Google’s new flagship vary of telephones goes on sale tomorrow and I’ve been utilizing the Pixel 9 for nearly every week.
I haven’t used it sufficient to deliver you a full evaluation but, largely as a consequence of a wave of recent software program options together with Gemini, however I’ve loads of ideas to this point on the design, {hardware} and extra.
We’ve got a full Google Pixel 9 Professional XL evaluation which you must learn.
Design
Though I’ve been a fan of Pixel cellphone designs for the reason that begin, I’m a bit torn this 12 months.
Google has all the time ensured that Pixel handsets have had a definite character, from the two-tone backs of early generations to the divisive digicam bar launched with the Pixel 6.
I’ve all the time favored Google’s aesthetic of pebble-like shapes and largely good colors however the Pixel 9 collection has had one thing of an overhaul in a brand new route.
The construct high quality actually feels higher than ever however Google has, to place it merely, gone iPhone with the design this 12 months.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
The flat sides and rounded corners are straight out of the Apple design ebook and other than refined particulars like button placement and the shiny rear cowl, it’s solely the digicam bump that will be the massive giveaway should you blindfolded me and handed me the Pixel 9 and iPhone 15.
It’s not that Google has accomplished something overtly flawed right here – I just like the iPhone 15 – but it surely’s a disgrace to lose a lot of the Pixel persona and conform to tendencies as a substitute. I desire the outdated digicam bar design that blended into the perimeters, and the shiny again is among the most slippery I’ve ever used (the Execs have a matt again however shiny metallic sides).
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
A case is just about a requirement and, as ever, it’s a disgrace to cover a lot of the cellphone. Particularly as I actually just like the Wintergreen colourway I’ve been testing – Obsidian, Porcelain and Peony are additionally obtainable.
{Hardware}
You can argue that Google has all the time been slightly bit behind on {hardware} with the Pixel telephones, though not in any main manner.
Nonetheless, the Pixel 9 has numerous upgrades that deliver it nearer to the requirements of a premium cellphone.
After all, you get the newest Tensor G4 chipset, which to this point in my testing has been working the cellphone completely easily. There’s additionally a giant 50% bump to the reminiscence so that you get 12GB as commonplace now (the Professional fashions get 16GB).
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
A extra noticeable improve is the newest Actua show, which is loads brighter than earlier than so I’ve discovered it simpler to make use of outdoors. A thinner bezel makes the Pixel 9 look extra premium, too.
It nonetheless lacks LPTO tech to be able to drop the refresh charge right down to 1Hz, however I’ve discovered battery life respectable from the bigger 4700mAh cell, so I gained’t grumble an excessive amount of. It’s tech that’s understandably reserved for the Professional fashions.
Fortunately, Google has lastly swapped from an optical fingerprint scanner to an ultrasonic one and efficiency is significantly better on this entrance. Facial recognition works nicely, too.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Issues are related on the digicam entrance, with the primary improve being a soar from 12- to 48Mp for the ultrawide digicam. I’m nonetheless testing the cameras however the outcomes to this point have been as spectacular as we’ve come to anticipate from Pixel telephones.
You continue to want to purchase a Professional to get a telephoto lens, in fact – in addition to a better decision selfie digicam.
Right here’s a number of samples from my testing to this point.
Software program
It might come as a shock that the Pixel 9 collection ships with Android 14. It is because Google has launched the collection earlier within the 12 months than ordinary and Android 15 isn’t fairly prepared but. Nonetheless, you’ll be the primary to get 15 when it does arrive, and Google nonetheless gives seven years of OS and safety updates, so I don’t contemplate it to be a giant drawback.
There’s nonetheless loads of new stuff right here regardless, and that’s the primary purpose why I’m not able to deliver you a full evaluation. Google Gemini is the primary one, and such is the AI drive in tech proper now that there’s loads to interrupt down and check out.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
I don’t assume Google has accomplished the very best job of speaking what Gemini is and its particulars, like whether or not it’s a direct alternative of Google Assistant (it’s on the Pixel 9 telephones).
As with loads of AI instruments, it’s additionally exhausting to know precisely what it may well and may’t do.
The primary time I opened Gemini, it advised me it may create pictures – however once I requested for one it mentioned it couldn’t try this. The Pixel Studio app, which is devoted to this process, additionally isn’t on the cellphone regardless of the setup course of mentioning it by identify.
Gemini must also be capable to assist with particular requests, like altering cellphone settings. Whereas it may well flip Bluetooth on and off, for instance, it may well’t change the size of my display timeout.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
The opposite little bit of confusion, which may be very not like Google, is over the brand new climate app. I actually prefer it to this point however there are, the truth is, two: the one constructed into the homescreen beneath the date hyperlinks to the outdated model, and the cellphone even prompted me to create an app icon for it.
We don’t prefer to see units delivery with the promise of options coming sooner or later but it surely might need been higher for Google to iron these points out and launch them with Android 15 later within the 12 months.
The three Android 15 options I can’t wait to attempt first
What I do have is the Pixel Screenshots app, which I believe I’m going to seek out actually helpful. I take loads of screenshots – restaurant menus, maps and all types – and the app not solely filters them into their very own app however lets you seek for data in the identical manner you possibly can seek for ‘burgers’ on Google Photographs. It’s more likely to be an actual time-saving boon for data is in there someplace however can’t discover manually.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
I even have new options like ‘Add Me’ within the digicam app, which permits the photographer to be within the shot by taking two pictures and merging them with the assistance of AI. I’ll point out how I get on with this and different digicam options within the last evaluation.
Value
The ultimate factor to say for now’s that the worth has gone up as soon as once more. Over the previous couple of years, the Pixel collection has crept up and has now hit £799/$799 for the most affordable mannequin.
It wasn’t that way back that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 have been £599/$599, so Google is now clearly positioning itself as a extra premium choice, relatively than a worth choice, when in comparison with the likes of Apple, Samsung and the very best smartphones cash can purchase.
It makes it exhausting to advocate and brings up the ‘purchase final 12 months’s mannequin’ argument much more convincingly, particularly as Google’s seven-year software program promise applies to the Pixel 8 vary which, in fact, has been discounted now it’s the earlier gen.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Early verdict
The TL:DR abstract right here is that I’m extra torn (and confused) in regards to the Pixel 9 than I often could be about Google’s telephones.
The design may be very iPhone, shedding persona, and whereas there are numerous welcome {hardware} upgrades and a bunch of recent software program options, I’m not completely certain they’re sufficient to justify one other worth hike.
Test again quickly for my full evaluation.