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Google introduced the Pixel 9 series just last week, and if you’re anything like us, you rushed to get your pre-order in. The first of those orders are just about to start arriving, giving Pixel’s biggest fans their first hands-on look at this new hardware. And while there’s clearly a lot to like about the phones, we’re curious just how far that same enthusiasm will extend to Google’s latest packaging.

For years now, Google’s placed an emphasis on trying to be environmentally friendly when it comes to hardware. That’s involved a lot of recycled plastics, not just in devices themselves, but also for their accessories, like cases. That trend has continued when it comes to packaging, and if you’ve opened any Google products anytime recently, you know to expect a whole lot of cardboard, with minimal plastic.

With the Pixel 9, Google’s taking that approach to its next logical step, and the company shares that all its latest Pixel, Nest, and even Fitbit packaging involves no plastic, whatsoever.

If you’ve caught an early unboxing, though, you might already have some concerns. Rather than the sort of premium-feeling box we had on the Pixel 8, with a top that lifts straight off for a nice presentation, the Pixel 9’s colorful outside packaging slides off like a sleeve. Inside, there’s a much more utilitarian box, which strongly gives off “recycled” vibes.

Google probably hopes that shoppers see that, and understand that it’s communicating the company’s commitment to environmental concerns. But new Pixel 9 owners might also find themselves wondering if there might have been a way to hit those same zero-plastic targets, while also feeling a bit more like there’s something worth $800 (or more) within.

The company goes on to highlight some of the advancements in materials that have empowered it to deliver this packaging design, including new, extra-strong and durable paper for the exterior box, and a reformulated molded fiber pulp formula for the inserts that hold the actual gear.

What do you think about Google’s efforts here? Do you appreciate how it’s trying to be green? Or does this environmentalism feel a bit performative? Let us know in the comments.

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Setting up a new Android phone can take quite a bit of time, so if you’re in a hurry, you might be tempted to speed through the setup wizard so you can use your new phone. Depending on the device, if you decline to transfer your data from your old phone during the initial setup process, you lose the opportunity to do so at a later time. That’s been the case for Google’s Pixel phones for the longest time, but fortunately, that’s no longer true with the new Google Pixel 9 series.

It’s quite easy to back up your Android phone thanks to the backup service that’s available on every Android device with Google apps. The Google backup service lets you backup your device’s contacts, call history, settings, apps and their data, SMS messages, and MMS messages. This data is automatically backed up over Wi-Fi when your device has been idle and charging for two hours, so you don’t need to worry about keeping it up to date yourself.

When you’re setting up a new Pixel device, you can either restore it from a Google backup in the cloud or move your data from an existing device. The former is helpful for when you don’t have your previous phone anymore, while the latter is helpful for when you do as it’s much faster and allows for more data to be brought over.

If you don’t pick one of these options while you’re going through the initial setup process, they unfortunately can’t be accessed after setup has been completed. The only way to access the Google data restoration page again after completing setup is to perform a factory reset. Thankfully with the launch of the new Pixel 9, Google has finally added a way to copy your data over from your old phone after setup.

At last week’s Made by Google launch event, we spotted a new top-level entry in the Settings app on the Pixel 9 called “Back up or copy data.” Under this option, we spotted a new “copy data” page that lets you “bring data from another device.” Here, you can choose to “copy photos, contacts, messages, and more” from your previous device. The best part is that in doing so, “you won’t lose recent data” as “the data you copy is merged with the data on” your new device. Plus, if you’ve already changed some settings on your Pixel 9, those changes won’t be overwritten while copying your old device’s data.

Since we only briefly had access to the Pixel 9 series at last week’s event, we weren’t able to actually test this new post-setup data transfer feature, but we don’t see why it wouldn’t work as described. Several brands already offer a similar feature to restore data after setup, such as Smart Switch in Samsung’s One UI software, so Google adding it to the Pixel 9 is long overdue. Still, it’s nice to see Google finally include such a feature on its own devices, as it’ll make setting them up even easier for more users. Hopefully, they extend this option to devices from other brands in the future.

Alongside the new Pixel 9 series, Google rolled out its redesigned Pixel Weather app, which aims to please pluviophiles and minimalists alike. Google has a penchant for creating copies of apps it already has, especially since it only recently updated the older weather app. However, Pixel Weather will eventually trickle down to older Pixel models.

Beyond the visual changes, the app also introduces Gemini-powered summaries that reduce the swathe of weather factors and figures into a sentence or two that anyone can understand. The idea is to make checking a forecast as easy as possible without combing through numbers and icons across multiple hours.

That all sounds great, but what do our readers think of the Pixel Weather app?

Yes, the frog is gone

For the most part, the app’s reception has been positive. In a poll visited by over 2,600 readers, 45.4% of respondents like the look of the new app, despite the changes. However, the doubters follow close behind. 38.5% of readers don’t like the app, which once again highlights how divisive app design can be. The remaining 16% of readers are “indifferent.”

The vote is on a knife-edge, but the comments explain why that might be the case. Those in the positive camp are happy with the inclusion of some metrics, like the air quality index (AQI), while others were won over by the “simple looks.” Others were more reductive: “I like it,” writes one reader.

On the other hand, those who dislike the app seem to focus on two absent features. “Noooo, let me keep my frog, please,” cries one reader, while another writes, “I demand for the frog to stay.” Unfortunately, Google’s fan-favorite frog has been relocated from the simplified design, and so has its cutesy, animated, weather-related habitat.

Others lament the lack of a weather radar, which would allow them to view conditions in real-time throughout the day. “As a person who works outside, I just need an easy-to-access radar section. I hate the Weather Channel, but I’m forced to use it because it has the best radar I’ve seen,” notes one user.

My biggest bugbear with the app is its lack of granular information. Yes, it offers plenty of immediate and long-term forecast information, but it lacks extended wind, rain, and pressure visualizations. The movable widgets are also an odd choice. They don’t display as much information as the cards on the outgoing app and take up far too much real estate on screen. If minimalism was the goal, these elements suggest otherwise.

