Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold hands-on: A clever new shape and even bigger displays

• 
• August 13, 2024

Last year, Google released the Pixel Fold — the company’s first-ever phone with a flexible screen. But today at its latest Made By event, Google showed off a sequel. But don’t call it the Pixel Fold 2, because in addition to a revamped design featuring what’s being called the largest display of any phone on the market, it’s also getting a reworked name: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Now I must say, that moniker is a real mouthful. But the idea behind it was to ensure that people know the new Fold is part of the larger Pixel 9 family. That means this latest Fold has the same Tensor G4 chip, a similar design and all the AI features as the rest of the line. Plus a few bespoke additions made just for this device.

But before we get into that, let’s start with its design, which has made a pretty big shift from its passport-shaped predecessor. This time, Google opted for more traditional dimensions with the Pro Fold sporting a 6.3-inch outside display that’s almost identical in size to what you get on the standard Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. And with a peak brightness of up to 2,700 nits for both inside and outside displays, it’s basically just as colorful and vibrant.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Then on the inside, you get a flexible screen that measures a whopping 8 inches across, beating out rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (7.6 inches), OnePlus Open (7.82 inches) and Honor Magic V3 (7.92 inches). Its technical name is the Super Actua Flex display, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. For the Pro Fold’s chassis, Google has switched to a boxier design with a new steel hinge covered by an aluminum alloy and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in front and back.

Now I will admit I was a bit bummed out by the change in shape as I’ve really come to appreciate the original Pixel Fold’s wide front screen. However, after playing around with it, the Pro Fold’s dimensions are definitely growing on me. Plus, if you remember from my interview with Google’s design team, the purpose of the first Fold’s shorter and squattier design was to make the outside screen more usable than the long and skinny displays Samsung uses on the Z Fold line. And by using a screen that is the same size as the regular Pixel 9 on the Pro Fold, it’s clear that they’re still sticking to that mantra.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Google has also slimmed down the phone and is claiming that it’s the thinnest foldable you can buy today. That said, measuring 5.1mm thick when open or 10.5mm thick when closed, I believe it’s a touch fatter than both the Honor Magic V3 (4.4mm/9.3mm) and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 (4.6mm/9.5mm). That said, if we’re only talking about models available in the US, I think Google’s claim holds true.

Around back, there’s a big new camera module that holds a 48-MP main camera and a 10.8-MP telephoto cam with a 5x optical zoom, which look to be the same as what we got in last year’s phone instead of using the new sensors available on the main Pixel 9 models. But I haven’t been able to confirm that just yet. And finally, there’s a 10.5-MP ultra-wide camera.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I’ve dinged Samsung in the past for saddling the Z Fold line with cameras that aren’t quite as good as what you get on the main Galaxy S family, and it looks like Google is doing something similar to the Pro Fold, which I don’t love. But seeing as how last year’s phone offers better image quality than what you get on the new Z Fold 6, it’s not quite as big of a deal.

Naturally, there are a ton of new features and photo modes too. There’s stuff like Add Me, which uses AR guides to help you take group shots so you don’t need to ask a passerby for help. There is also a new and improved Video Boost tool that works in the dark and supports high-resolution zooms. But my favorite addition is Made You Look, which puts a fun animation on the outside screen so you can get a nice shot of your kids or anyone else who might otherwise be slightly distracted. It even uses an algorithm to detect when someone is smiling, to make the animation move, which is just a really simple but effective way to get a true candid reaction during a posed photo. Google has also finally implemented the Zoom Enhance feature it teased back during the launch of Pixel 8.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And of course, it wouldn’t be Google without a bunch of new AI features. For photos, there are a few new Magic Editor tricks like Autoframe that can recompose your shots, or Reimagine, which can replace things (typically the foreground and background of a shot) with anything you can put in the prompt box.

For more general use, there’s the Pixel Screenshots app which allows you to save screenshots and then later use AI to find specific images or more detailed stuff like concert dates. Alternatively, if you want to generate your own images from scratch, the new Pixel Studio app looks surprisingly powerful. Not only can you create subjects and backgrounds, you can also generate stickers of your friends, remove distracting objects, or put together things like party invitations using your custom artwork. There’s even a new Pixel Weather app that uses AI to write a quick summary of what’s going on that day.

