The Google Pixel 9 appears like an iPhone, however there is a good doubtless cause

Earlier this yr, when Google first teased the Pixel 9 collection, a collective groan might be heard around the globe. Whereas the telephones look nice (at the least, in my view, they do), it’s instantly obvious that the Pixel 9 appears so much like an iPhone. Whereas the Android vs iPhone rivalry has died down in recent times, Android followers nonetheless don’t respect seeing their favourite manufacturers copy from Apple. In spite of everything, one of many greatest causes we flock to Android is as a result of we now have the selection not to have a cellphone that appears like everybody else’s. I imply, simply take a look at the picture above…it’s an uncanny resemblance!

The straightforward option to clarify Google’s design technique for the Pixel 9 collection is laziness. One might take a look at the Pixel 9 and say, “Google didn’t need to trouble determining a novel design for itself, so it simply copied the USA’ market chief.” Nonetheless, I not too long ago talked with Kyle Wiens, the CEO of iFixit, and Shahram Mokhtari, a “Teardown Tech” at iFixit, and we concluded that laziness might be not why Google leaned on the iPhone for the latest Pixel look. Sure, Google may be very doubtless copying from the iPhone’s design, however “laziness” isn’t the entire story.

To elucidate our principle correctly, let me begin by discussing one thing you won’t count on: the European Union.

On June 14, 2024, the EU adopted a brand new regulation that goals to create normal guidelines for system repairability. Regulation like this begins with the European Fee adopting it after which issuing a date on which Member States — all of the nations within the EU — should incorporate the foundations into their respective lawbooks. For this one associated to system repairability, that date is July 31, 2026.

The regulation may be very particular about what’s anticipated, and Wiens — a passionate advocate for repairability — is sort of enthusiastic about it. “We’re presently trapped on this world the place we now have two sheets of glass with a consumable glue between them, and we have to discover a option to make them last more,” Wiens explains. That is most notable when discussing smartphone batteries. “What the EU battery directive says is that beginning in 2026, producers have to make batteries replaceable by customers with out loopy instruments,” Wiens says. “That’s going to require substantial design adjustments throughout each smartphone.”

Proper now, to switch a battery in a current flagship smartphone from Apple, Samsung, or Google, you want specialised instruments and ranging ranges of restore expertise. Famously, Apple provides a 79lb restore package that features a customized jig simply to open up an iPhone. The jig — which solely works on one particular iPhone mannequin — applies a specific amount of warmth and strain evenly throughout the cellphone to soften the adhesive glue and pull it aside. This jig is rented for $49, and you’ve got seven days from receipt to repair your cellphone after which ship it again or get charged a penalty. It’s laughably convoluted to the purpose the place very, only a few common customers would ever be capable of carry out the restore efficiently. Even skilled restore outlets discover the method overly sophisticated.

“[Apple’s jig] is a means of adapting the manufacturing course of to restore,” Wiens says. “What the European director is saying is you possibly can’t try this as a result of that’s not lifelike. Each restore store I do know has a closet within the again with like, 50 jigs from telephones that they’re not even fixing anymore. It’s a loopy quantity of waste.”

Apple has made headway on this space, although, doubtless as a result of impending EU regulation. For instance, the iPhone designs of the previous few years let you get to the within of the cellphone from both the entrance or the again. This permits restore technicians to solely open the entrance in the event that they’re doing a show repair and solely open the again in the event that they’re doing a battery repair, one thing that wasn’t doable in earlier designs. Moreover, Apple launched a brand new battery with the iPhone 16 collection that’s each lined in steel and linked to the cellphone’s physique utilizing a voltage-release adhesive. To take away the battery, you merely apply 12V of electrical energy to 2 tabs on it, and it pops proper out, saving technicians from needing to use warmth on to the cell to soften any glue — a harmful course of for apparent causes. These are simply two examples of how Apple has been slowly however steadily working to satisfy the 2026 tips looming on the horizon.

In fact, we don’t know if the iPhone 18 — doubtless launching in September 2026, after these new rules take impact — can be essentially totally different in design than what we see as we speak. However we do know that, because it stands proper now, Apple is nearer to assembly the EU rules than some other main smartphone OEM, and it’s doing it in a means that also preserves the general design class that individuals count on from premium smartphones. This, after all, brings us to the Pixel 9.

