Last week, Google held its Pixel 9 event, and it left us with some thoughts. So, without further ado, here they are.
Event in August instead of October is crucial
The Pixel 8 series was announced on October 4, 2023. The Pixel 7 series was announced on October 7, 2022. This time, Google announced more devices, and it managed to do it in mid-August – impressive!
The change in the reveal date from early fall to midsummer changes the entire launch dynamic, and the Pixel 9 series is now a viable choice for taking on summer vacation photos — a huge opportunity for photography-minded Pixel phones. Not to mention, Google's phones are now shipping a full month before Apple's iPhones.
We love the new flat aesthetic
It seems like everyone is making their phones flat these days. Apple did it a few years ago, Samsung started with the Galaxy S23 series, and finally made the S Ultra flat this year. And now Google has done it with the Pixel.
We like the new look of the Pixels. Plus, their corners are slightly rounded, making them easier to hold, and they're a little less boxy.
Going flat also potentially means that your phone is less likely to break if you drop it, but more importantly, screen protectors are easier to apply. Plus, the flat side makes better use of the available space.
But please make all surfaces matte next year.
The Pixel 9 Pro's frame has a polished metal finish that attracts fingerprints like nothing else (except maybe the black plastic trim on cars). And while the Pro has a matte finish, the vanilla Pixel 9's glass back is also glossy and gets dirty in minutes.
Just look at the iPhone 15 and Galaxy S24 Ultra and make everything matte, please and thank you!
Making a compact Pixel 9 Pro is a bold idea, but will it work?
The smaller Pixel 9 Pro is arguably the biggest (ha!) story of the event. Many prefer a compact phone over an ultra-sized flagship, but don't want to compromise on specs.
But if you look at the sales figures, most people want a big display — current media consumption trends make it pretty obvious why that is. That could mean the Pixel 9 Pro faces a bleak market outlook.
To make matters worse, Google released the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL model just a week after launch, while the Pixel 9 Pro is due out in September, further complicating its prospects.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a mature foldable smartphone that's only in its second generation
After the original Pixel Fold, which was somewhat of a failure, we were pleasantly surprised by the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google got a lot of things right with its new book-style foldable device — the screens are bigger, the inset screen has a natural 20:9 aspect ratio, the phone is impressively thin, and it has a powerful camera system.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold might even become The Galaxy Z Fold6 glances nervously into the rearview mirror. The foldable Pixel has better displays, better cameras, and more RAM—not bad for a company that's often criticized for being too conservative with hardware updates!
Pixel 9 Pro XL – Smart and Secure Update
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is the breadwinner of the family, and for good reason. It's the best choice if you want the best Pixel — it has the biggest display and the best camera.
Google has also made its flagship a big improvement over its predecessor, with an improved camera system thanks to a brighter ultra-wide lens and a new wide-angle selfie camera. It also gets an annual chipset upgrade and a smarter new design, especially on the back.
New Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner Is the Way Out
A change that may go unnoticed, but will certainly be felt by users upgrading to Pixel 9 devices, is the move to an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
Until now, Pixel phones have used optical scanners that use light to scan fingerprints, and users have been unhappy with their responsiveness and reliability, especially when equipped with screen protectors.
The ultrasonic technology provided by Qualcomm is the best available. The scanner works even in the dark, it is faster and generally more reliable.
The Pixel 9 isn't as small a phone as the Pixel 8.
We have Pixel 9 for review and found that it didn't seem as small as one might expect.
When you A/B test with the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the smaller Pixel feels smaller. But it lacks the “hey, this is impressively compact” feel of the Pixel 8. It’s 11 grams heavier, but more importantly, it’s 1.2 mm wider and 2.3 mm taller. Put a case on it, and it’s a thick, heavy phone that’s only slightly more compact than the Ultras on the market.