But the ML-powered tools don’t stop there, because Gemini Live allows you to have more natural conversations with AIs, so you can get answers on a huge range of topics without needing to say “Hey” every time you think of a question. There are also several features I didn’t get to try such as the Pixel 9’s improved Clear Calling, Call Notes, which uses AI to create transcripts of a call, and Google’s new satellite SOS system, which lets you call for help even when you don’t have cell service. Lastly, Google has bumped up the amount of RAM in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold from 12GB to 16GB of RAM with either 256GB or 512GB of storage.

So while I’ve only had a short time with it thus far, I really like what Google is doing with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold — you know, aside from its clunky new name. In a lot of ways, Google is delivering what I wanted Samsung to do for the Z line. The Pro Fold is thinner than Z Fold 6 while also having a bigger main screen. And its cameras should be better too. Plus, thanks to Google’s lead in AI, we’re getting even more fun and useful tools for tweaking photos or remembering that cool pair of shoes you screenshotted weeks ago. Sure, Google still doesn’t have a real alternative to Dex mode or built-in stylus support. But for people who want a convertible phone with great screens, excellent cameras and powerful software, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is looking like a great follow-up to the original. Oh, and priced at $1,800, it costs $100 less than the Z Fold 6 too.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is available for pre-order today with official sales beginning on September 4. It will be available in two colors: porcelain and obsidian.

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-hands-on-a-clever-new-shape-and-even-bigger-displays-170058834.html?src=rss

The Pixel Watch 3 comes in a bigger size and tells you when you should rest

• 
• August 13, 2024

It’s time — pun not intended — for some new Google Pixel products. The company’s launch event, Made By Google, is showcasing the new Google Pixel Watch 3 and the next generation of Pixel phones and earbuds. This third-generation smartwatch is all about performance and adds a range of new capabilities to help you track your progress, plan and take care of yourself. 

Before we get into each of those features, it’s worth pointing out one of the most obvious changes Google has introduced: adding a 45mm model. The first two generations of the Google Pixel Watch only offered a 41mm option, and this addition puts the Pixel Watch 3 in line with the Apple Watch’s options. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 also has two options: the 40mm and 44mm. 

Compared to the second-gen model, Google also shrank the smartwatch’s bezel by 16 percent, giving the 41mm an extra 10 percent of active screen area. The display is also two times brighter, offering up to 2000 nits of brightness. Plus, the watch lasts for 24 hours with the always-on display or 36 hours in battery-saver mode (it automatically switches to this when you’re down to 15 percent). Google also claims the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 charges 20 percent faster than its predecessor. 

Now for the fun bits. The Google Pixel Watch 3 will have a new readiness and cardio load tracking guide. It should let you know how hard your heart is working, indicating if you should slow down on a workout. Google also says it will let you know when to recover and when to dive into a challenging workout. The readiness score is more personalized, making a recommendation based on factors like your sleep and resting heart rate. If you get Fitbit Premium, the watch will provide AI-powered recommendations on achieving your fitness goals. 

It also brings a new “loss of pulse detection” feature that Google says is the first of its kind.Despite being slightly awkwardly worded, “loss of pulse detection” does basically what it describes. Using the Pixel Watch 3’s heart rate and other sensors, it’ll notice if the wearer has a pulse. Since the device is sampling your pulse at the rate of once every second, which is one of the most frequent in the mainstream smartwatch space, it’ll notice quite quickly if your heart’s stopped. Then, it’ll look for other signs like whether you’re still moving, and whether it’s still on your wrist. 

With all this data, the Pixel Watch will determine whether you’re having a “loss of pulse event” like cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose or poisoning. When it identifies loss of pulse, it will check in with you and call emergency services if you don’t respond. At launch, Google said this will be available in various countries in Europe and that it’s “working with regulatory bodies to make the feature available in more countries.”

The Google Pixel Watch 3 also has some home-based features, providing Nest Cam and Doorbell notifications, access to live view, and two-way talk. The watch can also act as a remote, letting you pause, change the volume or flip to a new channel on Google TV. If you have a Pixel phone, then your watch can control its camera, record a memo and access Google Maps.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-pixel-watch-3-comes-in-a-bigger-size-and-tells-you-when-you-should-rest-170058534.html?src=rss

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: A battle of Android’s biggest phones

• 
• August 13, 2024

Google just unveiled the Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone during its Made by Google event and, boy oh boy, is it a doozy. This is a larger version of the Pixel 9 Pro. It ships with the brand-new Tensor G4 processor and 16GB of RAM. As with most modern handsets, it’s designed for AI tasks and ships with a one-year subscription to Google’s One AI Premium Plan. This allows for unfettered access to Google Gemini.