This is a new app, so expect Google to implement updates and tweaks throughout its lifetime. It will be interesting to see which elements the company focuses on going forward.

It’s worth noting that those running Android 14 devices can also snag the APK and experience the app for themselves. I’ve installed it on a foldable, and the hourly and 10-day forecasts are surprisingly serviceable on larger displays. However, owing to the issues I raised in the previous paragraph, I don’t think I’d trade this app for my favorite weather apps anytime soon. It seems many readers feel this way, too.

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Google’s Pixel phones have been powered by semi-custom Tensor processors since 2021, but these chips have never really been a major threat to rival flagship processors in most benchmarks. Now, a Google executive has reportedly claimed that the Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 series isn’t designed for benchmarks.

“When we are designing the chip, we’re not designing it for speeds and feats. We’re not designing it to beat some specific benchmark that’s out there. We’re designing it to meet our use cases,” Google Pixel product manager Soniya Jobanputra told the Financial Express.

The executive also noted that improving app launch speeds were a priority with the new chip:

We knew that we had a pain point with opening apps. And so as we built G4, we really focused on, okay, what do we need to do to make sure that experience is better for users.

Google Tensor: A history of AI over benchmarks?

This isn’t a new stance from Google, though. Company representatives have long asserted that the Tensor chips weren’t designed with raw horsepower in mind. Google Silicon executive Monika Gupta noted back in 2022 that the company was “comfortable” not winning benchmarks because the Tensor chips were built for AI features.

Fellow Google Silicon executive Phil Carmack also told Ars Technica back in 2021 that they opted for two big CPU cores in the original Tensor chip as it was the best solution for efficiency. He claimed that one big CPU core — seen in rival chips of the era — was only useful for winning single-thread benchmarks. So there’s a clear history of Google dismissing benchmarks as a consideration, subsequently lagging behind rivals in this category.

However, Google’s claim that it prioritizes efficiency and AI use cases does deserve closer scrutiny. For one, owners of Tensor-powered Pixels have complained about battery life for years, although the Pixel 8 series seemed like a step in the right direction. Furthermore, we’ve seen phones with non-Tensor chips offering impressive AI features too, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. So you clearly don’t need a Tensor-powered phone if you want nifty AI use cases.

There’s also evidence that the Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9 series was supposed to be a more ambitious chip. According to previous reports, Google initially wanted the Pixel 9 chip to be a fully custom design manufactured by TSMC instead of long-standing partner Samsung. However, these same reports suggest that Google missed a deadline for this ambitious chip and decided to go for a Tensor G4 chip that was an incremental upgrade over the Tensor G3. These claims seem to bear out as the Tensor G4 shares plenty in common with the Tensor G3 (i.e. GPU, media decode blocks, TPU), with the exception of the CPU and modem.

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Google introduced a new set of ringtones, alarms, and notification sounds with the Pixel 9 series earlier this month. The collection, dubbed “Sound Matters,” is composed of “the beautiful and diverse sounds of birdsong,” and it’s now rolling out to older Pixel models.

The Sound Matters collection includes six new ringtones, six alarm sounds, and four notification sounds that will be available on Pixel 4 and newer models. The collection is rolling out with version 3.1 (642123347) of Google’s Sounds app (via 9to5Google), and it should reach all users in the coming days.

You can find these ringtones and notification sounds by navigating to the Sound & vibration option in the device settings and selecting the Sound Matters collection in the Phone ringtone, Default notification sound, and Default alarm sound options. It includes the following ringtones, alarms, and notification sounds:

• Ringtone sounds:
  • Cape Turtle Dove at Dawn
  • Botswana Bushveld at Dawn
  • Limpopo Riverbed at Dawn
  • Zimbabwe Savannah at Dawn
  • Arrow-Marked Babbler at Dawn
  • Water Thick-Knee at Dawn
• Alarm sounds:
  • Limpopo Savannah at Dawn
  • Botswana Bushveld at Dawn
  • Zimbabwe Savannah at Dawn
  • Limpopo River at Dawn
  • Limpopo Riverbed at Dawn
  • Zimbabwe Hills at Dawn
• Notification sounds:
  • Meyer’s Parrot at Dawn
  • Limpopo Riverbed at Dawn
  • Crested Francolin at Dawn
  • African Fish Eagle at Dawn

Google says that it partnered with award-winning wildlife sound recordist George Vlad to capture these sounds in the remote and wild areas of Botswana and Zimbabwe. The company has released a one-hour recording of the Full Dawn Chorus on the Made by Google YouTube channel. This recording will also be available in the Fitbit app.

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The Google Pixel 9 series will arrive with Android 14 instead of Android 15, but there are still plenty of software improvements to be found here, especially when it comes to AI. There are at least ten new AI features that we are aware of, with some of the most exciting additions being Gemini Live, Add Me, and Pixel Studio.

Historically Google has announced new software and AI features but not all of them have rolled out right away. The good news is that most of the new features are arriving at launch, though at least a few won’t be ready at launch. With that in mind, let’s jump right in and take a brief look at some of the biggest new AI features on the Pixel 9 series.

Pixel 9 AI features that are ready from day one

Let’s start with all the Pixel 9 features that are live from day one. All of these are available for the entire Pixel 9 series unless otherwise indicated.

Magic Editor adds auto frame and Reimagine

There are two new Magic Editor features, both of which will at least be temporarily exclusive to the Pixel 9 family. The former automatically frames your selected target, even if that requires expanding the photo using AI. The second feature lets you swap out backgrounds to add fireworks, pink clouds, and more.

Google Keep Magic List

You can now talk to Gemini and have it make you a grocery or to-do list using Google Keep. You don’t even have to put specific list items, just say the meals, and it can do the rest. Obviously, how well this works will probably depend on how specific you get. We hope that you can even give it specific sites with the recipes you want, and it will do the work, but for now, that remains unclear until we have more hands-on time with the devices.

