Google will let select Pixel Superfans test unreleased phones before launch

Update (October 22): Here’s what Google actually asked Pixel Superfans to do to test unreleased phones

Following yesterday’s report that Google plans to let select Pixel Superfans test unreleased devices in the wild, we’ve now seen the official entry form and contest rules for the so-called “Pixel Trusted Tester 2025” program. And it turns out, Google wasn’t asking for much.

To get nominated, fans only had to answer three short questions:

1. How many Pixel devices have you ever owned?
2. As a Pixel Superfan, please give us feedback on your current Pixel device. What would you improve and why?
3. If you had a magic wand, what feature would you add to your device and why?

From there, a panel of Google judges would select the most compelling entries for a second round of questions. Finalists must sign a non-disclosure agreement, agree to use a protective case that disguises the phone, return the device to Google within seven years, and actively participate in surveys and bug reports throughout the program.

Unfortunately, the deadline to apply was October 17, which means entries have already closed. In fact, Google judges should now be reviewing submissions. However, there’s a silver lining: the documents label this as Trusted Tester 2025, suggesting that Google may reintroduce it in 2026 or later.

For now, interested Pixel owners in the U.S. can still join the Pixel Superfan program to stay eligible for future opportunities like this.

Original article from October 21 follows: Google is opening its Pixel testing program to the public — or at least to its most devoted fans. The company has started inviting members of its Pixel Superfans community to apply for a chance to test unreleased hardware before it’s officially announced.

According to documents reviewed by Bloomberg, the initiative is part of a new “Trusted Tester” program that will select 15 participants to try out Pixel devices currently in development. The chosen testers will need to sign non-disclosure agreements and use protective cases provided by Google to hide the hardware’s design.

The company says the program is an opportunity for testers to “help shape a Pixel phone currently in development” by sharing feedback and suggestions for improvement. Applicants are being judged on their knowledge of Pixel devices, enthusiasm for the brand, and ideas for how Google could make its smartphones better.

While early-access testing isn’t unusual in consumer tech, it’s rare for a company of Google’s scale to let fans handle unreleased flagship devices. Typically, these kinds of feedback programs are limited to internal teams or trusted partners.

Google hasn’t said when selected testers will receive their units, but based on the company’s usual launch cycle with Pixel phones typically debuting in August, it’s possible the test program could begin as early as spring 2026.

The move comes as Google reportedly finalizes its 2026 hardware lineup. In an interview in August, Google’s hardware design chief Ivy Ross said the company rethinks its Pixel design language every two to three years. That could mean the Pixel 11 series, expected next year, won’t look drastically different from the current Pixel 10 lineup. This might make field testing a little easier to keep under wraps.

Leaks have long been a challenge for Google, with renders of upcoming devices often appearing months before launch. Opening testing to fans might seem risky in that regard, but with NDAs and disguised prototypes, Google appears confident it can balance secrecy with community engagement.