This week, Google unveiled four new phones: three hard ones and one foldable. Half of the new models will be released next week, the other half in early September, but all are available for preorder with a free storage upgrade, giving you a chance to get in on them sooner rather than later. What do you think?
You can find pricing details for the US, Canada, and Europe here , with the India launch happening a day later – details on that here . While the standard Pixel 9 has lost its flagship status, it is more expensive than its predecessor ($800/€900 vs. $700/€800). The Pro is similarly priced, but the Pro XL is the true successor to the Pixel 8 Pro and that too has a higher price tag ($1,100/€1,200 vs. $1,000/€1,100).
Let’s start with the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. Google has slightly increased the screen size to 6.8 inches and switched to an ultrasonic FP drive. The rear cameras are mostly the same, but they can now record 8K video (30fps). The front has received a major upgrade with a 42MP sensor and an ultra-wide lens with autofocus. The charging speed has been increased and now reaches 70% in 30 minutes (instead of 50%). Satellite SOS is now also supported.
The Pro XL is expensive, but you can spread the cost over the phone's 7 years of support. For the most part, there aren't any specs that seem to age too quickly – with the possible exception of the Tensor G4 chipset, but that's something we'll have to test. Adding 16GB of RAM was a good move, as its Samsung rival still only offers 12GB max.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL will be released on August 22. Are you planning to pre-order it?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro will be available in about a month, and is scheduled to launch on September 9. It's almost identical to the XL model, except for the size: with a 6.3-inch display, it's slightly larger than the Pixel 8, and it's bigger than the Galaxy S24 and iPhone 15 Pro. Still, as far as Android phones go, this one is among the smallest (at least among mainstream brands).
While it's not as small as some might have liked, there's at least finally a Pixel phone with a 5x telephoto lens that's smaller than 6.7 inches. Plus, the little Pro gets the right ultra-wide camera (not a 12MP unit like the Pixel 8), the latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2, as well as UWB and a thermometer (things that were exclusive to the 8 Pro), and even satellite SOS.
Google finally built a small flagship product. Do you think it's the right choice for you?
The base Google Pixel 9 is the same size as the 9 Pro, but the differences are deeper. There's obviously no telephoto camera, and you're also missing out on the new 42MP selfie camera (the 10.5MP module with an ultra-wide AF lens isn't bad, though). There's also no 8K video recording, although we don't think many people will miss that.
Most importantly, the phone has 12GB of RAM, which is less than the Pros but more than the Pixel 8 and 8a. Also, the display is 1,080 x 2,424px instead of 1,280 x 2,856px, and it's not an LTPO panel like on the 9 Pro. There's no UWB or thermometer, but you do get satellite SOS and Wi-Fi 7 with 6GHz support (neither Apple nor Samsung offer that).
Like the Pro XL, the Google Pixel 9 will be released on August 22. Are you planning to get one?
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is priced the same as its predecessor at $1,800. However, it's thinner and lighter (10.5mm 257g vs. 12.1mm 283g) while sporting a larger 8.0-inch inner display (vs. 7.6 inches) and a 6.3-inch cover display (vs. 5.8 inches). It's thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold6 (12.1mm), but not as light (239g) and only has IPX8 water resistance. The folded width of 77.1mm is more bearable than the older model's 79.5mm, though still too wide for some.
Processing power gets a huge boost: the original Fold launched with a Tensor G2 (12GB RAM), this one gets the G4 (16GB). Additionally, the original Fold had a short software support window (3 OS updates, 5 years of patches), the new model gets a full 7 years.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is set to launch on September 9. Would you buy one?
One last poll to make sure there's no ambiguity: if you buy a Pixel 9 phone, which model do you buy?