Gemini Live

You can now have live natural conversations with Gemini using Gemini Live, with your choice of ten different voices to pick from. While it will be available from day one, it is initially exclusive to Gemini Advanced users. We’ve tested Gemini Live out for ourselves and found it to be very impressive so far.

Pixel Screenshots

Pixel Screenshots uses on-device AI to analyze all your screenshots. You can then ask Gemini questions and it can pull up information from the screenshots in the form of easily digestable answers.

Call Notes

Call Notes is built into the phone app and lets you record your calls. From there it will create a transcript and use Gemini to create a brief summary of the call. You can even search for these summaries and transcripts at any time in the future just by asking Gemini. This feature may not be available at launch in all regions, so your mileage will vary.

Pixel Studio

Pixel Studio is a brand new AI-powered app using Imagen 3. You can create new images through text prompts easily, but that’s not all. There’s even the ability to edit and modify these images after they are created. This allows you to better refine the image on the fly without having to completely generate a new one.

Pixel Weather

This isn’t just a regular weather app, as it adds a few extra AI features to the mix including the ability to make AI weather summaries about the expected conditions and more. Pixel Weather is far from the most exciting addition to Google’s Pixel AI feature set, but it’s still a nice extra.

Add Me

Add Me is arriving at launch but will initially be listed as Preview (beta) feature. Add Me lets one user take a group photo, and then another user swaps out while the first user takes the spot they would have occupied if they could have been in the image with everyone the first time. Gemini then takes these two images and stitches them together, making it look like the whole group was all present in the shot at once.

Pixel 9 AI features that won’t be ready until later

While most of the features above will be ready right away, it seems that a major update to Video Boost is on its way in the future, but won’t be ready for launch.

Video Boost was introduced last year as a way to improve video quality, so it’s technically not new, but we’re counting it due to just how big an update this is. Rendering is now 2x faster, it works on zoom up to 20x, and there’s even support for AI 8K scaling. There’s also HDR Plus support in the works.

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Wireless charging has been around for years now, and it only keeps getting better. While early days were plagued by slow charging speeds and poor charger alignment, things have come a long way since then, and modern standards like Qi2 are robust enough to compete with wired solutions. We’ve been excited to see phones start embracing wireless charging advancements, so we were a little disappointed when it looked like the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 didn’t support Qi2. As it turns out, that may not be quite the case, and it all stems from some common misunderstanding about what Qi2 really is.

Apple fans have been enjoying the luxury of magnetically aligned wireless charging since the iPhone 12, and with MagSafe working as well as it does, it’s little surprise that the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) developed Qi2 to replicate a lot of that functionality. Now, Qi2 is a whole lot more than just a magnetic ring, and the protocol includes upgrades like adaptive charging that actively communicates between device and charger. But it feels like everyone (ourselves included) got the impression that magnetic connectivity was a baked-in, core component of Qi2. Turns out: not so much.

Over on X, Mishaal Rahman highlights the distinction, and it turns out the WPC even prepared alternate iconography to let shoppers easily tell the difference between Qi2 devices that do, and those that don’t support Qi2’s Magnetic Power Profile (MPP):

This sounds like what could be going on with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, with hardware that supports all the energy-transfer and communication standards that make up Qi2, but Google not electing to extend that to the full MPP and give the phones magnets on their back.

For users who are interested in a magnetically attached wireless charging solution, Google tells us that they can always outfit their Pixel 9 with a case that has magnets. Just keep in mind which phone you’re shopping for; while normal cases may swap back and forth between the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro with ease, the charging coils aren’t in the same place on this pair, so you’ll need to make sure you’re buying the right case for your phone.

At least, that’s the best-case scenario here, as while Google has confirmed to us that despite the lack of magnets, the Pixel 9 phones are Qi2-compatible, we have some further questions about just how far that support extends. Critically, the company has used language like “compatible with Qi2” and “work with Qi1 and Qi2 chargers” in its communication with us, but Qi2 chargers are backwards-compatible with Qi1 devices.

That leaves the door open for more ambiguity than we’re comfortable with, so we’ve reached back out to the company for clarification. We’ll update this post with any further information we learn.

This is a developing story. Please check back later for more information.

 

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Back in July, we reported that Google was releasing a limited collectible in Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan for those who purchased a member of the Pixel 9 Pro series. At the time, we speculated that this could be original Google Pixel design posters, and even though we weren’t quite on the mark, we were close. As it turns out, the limited gift is an exclusive design sketch poster of the Pixel 9 Pro series (as first spotted by 9to5Google).

The poster features various original concept sketches of the Pixel 9 Pro, along with handwritten notes about its features and more. According to Google, the poster is made of “high-quality, textured stock made to last,” and it even has a unique foldable design that allows you to frame or mount it using the included instructions. In addition to this small gift, there’s a custom-made box and a thank-you card from the Google Industrial Design team.

The offer is available in Australia, at least, until August 25. While it’s not officially available in the US, Europe, or any other markets beyond those listed above, it’s inevitable that at least a portion of these will end up on platforms like eBay, we’d wager.

If you haven’t yet ordered a member of the Pixel 9 Pro series, you can check out our hands-on experience for a closer look or hit the links below to order now.

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Ahead of its imminent Pixel 8 Pro rollout and subsequent Pixel 9 Pro release, Google’s Peyman Milanfar took to X (via 9to5Google) to provide a few more details on how the upcoming Zoom Enhance feature works, along with some examples.

Google first revealed details about Zoom Enhance last year during the Pixel 8 Pro launch, promising an AI-powered experience that would greatly enhance photos, allowing for sharper details when zooming in closer than ever before. Unfortunately, the actual rollout was much slower than anticipated. However, last week, the company finally confirmed that the feature is coming to the Pixel 8 Pro first and will also be available on the Pixel 9 Pro when it ships.