The camera system has been improved, and Pixel phones were already pretty dang good at snapping photos and shooting video. There’s a triple rear camera, and an upgraded 42 MP front camera. Footage can be algorithmically enhanced to 8K and the company is finally bringing Super Res Zoom to videos.

It’s important to note that the XL is really just a larger version of the Pixel 9 Pro. Beyond slightly faster charging and a bigger display, there aren’t really any features to set it apart from its smaller cousin. That display, however, is pretty nice. It’s a 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED screen that really pops, with Google promising it shows “true-to-life colors, even in direct sunlight.” This is because the brightness level has ticked up a bit to 3,000 nits. The Pixel 9 Pro XL starts at $1,100, and will be available in four colors. These include obsidian, rose quartz and hazel.

Google / Samsung / Will Shanklin for Engadget

Despite not being released yet, the Pixel 9 Pro XL already faces some stiff competition. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra released back in January and has proven itself to be a bona-fide hit. We gave it high marks in our official review, praising the useful AI tools, sturdy titanium frame, excellent battery life and bright display. But how does it stack up against the just-revealed Pixel 9 Pro XL? Let’s compare specs.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-9-pro-xl-vs-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-a-battle-of-androids-biggest-phones-170055756.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are its first earbuds that work with Gemini AI

• 
• August 13, 2024

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro immediately became the company’s best earbuds to date when they arrived in 2022. However, they were also the most expensive thus far and key features like spatial audio weren’t available at launch. Just over two years later, Google is back with a second-generation version of its noise-canceling Pro model that was rebuilt from the inside out. Plus, the Pixel Buds 2 Pro are the first Google earbuds to feature a Tensor chip inside. 

When they’re in your ears, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 look similar to their predecessor. The outside where the touch panel resides is still a circular shape, emblazoned with Google’s trademark “G.” The rest of the earbud housing has been revised though, using “45 million data points from ear scans” to devise the best shape for both comfort and a secure fit. They’re 27 percent smaller than the Pixel Buds Pro and Google shaved 1.5 grams off the weight. There’s also a “twist-to-adjust stabilizer” that the company says will keep the earbuds in place when you need it. 

Inside, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 pack in a Tensor A1 chip for audio processing and a dash of Google AI. The company says the component processes audio at “90 times faster than the speed of sound” (whatever that means), allowing the earbuds to adapt changes to both how they fit in your ears and to your environment. What’s more, the chip gives the buds the ability to block twice as much noise as the previous version and helps keep you sounding clear on calls. The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the Pixels Buds Pro 2 is equipped with so-called Silent Seal 2.0. Google says the system, with the aid of that Tensor chip, adapts to changes three million times per second. The ANC here is also capable of blocking more sounds, according to the company, including those at higher frequencies. 

There’s also a bit of Google’s Gemini AI available on the Pixel Buds Pro 2. Gemini Live allows you to have a conversation with the company’s artificial intelligence technology while you’re using the new earbuds. While it sounds like what we’re used to doing with Google Assistant, which Gemini has officially replaced on the Pixel 9, this should be more natural and free flowing. Google says you’ll be able to do things like practice for a job interview or kick around ideas while you’re on the go. Simply say “Hey Google, let’s talk live” to summon Gemini on the Pixel Buds 2 Pro without reaching for your phone. 

In terms of sound quality, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 have 11mm drivers for “powerful bass” and “smooth treble.” Google says it has employed multi-path signals on the earbuds so that the audio processing and music don’t have to compete for the same real estate. Spatial audio with head tracking will be available too, so long as you’re paired with a Pixel Tablet or a Pixel 6 and newer phone.

The company is making big claims about call quality as well, once again employing Clear Calling to reduce environmental noise of the person on the other end no matter what phone or earbuds they may be using. Conversation Detection returns to automatically pause music and switch to transparency mode when the earbuds detect that you’re speaking. Other conveniences include compatibility with the Find My Devices network, automatic device switching with other Pixel gadgets, Bluetooth LE audio, automatic pausing and a wireless charging case. Speaking of battery life, Google says you can expect up to eight hours with ANC on (12 hours with it off), which is one hour longer than the Pixel Buds Pro. 

