Google’s newest event is finally here – it’s “Made by Google” was successfully held in Mountain View, California much earlier when compared to past years. As expected, the event showcased a range of new hardware: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 3, and Pixel Buds Pro 2. Central to the announcements were updates to Google’s AI capabilities, with significant advancements in both hardware and software.
The Pixel 9 series sports a refreshed design, most prominent being a redesigned camera system, which replaces the previous camera bar with a prominent oval camera module. It sports a 6.3-inch Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 display, a slight increase from the Pixel 8’s 6.2 inches. The back is polished glass with a satin metal frame.
Camera upgrades are notable: the 12 MP ultrawide lens from the Pixel 8 has been replaced by a 48 MP lens, while the front camera now includes autofocus. The Pixel 9 continues with the Tensor G4 chip and includes 12GB of RAM, facilitating the integration of advanced AI features. These include Super Res Zoom up to 8x, Add Me, and a range of editing tools like Magic Editor and Photo Unblur.
The Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL offer higher-end options. The Pixel 9 Pro maintains the same screen size as the Pixel 9, while the Pro XL features a larger 6.8-inch display. Both Pro models come with 16GB of RAM and additional storage options up to 1TB. They include an extra 48 MP telephoto lens and a more powerful 42 MP front camera. The Pro models also include a one-year subscription to Google One AI Premium, which provides full access to Gemini’s capabilities.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google’s second foldable phone, stands out with an 8-inch internal screen and a 6.3-inch outer screen. It is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring 0.4 inches thick and weighing 257g. The foldable features the Tensor G4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and storage options of 256GB or 512GB. It supports advanced AI features and includes a year of the One AI Premium plan.
A major highlight of the Pixel 9 series is the integration of Google’s Gemini AI. The Pixel 9 is the first Pixel device to run the Gemini Nano multimodal AI model directly on the device. AI enhancements include features like Super Res Zoom, Night Sight, and Add Me. Gemini AI also enables new functionalities, such as real-time assistant overlays and advanced image editing capabilities.
The Pixel 9 is priced starting at $799 for 128GB of storage, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL start at $999 and $1,099, respectively. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is priced at $1,799. All models come with seven years of OS and security updates. The new devices will be available for preorder starting August 22 for the Pixel 9 and September 4 for the Pixel 9 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold.