According to Milanfar, the new feature is the “first (image-to-image) diffusion model designed and optimized to run fully on-device.” This not only protects your data but also means you don’t need access to the cloud to use the feature. It also requires a relatively powerful device, which explains why the feature is limited to newer Pro models for now. Of course, devices like the Pixel 9 have specs that are more than capable of handling the feature from a technical perspective but it’s more than likely Google is holding this feature back to help set the Pro apart from its cheaper sibling.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to take a picture using the Pixel Pro’s camera to use Zoom Enhance. Just like Magic Editor, you can apply this feature to any photo available within Google Photos.

Although we have yet to experience Zoom Enhance ourselves, the sample photos shared by Google are certainly impressive. For example, this close-up zoom of a flower looks amazing compared to its source image:

We have two more images to show off next. In the first, a family portrait has been reframed and enhanced to provide a much clearer image. How does it handle objects that are really far away? As you can see in the second image below, the truck looks crystal clear in comparison to the original zoomed image, despite being extraordinarily far away in the original source.

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Google says the Pixel 9 phones have better screens compared to the Pixel 8 series, and it specifically offers so-called Super Actua screens with LTPO technology for the Pro models. Unfortunately, the company’s own support page suggested that Pro and Pro XL phones in India, Malaysia, and Singapore lacked Super Actua displays and LTPO tech.

Now, a Google representative has clarified to Android Authority that all Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL models actually have Super Actua screens:

 I can confirm that both Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL have Super Actua displays across all regions.

Google’s Super Actua branding debuted on the Pixel 8 Pro and refers to the screen’s ability to get incredibly bright without compromising color accuracy. So the lack of Super Actua branding on some Pixel 9 Pro series models would’ve implied that these devices have worse screens than variants in the US, Europe, and other markets. We’re, therefore, glad that Google has effectively confirmed that this was an error. For what it’s worth, the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL tout 2,000 nits of HDR brightness and 3,000 nits of peak brightness.

The original spec sheet didn’t list LTPO screens for Pixel 9 Pro series phones in India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Google didn’t specifically tell us that these variants actually have LTPO tech, but the company’s spec sheet has since been updated to note as such. Check out the original spec listing and the updated listing below.

LTPO technology enables more granular screen refresh rates, down to 10Hz or even 1Hz. By comparison, phones without LTPO screens usually offer a minimum refresh rate of 60Hz. The ability to dip far below 60Hz opens the door to improved battery life, especially when reading, viewing pictures, or using an always-on display.

Either way, we’re glad Google has clarified this situation. So you don’t have to worry about getting an inferior phone if you’re in India, Malaysia, or Singapore.

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When unveiling the new Pixel 9 series last week, Google revealed that the devices will be the first Android phones to offer its Satellite SOS support. Garmin wasted no time in adopting the upgrade, announcing how its support for the feature will allow more users to raise the alarm in an emergency.

Once available, users who are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity will be able to use Google’s satellite option to connect with Garmin Response. This round-the-clock service is staffed by professionally trained emergency incident coordinators. It can liaise with a global network of law enforcement agencies to react when an alert to an emergency situation is raised.

Until this point,  Garmin Response required you to have an inReach-enabled device or affiliated Satellite Emergency Notification Device, as well as an active satellite service plan. This move will bring the SOS service to Google Pixel 9 owners, with Garmin planning on extending it to more of the Android ecosystem in the future. It will initially only be available in the US. Garmin also hopes to expand the coverage more globally, although no timeframes have yet been provided.

Garmin Co-Chief Operating Officer Brad Trenkle gave the following quote in the press release:

“Garmin welcomes the opportunity to expand our proven, premium satellite emergency response coordination services to the Android ecosystem, starting with Google Pixel 9 in the U.S. Each year, Garmin Response supports thousands of SOS activations, likely saving lives in the process. We are looking forward to collaborating with Google to help people connect to emergency services when they need them.”

Google’s Satellite SOS support will be an Android 15 feature, which means it won’t be immediately available on the Pixel 9 handsets but will arrive later in the year. The SOS service will be free to Pixel 9 owners for the first two years.

There's always a certain amount of excitement when it comes to buying a new phone. And while we'd love to just dive in to experience all the new features, there's always a small hiccup that comes from transferring your old data to the new device. Now, this process is relatively painless for the most part, with the option to do a direct transfer using cables or sourcing your important information from the cloud.

I've been an Android user since I bought my first smartphone back in 2013 (miss you, Xperia L). I went around the block since then, using a couple of OnePlus phones, a Realme one, and finally, the Google Pixel 7, my current daily driver. Although there's a lot to love about this phone, from the cameras and software to the design, I have a lot of regrets as well.

With the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro having established themselves as some of the best Android phones you can buy today, it's time to look forward to what's on the horizon. You could pick up last year's Google flagships, but imagining what's around the corner is more fun. This year, that's extra exciting, as we're looking at three different phones coming to a carrier near you as soon as this summer. And yes, you read that right: summer. The new Pixels are coming earlier than usual this year, and Google's already releasing promo videos. Here's everything we know about the Pixel 9 series.

Google is pretty well known for building multiple apps to do virtually the same thing — like its five different messaging apps, for example. It seems like its weather app is about to receive the same treatment. Thanks to a source, we’ve learned that Google is making a new one to debut alongside the upcoming Pixel 9.

It’s worth mentioning Google launched a complete redesign of its existing weather section of the Google app last year, which makes launching yet another weather app so soon even more surprising.

💾

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The Google Pixel 9 series is launching just a few days from now, but information about the devices just can’t stop leaking. Google itself has confirmed a few details about the Pixel 9 series and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but leaks have practically given us everything we need to know about the devices. The latest leak shows off the European version of Google’s previously leaked 45W USB-C charger, and we can’t help but balk at the atrocious port placement.

We’ve seen this Google-branded charging brick with the model number GW8L7 before when it went through NCC certification. The latest leak from Arsène Lupin on X (formerly known as Twitter) shows off the charger in marketing materials destined for the European market.