The Pixel Buds 2 Pro will be available in Porcelain (tan), Hazel (grey), Wintergreen (green) and Peony (pink) for $229. That’s $29 more than the Pixel Buds Pro were at launch, making this new model Google’s most expensive earbuds yet again. You can pre-order the new earbuds today and they’ll be available on September 26.

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/googles-pixel-buds-pro-2-are-its-first-earbuds-that-work-with-gemini-ai-170048042.html?src=rss

The Pixel Screenshots app uses AI to scour the screengrabs I can’t remember why I saved

• 
• August 13, 2024

About 50 percent of my photo album is receipts. That is, screenshots of everything I consider even mildly interesting. Whether it’s Uber drivers who never seem to be getting closer, hot tea from my friend’s Instagram Stories or unfathomable email threads, my gallery is full of unexplainable internet detritus. Best of all, just from viewing their thumbnails, I can never know where exactly a specific image is, because walls of text all look the same from afar. So when Google announced its new Pixel Screenshots app at its Made By Google event today, I was excessively excited.

The Screenshots app launches alongside the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and uses Gemini AI to help locate specific images. After you grant the app access to your photos, the AI will not only ingest files it thinks are screenshots, but also start identifying what’s within each picture.

On the home page, you’ll see a row at the top called “Collections,” with a series of pre-organized snaps like “Gift Ideas,” “Boots” or “Places to visit.” These can be curated by yourself or suggested by the system.

Below this row is a grid of all your most recent captures, and at the bottom is a search bar and a Plus symbol next to it. Pressing that symbol will let you either launch the camera or import a photo from your album. This is helpful for pictures you’ve taken of real-world signs that contain information you want Gemini AI to help remember.

Tapping each screenshot in this app will expand the image and bring up a title, summary and buttons based on its contents. These are all AI-generated, so if you’re looking at a picture of a music festival’s Instagram post about upcoming dates, the title might say “Lollapalooza headline acts” with buttons to add specific events from that picture to your calendar. If you’ve pulled up an image of a restaurant’s website, then Screenshots might offer shortcuts to call the shop or navigate to the business address via Maps.

From the home page, you can either type into the search bar or tap the microphone icon in it and ask Google for things like “What was Sam’s WiFi password?” or “How much do I owe Cherlynn?” The app will scour your gallery and not only return images with possibly relevant info, but also attempt to answer your question up top. In the demo I saw at a recent hands-on event, a Google rep asked the app “When do the tickets for the festival go on sale?”

Screenshots responded almost instantly by pulling up a picture of a folk festival’s Instagram post, and seconds later showed the words “The tickets for the festival go on sale on August 5th.” This example was particularly impressive as there were multiple dates noted in the screenshot, one for the ticket sales starting and one for the festival itself kicking off. From the same interface, the company’s rep was able to get the Pixel 9 to set a reminder to buy the tickets in time.

It’s kind of a coincidence that Google is launching this app today, considering Apple’s redesign of its Photos app also pays extra attention to organizing and filtering out screenshots. My experience of both approaches is extremely limited at the moment, but currently I slightly prefer Google’s Screenshots app. It feels like a more focused and deliberate way to look for information and get help from AI, rather than possibly getting distracted by my million selfies in the Photos app on my iPhone when I’m trying to look for a bank statement, perhaps.

The use of AI to make sense of our screenshots feels like a smart one, though there are of course privacy concerns. Microsoft already had to hit pause on the rollout of its Recall feature that was supposed to remember everything you were doing on your computer by taking screenshots every few seconds. Google’s Screenshots app uses Gemini Nano, which is its on-device AI model for local processing, and the company says this feature won’t share your screenshots offline (beyond the backups you might already have opted in to via Google Photos).

The Pixel Screenshots app will be on the Pixel 9 family at launch, and the company has nothing to share on wider availability at the moment. But based on how Google has launched and rolled out apps like Recorder in the past, it’s likely that older Pixel devices will get Screenshots in time, as long as it’s received well by users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-pixel-screenshots-app-uses-ai-to-scour-the-screengrabs-i-cant-remember-why-i-saved-170043423.html?src=rss

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a bigger, brighter inner display and the same $1,799 price

• 
• August 13, 2024

Google’s second foldable phone, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, has arrived. The good news is its eight-inch inner display is the largest on a folding phone, edging out the OnePlus Open’s 7.8 inches. Of course, it also gets the latest Tensor chip (and more memory). The bad news, if you were hoping for a price drop with this generation, is that the second-gen foldable costs the same $1,799 as its 2023 predecessor.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a Super Actua Flex inner screen with 2076 x 2152 resolution (373 ppi). The display is 80 percent brighter than the one on the Pixel Fold, so at least you’re getting more… nits for your buck (or something like that). Meanwhile, its 6.3-inch outer screen is also bigger than last year’s model, and it has a 1080 x 2424 OLED.

