But then you also have a couple of negative associations. One is Google’s relaxed attitude towards user privacy, and the second is its notoriety for killing products, even loved ones – and often unexpectedly. There are websites shaming the company about this, such as “The Google Graveyard” and “Google Cemetery”. And you don’t need to go back in time to find such examples. Just recently, Google killed its URL shortener service, reminding us to be extra careful before we put our full trust in a Google product.
So it was only natural that many people had doubts when Google started its hardware endeavors, first with Nexus phones and recently with the Pixel series. Questions naturally arose:
“Will Google stick with it?”
“Will the phones be supported long enough?”
And then more philosophical ones, such as “Will Google be willing to compete with its partners, such as Samsung?”
While I get the reasoning behind these questions, I think the company has managed to prove one thing in the past few years: it will not abandon its hardware division any time soon. If anything, it is doubling down.
And while it’s not there yet when it comes to privacy, it is making some steps in that direction.
The best evidence for that is in the upcoming Pixel 9 series of devices.
Image Credit: Images in this article are courtesy of OnLeaks and 91Mobiles.
Brush all doubts aside: the Pixel 9 series is going to be amazing
These specs show Google is seriously committed to making an iPhone killer (Image by OnLeaks, 91Mobiles)
Google is expected to officially announce all Pixel 9 details on August 13th, but thanks to leaks, rumors and even official teasers by the company itself, we already know what is coming, down to even the tiniest specs.
And what this new lineup makes crystal clear is that Google is more invested than ever in its smartphones.
We expect four new phones, so let’s break that down first:
- Pixel 9 – compact size, two cameras, some compromises, lower price
- Pixel 9 Pro – first “Pro” compact Pixel ever, three cameras, including 5X zoom previously only available on bigger phones, but probably higher price
- Pixel 9 Pro XL – the big and premium Pixel flagship
- Pixel 9 Pro Fold – a more refined folding phone
All of these phones will get the newest Google Tensor G4 chipset which will be meticulously optimized for AI, and if you had any doubts – yes, this time the hardware on all four will support Google’s new AI tricks fully.After looking at all the leaks, I am more and more convinced – the Pixel 9 lineup is its most exciting phone series ever.
Redefining what is a compact phone
We are entering a new era for compact phones
The first exciting thing about this lineup is that Google rewrites the rules of compact phones.
Having two flagship compact phones is a bold move, and something that even Samsung – a company known for giving users variety – does not offer.
But what is so revolutionary about having two compact phones?
Let me spoil it for you: it’s the size.
Google goes with a 6.3-inch size, which might sound like a small change compared to the 6.2-inch size of the Pixel 8, but it allows for a welcome battery upgrade, and – for the first time – a real zoom camera on a compact phone.
The Pixel 9 Pro will sport the same 5X zoom periscope camera that was previously only available on the big model. That is a dream come true for photography enthusiasts.
Combined with the slightly larger screen size and bigger battery, this might just be the dream phone for so many people who dislike extra large devices, but had to buy them just for the camera.
There is one thing we would look out for, though – a price hike. It’s only natural that more cameras cost more money, so our guess is that the Pixel 9 Pro might also be the first phone that matches the iPhone 16 Pro in cost.
If Google indeed bumps the price like that, it needs to deliver serious commitment, so in a way, we also don’t mind the price. If it means that Pixel phones are about to become so much better.
Premium design
I admit, this argument is entirely subjective, but I consider the pebble-shaped design of previous Pixel phones to be a bit quirky, maybe fun, but not quite premium-feeling.
Add to that the weird shape that works poorly with cases, as any case you put on a current Pixel turns it into an extra chunky device.
With the move to flat sides and cleaner lines, Google moves to a truly premium look for the Pixel 9 series, and I love it.
Google heard all of our complaints and actually fixed the issues
But best of all, the Pixel 9 lineup shows that Google listens to all the constructive feedback.
Limiting AI features to just some phones? Not anymore with the Pixel 9 series.
The Pixel Fold being way too heavy and a bit too wide for most people? The new Pixel 9 Pro Fold seems to have quickly fixed those issues.
Pixel Watch only comes in one size that is too small for many people? Well, Pixel Watch 3 adds a bigger size.
Even smaller complaints that we have floated for years Google is finally addressing now, like the lack of a basic stock Weather app on Android. That is finally coming to the Pixel 9.
The most iPhone-like Pixel?
The Pixel 9 clearly takes some inspiration form the design language of the iPhone. It took a few years for Android phones, but many brands have now adopted the flat-side design style that Apple debuted with the iPhone 12 nearly three years ago. Samsung did it this year with the Galaxy S24 family, and now Google too does it with the Pixel 9.But Google is also closing the gap with Apple in terms of features. Leaks claim the Pixel 9 will be the first Android phone to get satellite SOS support, a feature that Apple introduced last year and that has already helped save lives.
With all those big moves, it’s clear to me that Google is not abandoning the Pixel family or its hardware ambitions. Not at all. It has invested more, it has added more features, it has refined them even further, and that is why the Pixel 9 series is shaping up to be the most exciting Google phone lineup ever.
