Google hasn’t even launched the Pixel 11 yet, but leaks about its next phone are already emerging. According To MysticLeaks on TelegramThe Tensor G7 chip powering the Pixel 12 has an internal codename: LaJolla. This is a reference to a coastal neighborhood in San Diego, and it fits the pattern Google has been following for years.
The Tensor G5 in the current Pixel 10 is powered by “Laguna”. The upcoming Tensor G6 for Pixel 11 is codenamed “Malibu”. LaJolla continues that sequence, with each new generation trekking southward along the California coast. This consistency gives the leak more credibility than any random specific claim.
It is also independently checkable against prior tensor history. Apart from the codename, nothing has been confirmed yet about the Tensor G7 Pixel 12 pair. Reports are circulating suggesting upgraded security, TPU and imaging blocks. Those details appear to be inferred from G6 improvements rather than directly derived from the G7. So for now, this is largely speculation.
What does this leak really tell us
The more meaningful part of this story is what it confirms about Google’s direction. The company is working on custom Tensor silicon for the Pixel 12, which was never really suspected. However, having it “confirmed” is still reassuring. Ever since the Tensor G5 made the first clear break from Samsung’s Exynos base, Google has been working toward a completely custom chip roadmap. The Tensor G6 is reportedly a significant step up, landing on TSMC’s 2nm process with a new Titan M3 security chip. Tensor G7 Pixel 12 will be built on any base.
The constant question surrounding all of this is raw performance. Google’s Tensor chips have consistently prioritized AI and efficiency over benchmark numbers, and the Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 still lags Qualcomm and Apple in pure compute. Whether the G7 changes that calculus in 2027 is still completely unknown.