If you’ve seen our latest Google Pixel 9 exclusive, the phone’s Tensor G4 processor is set to be the smallest change to the series so far. While peak performance has never been a Tensor accolade, there’s little to no upgrade in the chip’s cornerstone AI capabilities either. The Tensor G4 reportedly features exactly the same third-generation TPU, codenamed “rio,” running at the same clock speed as the Tensor G3. The reason is that Google reportedly missed deadlines for a more potent custom chipset, which will now have to wait until the Pixel 10, and had to hastily cobble together an improved Tensor for the Pixel 9 series.

If this holds true, surely the Pixel 8 series should be able to run all of the Pixel 9’s upcoming AI features? Well, the CPU and GPU upgrades appear to be nowhere near big enough to make a meaningful difference to any AI processing, the DSP that runs camera algorithms is the same as last gen, and the identical TPU is the core that binds Google’s on-device AI capabilities together.

I’d argue that the Tensor G4 shares so many core similarities to the G3 that (virtually) the only reason why Google won’t bring its latest features, such as AddMe and Pixel Screenshots, to the Pixel 8 series, at least not in a hurry, is to upsell the Pixel 9. There’s no denying that bringing such features to the Pixel 8 would make Google’s best-ever flagship even more compelling but might undermine launch excitement about the new models, despite the camera and other hardware upgrades. This raises a big question: Just how committed is Google to backporting features via Feature Drops?

Virtually, the only reason Google won't bring the Pixel 9's latest AI features to the Pixel 8 series is to upsell the Pixel 9.

Google’s history with Feature Drops is pretty hit-and-miss. While it has brought plenty of new features to the Pixel lineup over time, we’re still waiting on some of the bigger promises like Zoom Enhance. There’s no guarantee that all of Google’s latest AI features will even be available for the Pixel 9 at launch, so any hope of features making their way back to the Pixel 8 series in a timely manner feels remote. Still, the similarities between the Tensor G4 and G3 make this all the more possible than in previous years, so here’s hoping that, even if there’s a reasonable delay, we see as many Pixel 9 AI features on the Pixel 8 as possible.

There’s one exception to all this — RAM. On-device AI is RAM heavy; it’s the reason the lower-specced Pixel 8 didn’t initially ship with Gemini Nano, while the 8 Pro’s larger 12GB RAM pool made it possible. According to leaks, the Pixel 9 is expected to ship with 12GB of RAM, and the Pro models will all receive a boost to 16GB. That’s a lot more memory than the baseline Pixel 8, but 12GB matches the capabilities of the Pixel 8 Pro. Once again, then, it looks like the more affordable Pixel 8 stands to miss out, but Google’s previous premium model should be capable of matching the Pixel 9. However, just how broken up Google’s AI feature set will become across models remains to be seen.

The Pixel 8's 8GB RAM might be too small, but the 8 Pro is capable of matching the base Pixel 9.

Even so, a processor with few upgrades cuts through the usual inter-generational barrier and puts Google and the Pixel series in an interesting position. Can Google rely on the superb hardware upgrades alone to sell the Pixel 9 while using this opportunity to show that the best software features can transcend generations? We’re already questioning whether seven years of updates really mean the same thing as seven years of cutting-edge features. Google could put the Pixel series on the map as an evolving platform for the industry’s best AI technology, regardless of which generation you buy in. But it’ll have to sacrifice a little Pixel 9 prestige to do so.

There aren’t many surprises left with the upcoming Google Pixel 9 series, but I was pleased to learn that the Pixel 9 Pro XL will sport faster charging when it launches in just a few days time. Initially, I was drawn to the obvious appeal of a smaller and more pocketable Pro, but faster charging is seriously pulling me towards the XL.

See, I love my Pixel 8 Pro but it’s still painfully slow to fully charge, despite gradual generational improvements. My phone floats worryingly below the 50% mark most of the time (it’s on 31% right now) — the Battery Saver chime no longer phases me, and I’m no stranger to Google’s Extreme Battery Saver prompt either. Battery anxiety? What’s battery anxiety?

It’s not that the phone’s battery life is bad — far from it. The “problem” is that I only ever leave my Pixel to charge for half an hour or so at a time, but the phone takes about 80 minutes to fill. This isn’t an issue on work days when I have a charger close by, but I’ve lost count of the weekends I’ve silently prayed to the battery gods to extend 10% into a couple more hours.

Faster charging means the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the pick for chaotic chargers (like me).

I can go a whole week without my Pixel hitting 100% charge, which I know is abnormal. I could charge my phone overnight like a regular person (sometimes I do), but I’m afflicted with doom-scrolling my way through the night (the curse of a restless toddler) and rolling like a crocodile after eventually passing out from boredom. It’s a recipe for a USB-C necklace.

Clearly, I’m a quick-top-up guy more suited to the blazing-fast speeds of a OnePlus handset than Google’s conservative approach, but I can’t leave that Pixel camera and software behind. I long for a Pixel that can hit 70% after 30 minutes on the plug rather than 50% to keep those Battery Saver notifications at bay. Thankfully, that’s exactly what the Pixel 9 Pro XL promises. Unfortunately, the smaller Pixel 9 and 9 Pro will only hit 55% in half an hour, exactly the same as I recorded for the current-gen models.

C'mon Google, why leave the broader Pixel 9 series stuck with sluggish power levels?

We still don’t know the exact power level, but the info we have suggests that the Pixel 9 Pro XL has roughly 5-6W more peak power than the 8 Pro, so something like 33W. The Pixel 8 Pro pulls around 27W from the wall, by comparison. The only downside is that you’ll need Google’s new 45W charger to hit those levels unless you already have a powerful USB PD PSS plug lying around.

	Charging speed in the reports	Advertised charging speed
Pixel 9	24.12 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro	25.20 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro XL	32.67 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro Fold	20.25 W	?
Pixel 8	24.66 W	27 W
Pixel 8 Pro	26.91 W	30 W
Pixel Fold	22.5 W	23 W?

33W is not a huge jump and probably won’t reduce the phone’s time to full by all that much. It’s certainly not going to rival the likes of SuperVOOC-powered phones and maybe not even Samsung’s 45W Galaxy S24 Ultra. I’d still like to see the Pixel series as a whole charge much faster too, but it looks like that’s not happening this year.