The phone has a “satin metal frame,” “polished hinge” and “silky matte back” that should add to its premium allure. At 0.4 inches folded, Google says it’s the thinnest foldable available (at least if you ignore its camera bump). At 9.1 oz (257 g), it’s about nine percent lighter than the first Pixel Fold.

Like the rest of this year’s lineup, the Android 14-running phone is powered by Google’s Tensor G4 chip. Alongside the Pixel 9 Pro series, it has 16GB of RAM. (The base Pixel 9 is a bit lower at 12GB.) The Fold has an IPX8 water resistance rating, the same as its predecessor.

Google

Unsurprisingly, Google AI is a big part of this year’s Pixel lineup, including the foldable. Pressing and holding the power button will summon Gemini, ready to answer your questions, plan events and automate writing tasks. Buying the Pixel 9 Pro Fold also gets you one year of the Google One AI Premium Plan, which includes Gemini Advanced (the chatbot’s upgraded model), Gemini in Gmail and Docs and 2TB of cloud storage.

Cameras are still one of the Pixel series’ biggest draws, and the new model doesn’t appear to change that. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold includes wide (48MP), ultrawide (10.5MP) and telephoto (10.8MP) lenses with 5x optical zoom (and up to 20x AI-powered Super Res digital zoom). Of course, it also has familiar machine-learning boosts like Night Sight Video and the Magic Editor suite, now well familiar to Pixel devotees.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is available in porcelain and obsidian color options, starting at $1,799 for 256GB storage (you can pay more for 512GB). It’s available for pre-order today but doesn’t begin shipping until September.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-google-pixel-9-pro-fold-has-a-bigger-brighter-inner-display-and-the-same-1799-price-170033058.html?src=rss

How to pre-order the new Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold

• 
• August 13, 2024

Google launched a slew of new Pixel devices at its latest Made by Google event on Tuesday, including four Pixel 9 smartphones, the Pixel Watch 3 smartwatch and an updated set of wireless Pixel Buds earbuds. We have details on all of the new devices spread out across Engadget, but if you’re already interested in picking one up, we’ve broken down what’s new and laid out your current purchasing options below. Most people should hold off on buying until we’ve given everything a full review, to be clear, but we did regard many of these devices’ predecessors highly — the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were top picks in our guide to the best smartphones, for instance, while the older Pixel Buds Pro made our wireless earbuds buying guide.

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-pre-order-the-new-google-pixel-9-pixel-9-pro-and-pixel-9-pro-fold-170032410.html?src=rss

Gemini, Google’s AI-powered chatbot, is the default assistant on Pixel 9 phones

• 
• August 13, 2024

Google’s new Pixel 9 lineup of phones will be different from all other Android phones in one big way: The default assistant on these devices will be Gemini, Google’s AI-powered chatbot, not Google Assistant. “On mobile, Gemini is an evolution of the Assistant,” Sissie Hsiao, Google’s vice president and general manager of Gemini Experiences, told Engadget in an interview. “Users can go back to the classic Google Assistant, but this is the new Assistant now.”

Hsiao just answered a question that has swirled since May when Google announced that it was building Gemini right into Android: What happens to Google Assistant? Hsiao said that Gemini, which is powered by Google’s own family of large language models, would be compatible with everything that the classic Google Assistant could do.

This means that you can ask Gemini to do simple things like turn on the lights or play music, or you can pose more complex questions like “What’s the weather on the weekend in Mountain View and San Francisco, and which one is hotter?” to decide which place you want to visit.

“It’s much more powerful, even for the things that people used to do in the old Assistant,” said Hsiao. “It’s really a huge generative AI evolution of that product. It can do all the generative AI things like image generation and text generation, but it can also do all the things of the past in this much richer, much more fluid way.”

To be clear, you can still use Gemini as your assistant on most current Android phones, Pixels or otherwise — but only if you opt in. You must first fire up Google Assistant and tell it to replace itself with Gemini when asked.

