If these new Pixel 5 XL renderings and leaked details are accurate, we should be prepared for Google's entirely new and possibly confusing design direction.

Case maker Pigtou (via Slashgear) has posted renderings of the Pixel 5 XL provided by xleaks7 on its French site; Pigtou has also recently posted standard Pixel 5 renderings, which may or may not be authentic. Regardless, it is definitely a detailed image. [153.8 x 74 x 8.5 mm (6.05 x 2.91 x 0.33 in.) The Pixel 5 XL's screen is a 6.1-inch display by Pigtou's calculations, which is quite small for an "XL" model; compared to the Galaxy S20 Plus' 6.7-inch and OnePlus 8 Pro's This sounds small compared to the 6.8 inches. Even the smallest Galaxy S20 is 6.2 inches diagonally.

On the front of these renderings, we see a punch-hole display like that expected on the Pixel 4a, and on the back we see a square camera bump like that used by the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. The back also features a fingerprint scanner, which was not included on the Pixel 4 because of Face Unlock. Given that there is no longer a large bezel to hide the motion-sensing sensor required for facial recognition, it is not impossible to assume that Google will return to this tried and true method.

Pigtu also revealed that the Pixel 5 XL will feature a QHD display; QHD resolution is something of a necessity now in the Android flagship world, as is a high refresh rate, while the Pixel 4 had a 90Hz display, We have heard nothing about whether that will be included in the Pixel 5 series or whether it will be raised to the 120Hz standard set by Samsung, OnePlus, and others.

Another claim is that the phone will have a battery capacity of almost 4,000mAh. Like the display, this seems oddly small, but at least there is some precedent here. Google typically uses smaller batteries than most of its competitors, but makes up for it by creating very efficient software instead. However, given that the Pixel 4 XL has a 3,700 mAh battery that lasted 9 hours and 42 minutes in our custom battery test (11 hours is average), this doesn't seem like a big upgrade.

Finally, it is interesting to note that while there will be a 5G Pixel 5 XL, there will also be a 4G version for countries without 5G infrastructure. This will hopefully mean that there will be cheaper versions of the handset available in 5G markets, which will no doubt be attractive to those who do not live in small areas where 5G is currently operating.

Examining the body of the phone more closely, according to Pigtou, the phone has a plastic back and sides instead of the Pixel's previous glass and metal. This would be a major setback in terms of quality. Most flagship phones manufactured in the past few years have had glass backs, including the previous Pixel phones, so it is odd that Google would intentionally make a phone feel cheap.

There is also a headphone jack on the top edge of the phone, a feature Google added only to the original Pixel and Pixel 3a. It is a feature that is often overlooked by users who have not yet invested in wireless headphones or wireless earbuds, so its inclusion in a 2020 phone, and in a flagship model, would be very attractive to these potential customers.

Despite its appearance, Pigtou claims that the Pixel 5 uses the Snapdragon 865 chipset inside. However, many other rumors have suggested that Google may use the Snapdragon 765 chip, which would make the Pixel 5 less powerful, but would keep 5G connectivity and a cheaper price tag.

Taken as a complete package, the leak, with its contradictory information, is reminiscent of another recent leak that made similar claims. Our coverage speculated that this is actually a misnomer for the Pixel 4a XL, a larger version of the supposedly canceled Pixel 4a, likely with a plastic casing and non-premium features like a headphone jack.

The Pigtou leak suggests the same thing, and while it may resemble what Google will announce, this exact feature combination makes little sense in the context of other Pixel phones.

Google typically announces new Pixel phones in October, so mark your calendars for a possible Pixel 5 launch in that month; since May, we have yet to see the Pixel 4a, which is expected to launch shortly, and since Google is OnePlus could be seen at the same time if it chooses not to launch next month or the month after due to the battle with the Nord.