Google Pixel 9 series would use a new modem, namely the Samsung Exynos Modem 5400. Now, another leak has corroborated our claims.

A user on the XDA-Developers forum (thanks, reader Eric Appleman!) posted images of an apparent Pixel 9 Pro XL prototype. The user claimed that the images were sent to a friend and that the device was offered to said friend for purchase. 

One of the images (seen below) confirms that the phone has 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It also shows the fast boot menu, which mentions “Baseband Rev.: g5400c”. This indeed points to the Exynos Modem 5400 being used in the Pixel 9 series. The Pixel 7 Pro’s fast boot menu mentions “Baseband Rev.: g5300q,” confirming the use of the Samsung Exynos Modem 5300.

A new modem is good news for the Pixel 9 series, as connectivity has long been one of the major weaknesses of Pixel phones. The Pixel 6 series and its Exynos Modem 5123 was a low point for Google, frequently dropping cellular connectivity altogether and having trouble switching from Wi-Fi to mobile signal. Google has improved matters on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 series thanks to the introduction of the Exynos Modem 5300, but the Pixel 8 range still saw some complaints shortly after launch.

So a new modem should theoretically offer a more reliable experience than previous Pixel modems. Newer modems also tend to be more efficient, so don’t be surprised if the new Pixel phones last longer when using cellular connectivity. The Exynos Modem 5400 also supports satellite connectivity, and we indeed discovered evidence that Google was working on this functionality.