Still, a boost to the early stages should leave chaotic chargers like me with more juice in the tank from just a quick top-up. I’d be happy with that. Pixel 9 Pro XL it is then, I suppose.

Update: August 2, 2024 (2:00 AM ET): We have updated our Google Pixel 9 rumor hub with newly leaked information about the Pixel 9 line’s release date and more renders.

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The Google Pixel 8 series is Google’s best flagship series to date, topping the charts for some of the best Android phones you can buy. But we’re mere weeks away from the launch of the Pixel 9 series, and four of them are expected this time around. What is new with the upcoming generation, and are they exciting upgrades? Let’s jump right in and discuss everything we know about the Google Pixel 9 series!

💾

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The Google Pixel 9 series and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are less than two weeks away from release, and we’ve already seen a smorgasbord of leaked renders and real-world media. Now, a trusted source has posted some high-quality renders of the devices.

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The Made by Google 2024 event is right around the corner, and we’re expecting to see Google unveil the Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (previously presumed to be called the Pixel Fold 2). While Google has confirmed the name and design of the phones, and the event has been confirmed for August 13, 2024, it seems that customers will have to wait a while before they can get their hands on the phone, especially with the new foldable.

A leak by Android Headlines claims that the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be available for pre-order right after the launch keynote ends, so about 2 pm ET on August 13. Companies usually have about a week or so between pre-orders and open sales, and similarly, Google is expected to begin open sales on August 22.

The shipping dates for the other devices get a bit interesting. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is said to go on sale on September 4, giving us more than half a month between the official launch and device availability. And if you were looking to get your hands on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, those are expected to go on sale on September 26, about a month and a half after the announcement. The leak does not cover shipping dates for the Pixel Watch 3.

Google is holding its Made by Google event earlier this year, which will likely put pressure on many different launch timelines. A wild leak also suggested that the Pixel 9 series could launch with Android 14 instead of Android 15, so it appears that Google is hurrying up quite a bit to get its products out. Google usually launches new Pixels and the new Android version in October, so an August launch is two months too early. We expect these timelines to smoothen out in the coming years as the rest of Google grows accustomed to an August launch.

If you’ve seen our latest Google Pixel 9 exclusive, the phone’s Tensor G4 processor is set to be the smallest change to the series so far. While peak performance has never been a Tensor accolade, there’s little to no upgrade in the chip’s cornerstone AI capabilities either. The Tensor G4 reportedly features exactly the same third-generation TPU, codenamed “rio,” running at the same clock speed as the Tensor G3. The reason is that Google reportedly missed deadlines for a more potent custom chipset, which will now have to wait until the Pixel 10, and had to hastily cobble together an improved Tensor for the Pixel 9 series.

If this holds true, surely the Pixel 8 series should be able to run all of the Pixel 9’s upcoming AI features? Well, the CPU and GPU upgrades appear to be nowhere near big enough to make a meaningful difference to any AI processing, the DSP that runs camera algorithms is the same as last gen, and the identical TPU is the core that binds Google’s on-device AI capabilities together.

I’d argue that the Tensor G4 shares so many core similarities to the G3 that (virtually) the only reason why Google won’t bring its latest features, such as AddMe and Pixel Screenshots, to the Pixel 8 series, at least not in a hurry, is to upsell the Pixel 9. There’s no denying that bringing such features to the Pixel 8 would make Google’s best-ever flagship even more compelling but might undermine launch excitement about the new models, despite the camera and other hardware upgrades. This raises a big question: Just how committed is Google to backporting features via Feature Drops?

Virtually, the only reason Google won't bring the Pixel 9's latest AI features to the Pixel 8 series is to upsell the Pixel 9.

Google’s history with Feature Drops is pretty hit-and-miss. While it has brought plenty of new features to the Pixel lineup over time, we’re still waiting on some of the bigger promises like Zoom Enhance. There’s no guarantee that all of Google’s latest AI features will even be available for the Pixel 9 at launch, so any hope of features making their way back to the Pixel 8 series in a timely manner feels remote. Still, the similarities between the Tensor G4 and G3 make this all the more possible than in previous years, so here’s hoping that, even if there’s a reasonable delay, we see as many Pixel 9 AI features on the Pixel 8 as possible.

There’s one exception to all this — RAM. On-device AI is RAM heavy; it’s the reason the lower-specced Pixel 8 didn’t initially ship with Gemini Nano, while the 8 Pro’s larger 12GB RAM pool made it possible. According to leaks, the Pixel 9 is expected to ship with 12GB of RAM, and the Pro models will all receive a boost to 16GB. That’s a lot more memory than the baseline Pixel 8, but 12GB matches the capabilities of the Pixel 8 Pro. Once again, then, it looks like the more affordable Pixel 8 stands to miss out, but Google’s previous premium model should be capable of matching the Pixel 9. However, just how broken up Google’s AI feature set will become across models remains to be seen.

The Pixel 8's 8GB RAM might be too small, but the 8 Pro is capable of matching the base Pixel 9.

Even so, a processor with few upgrades cuts through the usual inter-generational barrier and puts Google and the Pixel series in an interesting position. Can Google rely on the superb hardware upgrades alone to sell the Pixel 9 while using this opportunity to show that the best software features can transcend generations? We’re already questioning whether seven years of updates really mean the same thing as seven years of cutting-edge features. Google could put the Pixel series on the map as an evolving platform for the industry’s best AI technology, regardless of which generation you buy in. But it’ll have to sacrifice a little Pixel 9 prestige to do so.

There aren’t many surprises left with the upcoming Google Pixel 9 series, but I was pleased to learn that the Pixel 9 Pro XL will sport faster charging when it launches in just a few days time. Initially, I was drawn to the obvious appeal of a smaller and more pocketable Pro, but faster charging is seriously pulling me towards the XL.

