Pixel 6 Pro features I miss and Google’s AI presentation has me feeling the pull of the Pixel 9 line

Pre-order the Pixel 9 Pro XL right now-right here!

One feature that I missed right away was “Hold for Me.” Don’t you hate having to stay by your phone when you’re on hold?  With “Hold for Me,” the phone detected when I was put on hold and would literally “hold for me.” I received an alert when the other side of the call returned. Google would play a brief message to let the other person know that I was returning to the call. This feature worked like a charm and I wish my iPhone offered it.

Gemini Live shines as a virtual assistant

When did Apple go public? Siri gives us three websites to read (R) while Gemini Live just gives us the right answer (L). | Image credit-PhoneArena

Another feature I missed greatly when switching from Pixel to iPhone was Quick Phrases. Have you ever been in a different room when your phone’s alarm or timer went off and you just didn’t feel like walking over to the device to turn off the alarm? With the Pixel 6 Pro, I could say “Stop” and the alarm would be dismissed. As a person crippled by severe spinal stenosis, I found that yelling “Stop” to turn off an annoying alarm surely beats having to get up, grab my cane, and walk to my phone to turn it off.

But some things never change. Ask Siri when Apple went public and you receive three websites to read through to find the answer. Ask Gemini Live the question and you get one answer: “Apple went public on December 12, 1980.” I Love it.

I’m feeling the pull of the Pixel

If this sounds like I’m thinking about switching back to the Pixel, I’d probably wait until next year when the Pixel 10 is expected to debut the first application processor designed by Google from the ground up. In addition, the Tensor G5 will be built by TSMC using its 3nm process node. The Tensor G4 powering the Pixel 9 series is built by Samsung Foundry using its 4nm node. Still, that I’m even thinking about making this switch after living through the Pixel 6 Pro tells you how impressive Google AI was during Tuesday’s event.

This is what happens when you have the grass is greener on the other side-itis.