While Google remains a monopoly in terms of search engine, it has battled both Apple and Samsung in technology since the beginning of smartphones. Will the tide turn around after Google’s latest announcement? The macro company revealed a new series of Pixel devices on Made by Google’s Hardware event. The category is choices! The new Pixel 9 smartphones come in 4 different sizes, besides two different Pixel 3 Watches and Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Not Just Hardware
Multiple announcements took place on this event. This includes new softwares powered by Google’s Gemini large language models. It seems like the company wanted to get a head start from the holiday rush and enjoy the spotlight before Apple announces the new iPhone 16 during their yearly September event.
Pixel 9 Series
The new models offer a wide array of options, from the Pixel 9, to a smaller Pixel 9 Pro or the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL. The phones also include stylistic changes including a pill-shaped elongated bar for the back camera. How demure! The front camera includes smaller bezels around it as well. In terms of durability, Google claims this phones are twice as durable as the Pixel 8 series, wrapped in shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass Victus 2. These devices make an ecological statement using a 100% recyclable aluminum fram, versus the titanium used on the iPhone 15 Pro or the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The charging seems to be boosted as well with 20% more durability to the Pixel 8 counterparts. However, they do not support the fast wireless charging Qi2, so the slower Qi wireless charging will do.
The Pixel 9 enjoys the power from the Tensor G4 processor with 12GB of RAM. However, the Pro model has 16GB. Google explains that the processor is 20% faster and app launching improved by 17%. On another note, the phones are designed to store large language models on device, a first. Specifically, they are made to run the Gemini Nano with multimodality. AI is taking over! As this will not only support text, but speech, images, audio, and live chat with the Gemini bot for real-time voice conversations.
Pixel 9 Vs Pixel 9 Pro
According to Google, the biggest difference between the regular model and the pro model is the camera quality and the optical quality zoom that the Pro devices offer, up to 10x the zoom in power. The claims dig further into the autofocus sensor improvement on the Pro models and 30% better light sensitivity. Do you think it’s worth it? The public will need to test out the claims for sure.
Both phones will receive updates every 7 years. Moreover, Google claims buyers from the Pixel 9 Pro or Pro XL will get a full year of the Google One AI Premium Plan for free. This, includes 2 terabytes of cloud storage and access to Gemini Advanced. Pixel 9 costs $799 while the Pro costs $999 and the XL version is $100 more. Interestingly enough, the devices run with Android 14 instead of 15.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold
The 8 inch foldable phone is optimized to run apps smoothly, with all the perks its pro sibling has. The internal screen is also brighter than past series of the Fold phones. Furthermore, Google made it a point that the Pixel 9 Pro fold is super thin, and weights less than the original Pixel Fold, skinny legend! However, the camera lacks the prowess of the Pixel 9 Pro single screen siblings. The Fold costs an astonishing $1799, which includes a $300 store credit and a free year with Google One AI Premium Plan.
New Apps and Services
The new Pixel 9 series enjoys the power of running with AI, this includes how you interact with the apps, and how the AI reads the information so you don’t have to scroll endlessly to find what you need. New apps include the weather app, screenshots app, studio apps for creating AI images, and “Call notes”. The Pixel 9 models will be the first Androids with the Satellite SOS, which finds your emergency contacts through Satellite when you’re away from wi-fi or a cell tower. Regardless, the service requires separate purchase and will only work in the US for now.
Pixel Watch 3
Now you can get a 41mm or 45mm Pixel Watch! These watches enjoy some of the brightest screens in the industry, but can go as low as 1 nit. The watches continue the 24-hour battery life trend with permament display, and 20% faster charging from past models. The watch connects to live camera feeds from other google devices in your home and improve camera usage with your Pixel Phone. The watch also has several fitness usages for tracking your progress. The watch can also assess your form while sensing your movement and learning from the machines and exercises you do. The larger watch is $399 with wi-fi or $499 with LTE, while the smaller watch is $50 less.
The Pixel Buds Pro 2
The new buds seem to the an expansion of the 1st ones. More silencing power, lighter, and AI powered voluem change that detects when you’re speaking. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are definitely the way to go for Android devices. The buds will go on sale for $229.
What do we think? Now that AI is taking over technology in dystopian fashion, should we get the XL or the smaller one?
