The first two Pixel models’ aluminum unibody was durable. With the Pixel 2, Google introduced front-facing stereo speakers, a feature that even some of the latest flagships lack in favor of a bottom-firing loudspeaker.
Yeah, the company dropped that feature the very next year, as it wasn’t very good, but still, it could’ve been improved.
The Pixel 6 introduced the Pro model, a radically different design that stood out in the growingly unified smartphone market, and an in-house-developed chipset, the Tensor G. This series, just like the previous ones, was instantly recognizable among the crowd, mainly because of the Camera Bar design on the back and the gently curved and soft design.
This meant not only getting the latest Android version for seven long years, but also getting it first, as Google distributes new versions to Pixel phones first.
The cameras are as great as ever, with software AI algorithms that can probably take a spaceship to Mars on autopilot if configured for the task. Gemini is onboard and more capable than ever (although, unsurprisingly, the Gemini Advanced version is now a paid subscription).
Where’s the Magic?
The Pixel 9 series feels a bit… ordinary, that’s the best way to put it. It’s a good series, but it lacks that particular “cool factor” that made earlier Pixels so special. The design now resembles the design of the iPhones and Galaxies of late.
The software side of things is also not that exciting—almost every Android flagship now relies on Gemini, so there are almost no Pixel-exclusive features. Samsung also called Google’s bid on the update cycle and now offers the same seven years of major OS updates on the Galaxy flagships as the Pixels.
The battery and charging are also very comparable between the new Pixel and the iPhones and Galaxies. There is no crazy 120W wired charging and no exotic materials in the batteries.
Google Pixel 10 series wish list
Let me share a simple wish list for the Pixel 10 series that would not only make me buy one but also give the series an advantage over Samsung and Apple phones. I’ll keep my wishes as realistic as possible, with no science fiction involved.
Break that glass ceiling
Why not change this boring glass sandwich material status quo and break the glass ceiling (pun intended) all modern flagships now exhibit? Take notes from Motorola and the ThinkPhone with its aramid fiber back or the latest Edge family with their faux wood backs.
Where are the quirky controls?
The Chinese version of the phone also supported scrolling with your eyes, clicking on things, and opening apps with a blink. Now, that’s what I expect from a Pixel phone! Google has (used to have?) a department dedicated to crazy ideas, which is kind of a skunkworks division. The modular ARA phone was a brainchild of that division. Enough said.
We want new batteries!
This is such a quality-of-life improvement! The aforementioned Honor Magic 6 Pro features a 5,600 mAh silicon carbon battery, and it makes a difference. No matter what you do, the phone just can’t be drained in a day.
You can browse for 20 hours, watch videos for 14 hours straight, or game for 12 hours. The phone still ranks second in our Battery ranking of phones tested in the last two years and first among flagships.
Conclusion
The sad reality, however, is that Google will probably sell the most Pixels to date with the Pixel 9 series. This inevitably will lock the company in the same vicious circle of incremental updates, uninspiring design, and smartphone uniformity that Samsung and Apple are already in.
I may be wrong. People might get fed up with the same phones with different branding and stop buying them in bulk. Only time will tell.
What do you think? Are you disappointed in the Pixel 9 series, or do you think it’s great and I got it all wrong? Share your thoughts in the comments below.