With the Pixel 10 just over a month old, rumors about its successor are beginning to pick up. The Tensor G6 for the Pixel 11 is said to switch to a MediaTek modem.
In late 2024, a report said that Google would use a MediaTek modem for the Pixel 10 series. That did not end up being the case, with Samsung’s Exynos 5400i remaining in place.
According to Mystic Leaks, Google is conducting “early internal testing” on the MediaTek M90 modem for the Pixel 11 and Tensor G6. We see a command line screenshot showing the baseband version as “a900a.” Meanwhile, the bootloader is “spacecraft” (compared to the Pixel 10’s “deepspace”). That is the extent of today’s leak.
MediaTek announced the M90 5G Modem at MWC 2025 in February. It has 12Gbps peak downlink with “dual 5G SIM dual-active support with dual data capabilities.” The chipmaker touts “AI models designed to enhance power efficiency and device performance.” There’s also support for satellite connectivity that Pixel flagships need to continue offering. The process node was not disclosed (with the Exynos 5400i at 4nm). Availability of engineering samples was set for the second half of 2025.
For the most part, the Exynos 5400(i) on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 have addressed overheating issues introduced in earlier generations. Compared to past MediaTek modems, the M90 claims an 18% reduction in average power consumption. A switch would reflect the Pixel’s continued move away from Samsung’s foundry.
Meanwhile, we once again hear that Tensor G6 is codenamed Malibu. In October 2024, internal documents from Google’s “gChips” division leaked that detailed what was current progress on Tensor G5 and G6.
At the time, the Tensor G6 was said to use TSMC’s N3P process (with a 1+6 core configuration), but a rumor this June said Google will use a 2nm process from TSMC.
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