Google updates Pixel 10 repair parts, drops refurbished Pixel 6, ‘Needlefish’ prototype leaks, and Samsung to match Pixel updates

This past weekend brought a mix of practical Google Pixel updates, quiet store shuffles, a rare peek into Google’s scrapped hardware history, and even a nudge from Samsung that it’s tired of playing catch-up. From fresh Pixel 10 repair part pricing to the mysterious resurrection of an unreleased 5G prototype, here’s everything that mattered.

Pixel 10 repair parts drop: screens go premium, cameras go bargain

Google’s newest flagships have officially joined the self-repair club on iFixit, and the pricing shake-up is… quirky.

For the Pixel 10 Pro, the screen is pricier this year at $249.99 vs $212.99 for the Pixel 9 Pro, likely thanks to that brighter panel. The back glass also jumps by $7, presumably because of those new Qi2 charging magnets. Then things start getting friendlier: the battery drops by ten bucks, and the rear camera loses a whopping $60, even though Google tightened up the optical image stabilization.

The base Pixel 10 follows a similar script with a costlier display and back glass compared to the Pixel 9, but surprisingly steady pricing on the cameras at $159.99. The new sensor apparently balanced out the math.

Here’s the quick side-by-side snapshot:

Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 10 Pro

Pixel 9 vs Pixel 10

Parts for the Pixel 10 Pro XL also landed, plus repair manuals for all three phones. To sweeten the repairability story, Google, iFixit, and uBreakiFix are hosting a hands-on repair event on October 16 at the Google Store Chelsea. Expect live demos on Pixels, Pixel Buds, and Pixel Watch, along with panels and DIY repair hype.

Farewell, refurbished Pixel 6 series as Pixel 7 takes over

Google has quietly scrubbed the refurbished Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro from its store. The Pixel 6 duo had been going for $339 and $539, but their software support clock runs out next year, even with that extension. So Google is nudging shoppers toward something more future-proof.

In their place, the Pixel 7 lineup just got cheaper:

• Pixel 7: now $359 (previously $429)
• Pixel 7 Pro: now $539 (down from $629)
• Pixel 7a: still $339

For now, those three are the last refurbished Pixels standing.

There was a weird blip recently where the Pixel 8 Pro briefly appeared on the refurbished store page with no pricing. But it was gone in less than a day. Still, that little cameo hints that newer-gen refurbs are coming… eventually.

Meet the Google Pixel 4 5G that never was

If you’ve been haunted by the Pixel codename “needlefish” since the Pixel 4 era, we finally have closure. Photos of the device leaked over the weekend thanks to the guys at Android Authority, and it turns out Google built a secret 5G-capable Pixel 4 XL variant with hardware we never got to touch.

Here’s what the canceled phone packed:

• Snapdragon 855 paired with the X55 5G modem
• 8GB of RAM (vs 6GB on the Pixel 4/4 XL)
• mmWave antenna modules along the frame
• Slightly bigger battery (3800mAh vs 3700mAh)
• Model number G025B
• Codename “U3” in fastboot

Externally, it looked like a Pixel 4 XL with face unlock hardware and Soli radar up top. But internally, this thing was apparently a sandbox for Google to figure out early 5G before mature chips like the Snapdragon 765 landed.

According to the leak, the device was still in EVT1.4, which means it never even graduated to proper validation stages. So no, this was never meant to launch. Just Google quietly future-proofing itself while Qualcomm ironed out 5G quirks.

At least now we can retire the conspiracy theories and pour one out for the Pixel that trained for a race it never ran.

Samsung might finally catch Pixel on updates with One UI 8.5

Samsung is reportedly gearing up to close the update gap with Google, and One UI 8.5 is the vehicle.

Firmware leaks discovered by Android Authority‘s Mishaal Rahman show it running on Android 16 QPR2. That means Galaxy phones could start getting Pixel-level feature rollouts way sooner than before.

Two build clues confirm the shift:

• SDK 36.1
• Build prefix BP4A

The secret sauce? Google’s Trunk Stable development model. It basically streamlines how OEMs integrate Android changes, so they don’t spend months reworking everything. If Samsung follows through, One UI 8.5 could bring:

• Wider dark theme support
• Forced themed icons
• Lock screen widgets
• External display cursor
• Better haptic and layout controls
• HDR/SDR brightness slider
• AAudio API improvements
• Enhanced media privacy
• Local parental controls
• USB-level protection
• Identity Check in third-party apps
• Theft protection toggles

Not every leaked feature is guaranteed to make the cut, but the bigger story is clear: Samsung wants Pixel-like update speed. And this time, it actually looks possible.