See, I love my Pixel 8 Pro but it’s still painfully slow to fully charge, despite gradual generational improvements. My phone floats worryingly below the 50% mark most of the time (it’s on 31% right now) — the Battery Saver chime no longer phases me, and I’m no stranger to Google’s Extreme Battery Saver prompt either. Battery anxiety? What’s battery anxiety?

It’s not that the phone’s battery life is bad — far from it. The “problem” is that I only ever leave my Pixel to charge for half an hour or so at a time, but the phone takes about 80 minutes to fill. This isn’t an issue on work days when I have a charger close by, but I’ve lost count of the weekends I’ve silently prayed to the battery gods to extend 10% into a couple more hours.

Faster charging means the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the pick for chaotic chargers (like me).

I can go a whole week without my Pixel hitting 100% charge, which I know is abnormal. I could charge my phone overnight like a regular person (sometimes I do), but I’m afflicted with doom-scrolling my way through the night (the curse of a restless toddler) and rolling like a crocodile after eventually passing out from boredom. It’s a recipe for a USB-C necklace.

Clearly, I’m a quick-top-up guy more suited to the blazing-fast speeds of a OnePlus handset than Google’s conservative approach, but I can’t leave that Pixel camera and software behind. I long for a Pixel that can hit 70% after 30 minutes on the plug rather than 50% to keep those Battery Saver notifications at bay. Thankfully, that’s exactly what the Pixel 9 Pro XL promises. Unfortunately, the smaller Pixel 9 and 9 Pro will only hit 55% in half an hour, exactly the same as I recorded for the current-gen models.

C'mon Google, why leave the broader Pixel 9 series stuck with sluggish power levels?

We still don’t know the exact power level, but the info we have suggests that the Pixel 9 Pro XL has roughly 5-6W more peak power than the 8 Pro, so something like 33W. The Pixel 8 Pro pulls around 27W from the wall, by comparison. The only downside is that you’ll need Google’s new 45W charger to hit those levels unless you already have a powerful USB PD PSS plug lying around.

	Charging speed in the reports	Advertised charging speed
Pixel 9	24.12 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro	25.20 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro XL	32.67 W	?
Pixel 9 Pro Fold	20.25 W	?
Pixel 8	24.66 W	27 W
Pixel 8 Pro	26.91 W	30 W
Pixel Fold	22.5 W	23 W?

33W is not a huge jump and probably won’t reduce the phone’s time to full by all that much. It’s certainly not going to rival the likes of SuperVOOC-powered phones and maybe not even Samsung’s 45W Galaxy S24 Ultra. I’d still like to see the Pixel series as a whole charge much faster too, but it looks like that’s not happening this year.

Still, a boost to the early stages should leave chaotic chargers like me with more juice in the tank from just a quick top-up. I’d be happy with that. Pixel 9 Pro XL it is then, I suppose.

Update: August 2, 2024 (2:00 AM ET): We have updated our Google Pixel 9 rumor hub with newly leaked information about the Pixel 9 line’s release date and more renders.

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The Google Pixel 8 series is Google’s best flagship series to date, topping the charts for some of the best Android phones you can buy. But we’re mere weeks away from the launch of the Pixel 9 series, and four of them are expected this time around. What is new with the upcoming generation, and are they exciting upgrades? Let’s jump right in and discuss everything we know about the Google Pixel 9 series!

💾

---

The Google Pixel 9 series and Pixel 9 Pro Fold are less than two weeks away from release, and we’ve already seen a smorgasbord of leaked renders and real-world media. Now, a trusted source has posted some high-quality renders of the devices.

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The Made by Google 2024 event is right around the corner, and we’re expecting to see Google unveil the Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (previously presumed to be called the Pixel Fold 2). While Google has confirmed the name and design of the phones, and the event has been confirmed for August 13, 2024, it seems that customers will have to wait a while before they can get their hands on the phone, especially with the new foldable.

A leak by Android Headlines claims that the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be available for pre-order right after the launch keynote ends, so about 2 pm ET on August 13. Companies usually have about a week or so between pre-orders and open sales, and similarly, Google is expected to begin open sales on August 22.

The shipping dates for the other devices get a bit interesting. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is said to go on sale on September 4, giving us more than half a month between the official launch and device availability. And if you were looking to get your hands on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, those are expected to go on sale on September 26, about a month and a half after the announcement. The leak does not cover shipping dates for the Pixel Watch 3.

Google is holding its Made by Google event earlier this year, which will likely put pressure on many different launch timelines. A wild leak also suggested that the Pixel 9 series could launch with Android 14 instead of Android 15, so it appears that Google is hurrying up quite a bit to get its products out. Google usually launches new Pixels and the new Android version in October, so an August launch is two months too early. We expect these timelines to smoothen out in the coming years as the rest of Google grows accustomed to an August launch.

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Google will launch the Pixel 9 series and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in two weeks, and we’ve already seen a host of leaks. The claims aren’t stopping there, as we’ve now got more apparent details about the foldable phone’s dimensions.

Android Headlines reports that the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold measures 155.2 x 77.1 x 10.5mm when folded and 155.2 x 150.2 x 5.1mm when unfurled. That makes it thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (12.1mm) and the OnePlus Open (11.7mm). However, it still lags behind foldables from the likes of HONOR and vivo.

The outlet also notes that the Google foldable weighs 257 grams, which is lighter than the original model (283 grams) but still heavier than the Z Fold 6 (239 grams) and OnePlus Open (239 grams). In fact, the device is slightly heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (253 grams) too.

Android Headlines also posted some apparent screen details, claiming that the device has a 6.3-inch smartphone display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and an HDR brightness of 1,800 nits. Meanwhile, the folding display is said to be an 8-inch panel with 1,600 nits of HDR brightness. Most of these details broadly line up with our exclusive Pixel 9 Pro Fold display leak. We haven’t heard any leaks regarding peak brightness until now, though, but the outlet asserts that both screens have 2,700 nits of peak brightness.

In any event, we’re glad to see Google upping the foldable phone ante in some ways. But we really hope the Pixel 10 Pro Fold brings a much lighter design.

