Over the past three years, Google has depended on Samsung for some of the design and production of chips used in Pixel phones. Even this year, the company will reportedly use a Samsung modem inside its Tensor chipset for the Pixel 9 series.
This chipset will power the Pixel 9's rumored satellite-based emergency calling and messaging feature.
Pixel 9 uses Samsung's Exynos 5400 modem for satellite connectivity
A new hands-on leak of the Google Pixel 9 Pro revealed that it uses Samsung's Exynos 5400 modem. This is the same modem that is used in the Exynos 2400 processor that the Galaxy S24 and the Galaxy S24+ use. It is made using Samsung Foundry's 4nm EUV fabrication process, bringing higher power efficiency.
The Exynos 5400 modem supports mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G (SA and NSA), 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G cellular networks. This 5G modem supports a maximum download speed of up to 14.79Gbps through 3GPP Rel. 17 specifications.
It also features two-way NB-IoT and NR NTN connectivity, which is used for calling and messaging even when no cellular network is available nearby. This is done by connecting to low-earth orbit satellites directly.
Leaked images show the phone's codename, Komodo, along with its RAM (16GB) and storage space (256GB). This is the first time Google is offering 16GB RAM on its phone.
The story continues after the Galaxy S24 video review below. The Galaxy S24 also uses the same modem that will be used in the Pixel 9.
The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be unveiled on August 13. All the phones in the lineup are expected to use the Tensor G4 chipset fabricated using Samsung Foundry's 4nm process.
