Google Pixel 9 Series Quick Look

Google held its Pixel 9 event last week and left us with some ideas. So, without further ado – here they are.

Having an event in August instead of October makes a huge difference.

The Pixel 8 series was announced on October 4, 2023. The Pixel 7 series was announced on October 7, 2022. Google revealed more devices this time around, and they managed to do it in mid-August – which is impressive!

Moving the phones’ unveiling from early fall to the height of summer completely changes the dynamics of the launch, and the Pixel 9 series is now a viable option to grab your summer vacation snaps — a huge opportunity for photography-minded Pixel users. Not to mention, Google’s phones now sell a full month ahead of 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 it with the Galaxy S23 series and finally made the S Ultra flat this year. And now Google has done it with the Pixel.

We love the new look of the Pixels. Plus, its corners are slightly rounded, making it more comfortable to hold and a bit less elongated.

Having the phone flat also means it’s less likely to break if you drop it, but more importantly, the glass protectors are easier to install. Plus, the flat side makes it easier to make the most of the available space.

But please make all surfaces matte next year.

The Pixel 9 Pro’s frame has a brushed metal finish that attracts fingerprints like nothing else (except maybe the black plastic trim on cars..). And while the Pros has a matte finish, the regular Pixel 9’s back glass panel 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 smaller Pixel 9 Pro is a bold move — but will it work?

The smaller Pixel 9 Pro is probably the biggest story (ha!) at this event. Many people would rather have a small phone than a super-sized flagship, but they don’t want to compromise on specs.

But if you look at the sales figures, most people want a big screen — and current trends in multimedia consumption are a clear explanation for why. That could mean the Pixel 9 Pro faces a bleak market outlook.

Worse still, Google released the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL a week after its launch, while the Pixel 9 Pro will launch in September, further denting its prospects.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only a second-generation foldable phone.

After the original Pixel Fold, which was a bit of a flop, we were pleasantly surprised by the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google made a lot of the right choices with its new book-shaped foldable phone — the screens are bigger, the main display has a natural 20:9 aspect ratio, the phone is impressively thin, and it has a capable camera system.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold might make the Galaxy Z Fold6 look nervous in the rearview mirror. The foldable Pixel has better displays, better cameras, and more RAM — not bad for a company often criticized for being too conservative with hardware upgrades!

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is a smart and secure update

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL will be the breadwinner of the family, and for good reason. It’s the best choice if you want the best Pixel phone — it has the biggest screen and the best camera.

Google has also significantly improved its flagship phone over its predecessor — it has a better camera system, thanks to a brighter ultrawide lens and a new, wider-angle selfie camera. It also has an annual upgrade to the processor chip, and a new, smarter design, especially around the back.

The new ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is the perfect solution.

A change that may go unnoticed but that people upgrading to Pixel 9 devices will certainly feel is the move to an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.

Until now, Pixel phones have used optical, light-based fingerprint scanners, and people haven’t been happy with their responsiveness and stability, especially with screen protectors.

Qualcomm’s ultrasonic technology is the best of the best. The scanner works even in the dark and is generally faster and more reliable.

The Pixel 9 isn’t a small phone like the Pixel 8.

We have the Pixel 9 for review and we found that it doesn’t feel as small as you’d expect.

When A/B tested 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 1.2mm wider and 2.3mm taller. Put a case on it and it becomes a thick, heavy phone that’s a bit more compact than the ultra-slim phones out there.