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There’s been an avalanche of Pixel 9 series leaks leading up to August’s Made by Google event. Those leaks aren’t slowing down as a new report claims the Pixel 9 Pro won’t capture 8K video.

The 50MP main lens in the Pixel 8 Pro is expected to make a return in the Pixel 9 Pro. Although this camera is capable of shooting video in 8K, it appears Google won’t let you do that with the 2024 model. According to Android Headlines, the Pixel 9 Pro will rely on Video Boost to upscale 4K video to 8K with the help of AI.

For a bit of background, Video Boost is a feature that debuted on the Pixel 8 series. This feature works by uploading the content you captured to the cloud where it is then processed and enhanced. It’s unclear if this AI upscaling will be an optional feature or if Video Boost will offer preferences.

Outside of this, there are two other interesting pieces of information mentioned in this report. One is that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will not get this 8K enhancement, however, it will still support Video Boost. It’s important to note that the main sensor on the Fold is different than the one that will appear on the Pro.

The second piece of information claims that Zoom Enhance will be available for the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL. Google revealed Zoom Enhance — a generative AI feature to enhance a picture’s details after you zoom in — last year, but it has yet to roll out. However, it’s unknown if the feature will be available at launch or a later date.

It was also revealed today that the Pixel 9 series could launch with Android 14 instead of Android 15. We’ll have to wait until August 13 to get all of our questions about the Pixel 9 answered.

Google’s Pixel phones have always had great wallpapers. The first few generations amazed us with live wallpapers designed in collaboration with studios such as B-Reel and ustwo. Lately, Google has released some great minimalistic static wallpapers designed in collaboration with various artists, such as Andrew Zuckerman, who created the wallpapers for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Now, thanks to a source inside Google, we’re able to share the Pixel 9 series wallpapers early.

Because the wallpapers match their respective phone colorways, we can also preview the colors of the upcoming Pixel 9 series devices. Please keep in mind that these are early codenames, and Google is likely to use different names in its final marketing materials. It’s also possible that some of these colors might not end up being available at launch — or ever.

The first real-life images of the Pixel 9 Pro gave us a good look at the upcoming flagship, but many of us were also sticker-shocked by the paltry 128GB storage on offer. The mention of 16GB RAM added insult to injury, making it an even more confusing combination as Google seemingly decided to upgrade the RAM capacity without upgrading the internal storage.

With Android flagships becoming more powerful and feature-packed than ever, 128GB of internal storage feels stifling, even for the base variant. While it technically lowers the phone’s price and makes it accessible for more people, storage upgrades are cheaper than what the OEM usually charges the customer.

Update: April 19, 2024 (03:48 PM ET): We have updated our Google Pixel 9 rumor hub with the first real-life images of what we think is the Pixel 9 Pro.

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The Google Pixel 8 got here last October, but we’re already hearing rumors about what’s next from Google in 2024. Let’s jump right in and discuss everything we know about the rumored Google Pixel 9 series!

💾

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Google is expected to launch the Pixel 9 series later this year, and we’re excited about seeing three phones in the lineup, as leaks have suggested. Google is said to be going for the iPhone strategy with the vanilla Pixel 9, a more powerful Pixel 9 Pro but in a smaller form factor, and a Pixel 9 Pro XL taking on the role of a large flagship. We’ve seen leaked renders of the three devices, and now we have our first real-life images of the Pixel 9 Pro.

Russian website Rozetked has anonymously received real-life photos of what appears to be the Pixel 9 Pro (h/t Google News (unofficial) Telegram channel). The phone is not in pristine condition, as we can see what looks like a large web of cracks on the top left of the phone (when seen from the back), held together with some tape. But the images still provide a good look at the phone.

We can see the phone compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7-inch display). This Pixel 9 series phone looks significantly smaller with its 6.1-inch display, and the triple rear camera setup indicates it is the “Pro” device. Hence, this is likely the Pixel 9 Pro, not the Pixel 9 or the Pixel 9 XL.

The images shared include a close-up of the cameras and a display shot that shows the device in fastboot mode, showing off some key specs (and the fact that it has a boot failure).

The phone pictured is codenamed “caiman,” which is the codename for the Pixel 9 Pro. This particular version sports 16GB LPDDR5 RAM from Micron and has 128GB of unspecified UFS storage from Samsung. Note that the Pixel 8 Pro maxed out at 12GB of RAM.

The anonymous source has also shared photos of the device from all sides. We can see the flat sides, though thankfully, there appears to be a nice curve at the edges where the side meets the front and back of the phone.

If you look closely, you will spot a cutout on the top of the phone. We suspect this could be an antenna cutout for mmWave antenna, similar to the one present on the Pixel 8 Pro.

Keep in mind that these are leaked images. While they largely align with what we have seen in leaked renders, we still advise you to take them with a pinch of salt and skepticism. We’re many months away from the release of the Pixel 9 series, so some things can change by the time the phone gets ready for mass production.

Update: April 19, 2024 (03:48 PM ET): We have updated our Google Pixel 9 rumor hub with the first real-life images of what we think is the Pixel 9 Pro.

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The Google Pixel 8 got here last October, but we’re already hearing rumors about what’s next from Google in 2024. Let’s jump right in and discuss everything we know about the rumored Google Pixel 9 series!

💾

---

Google is expected to launch the Pixel 9 series later this year, and we’re excited about seeing three phones in the lineup, as leaks have suggested. Google is said to be going for the iPhone strategy with the vanilla Pixel 9, a more powerful Pixel 9 Pro but in a smaller form factor, and a Pixel 9 Pro XL taking on the role of a large flagship. We’ve seen leaked renders of the three devices, and now we have our first real-life images of the Pixel 9 Pro.

Russian website Rozetked has anonymously received real-life photos of what appears to be the Pixel 9 Pro (h/t Google News (unofficial) Telegram channel). The phone is not in pristine condition, as we can see what looks like a large web of cracks on the top left of the phone (when seen from the back), held together with some tape. But the images still provide a good look at the phone.