The designs of the Pixel 8 collection weren’t nice by way of repairability. In contrast to current iPhones, to get right into a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Professional, you wanted to undergo the entrance completely. The again was a extra advanced setup with the digicam bar chopping it in half and wrapping round to satisfy the body in a single steel piece. This meant that repairing the battery required disassembling all the cellphone, a laborious and complex course of that needlessly made by accident damaging the show an actual chance with each battery restore.

The Pixel 9, although, permits entry from each the entrance and the again. Now, you possibly can substitute a Pixel 9’s battery with out taking the entire thing aside. Sadly, you continue to have to take away a number of parts to get the battery out, together with the digicam, the mmWave antenna, the logic board, and extra. Moreover, the battery remains to be glued down, forcing technicians to use warmth to take away it. Mokhtari had this to say: “It’s a little bit harder to entry the battery within the Pixel 9 than the Pixel 8. However broadly talking, Google does have this structure for entrance or again opening that we like.”

It doesn’t take an engineer to attach the dots right here. The iPhone’s design is the one furthest alongside on the subject of assembly the long run EU rules. The Pixel 9 appears so much like an iPhone and is now barely nearer to having the identical repairability as one. May or not it’s that Google is copying the iPhone’s type not out of laziness however out of a crunch for time? It’s evident that if the corporate has two years to get its gadgets to be extra repairable, it’s simpler, cheaper, and sooner simply to take design concepts from Apple than it will be to begin from scratch.

In different phrases, it’s doable — even doubtless — that the Pixel 9’s design isn’t the results of laziness however the results of crunch. The clock is ticking, and Google doesn’t have the posh of figuring issues out at its personal tempo.

In fact, even with cribbing from Apple’s design methods, Google remains to be means behind, as made clear by the beforehand described limitations of fixing a Pixel 9’s battery. The query now turns into whether or not or not Google could have an answer in place for the anticipated Google Pixel 11 collection earlier than that August 2026 deadline. In spite of everything, it will possibly’t anticipate Apple to introduce its personal designs as a result of it’s doubtless the Pixel 11 will launch earlier than the iPhone 18. Maybe Google might push up the launch of the Pixel 11 to late July 2026 to return in slightly below the wire and purchase one other yr earlier than it must be absolutely in compliance with the Pixel 12? Hey, with the current information about Android 16 shifting up within the schedule by a number of months, it’s definitely doable.

Keep in mind that Google and Apple will not be the one gamers on this discipline. All different OEMs might want to play ball, too.

For this text, I’m focusing totally on the Pixel 9 as a result of it presently appears probably the most like an iPhone once you try the newest slate of Android flagships. However each smartphone producer ought to have July 31, 2026, written in massive pink pen on their metaphorical calendars. This begets the query: might different OEMs begin releasing telephones that look identical to an iPhone? It’s fairly possible, I feel.

Understand that seeking to Apple for learn how to transfer ahead with a altering business isn’t all that new, which Wiens factors out with a terrific instance. “With the iPhone 4, Apple added antennas across the edge; now everybody does that, proper? After which everybody was like, ‘Oh, that’s one of the best ways to do antenna administration,’” Wiens says, laughing. In truth, the Pixel 9 nonetheless makes use of the core idea of Apple’s antenna designs from the iPhone 4 (search for the 4 strips on the cellphone’s sides, two on both sides).

In fact, there’s no cause OEMs can’t be bolder and forge their very own paths. Smaller gamers are already doing that, which Wiens is way more enthusiastic about. “My Framework laptop computer is well repairable and customizable,” he says. “We simply noticed HMD do it with the Skyline, too.” Mokhtari jumps in and factors out that the Fairphone 5 can also be extremely repairable and nonetheless options respectable waterproofing (it’s IP55 rated). These are all design strategies producers might undertake as a substitute of Apple’s, however let’s be actual: most will most likely chase Apple as a result of it’s merely simpler to take action.

Regardless, customers win in the long run. Our telephones are about to get much more repairable. Nonetheless, in case you have been hoping telephones have been going to begin trying much less like iPhones, that most likely received’t be the case — the truth is, it’s doubtless the alternative goes to occur. It’s a disgrace we’ll have to cope with a sea of iPhone clones to get it, however at the least that’s one thing.