Google has previously refrained from answering whether Gemini will replace Google Assistant in the future. “The way to look at it is that Gemini is an opt-in experience on the phone,” Sameer Samat, president of the Android ecosystem at Google, told Wired back in May. “I think obviously over time Gemini is becoming more advanced and is evolving. We don’t have anything to announce today, but there is a choice for consumers if they want to opt into this new AI-powered assistant. They can try it out and we are seeing that people are doing that and we’re getting a lot of great feedback.”

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-googles-ai-powered-chatbot-is-the-default-assistant-on-pixel-9-phones-170027220.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel 9 is a sleeker and more powerful flagship built for Gemini AI

• 
• August 13, 2024

Practical. Functional. Different. Those are the ways we’ve typically described Google’s Pixel smartphones since they debuted in 2016. Google was always less concerned about making its phones look as cool as competitors — instead, its focus has been on unique camera tech and early AI capabilities. Since 2021’s Pixel 6, their cases have also been dominated by a massive rear camera bar, something that allows for large sensors but is undoubtedly polarizing. You either love it as an example of Google going against the grain, or you hate it.

Photo by Google

Now with the Pixel 9, which debuted today at the company’s 2024 Made By Google event, the company is finally trying to make the camera bar a bit less ugly. You could dare call it stylish. The new camera bar loses the edges of the old rectangular iterations and looks more like a wide pill box (it’s almost as if Google is trolling Apple for its Magic Island). Together with a thinner design, a glass rear cover and satin metal edges, the Pixel 9 finally looks like a phone that can sit beside Samsung’s latest Galaxy devices or an iPhone without shame. Those good looks will cost you though: The Pixel 9 starts at $799, $100 more than the Pixel 8.

Photo by Google

Beyond the facelift, the Pixel 9 also includes a slew of hardware upgrades that should make it more capable for AI tasks. There’s Google’s new Tensor G4 chip and 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB on the Pixel 8. The battery is slightly larger than before, and it can charge up to 55 percent in 30 minutes. And the screen has been upgraded as well: Google’s 6.3-inch Actua OLED display is slightly larger than before as well as 35 percent brighter, reaching up to 2,700 nits.

The Pixel 9’s cameras have also been totally revamped. In addition to the 50 megapixel main lens, there’s also a new 48 megapixel ultrawide (up from a 12MP ultrawide last year) that can take Macro Focus shots. The 10.5MP front camera also gets auto focus this year — something that was surprisingly left out in the past. At least you won’t have to worry about blurry selfies as much.

Photo by Google

As you’d expect, Google is touting the Pixel 9 as the perfect vessel for its Gemini AI. In addition to generating images or text on demand, the Pixel 9 will also be able to remember information via Pixel Screenshots. It’s an on-device AI feature that sounds similar to Microsoft’s Recall, but instead of relying on constant monitoring of your device, it’s only going off of the screenshots you take. You could, for example, take a picture of a party invitation and then ask Gemini to recall it for you. Add Me, another on-device AI feature, will let you take a picture of friends and add yourself in later.

The Pixel 9 starts at $799 with 128GB of storage, but you can also upgrade to 256GB for $899. It’ll be available on August 22, and it’s coming in a slew of colors: Porcelain, Wintergreen, Peony and Obsidian.

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/googles-pixel-9-is-a-sleeker-and-more-powerful-flagship-built-for-gemini-ai-170026004.html?src=rss

Google Pixel 9 and 9 Pro hands-on: A smart evolution, and a smaller Pro model

• 
• August 13, 2024

With the new Pixel 9, Google is continuing its push for more AI-powered features while also developing a more durable design and addressing one of my longest-running requests: the addition of a more compact Pro model.

The new Pixel 9 family

Unlike previous generations, the Pixel 9 line will now be divided across three handsets. There’s the base Pixel 9 which features a 6.3-inch screen, the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL and the newest member of the family: the Pixel 9 Pro, which has all the same features as the Pro XL but in a smaller chassis with a 6.3-inch screen. In essence, the P9 Pro is for everyone who always wanted the extra telephoto camera you got on previous top-tier Google phones, but without the need to upgrade to a physically larger device.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

All three models are powered by Google’s latest Tensor G4 chip. However, when compared to the regular Pixel 9, while it has the same size screen, the P9 Pro’s display sports a slightly higher resolution (1,280 x 2856 versus 1,080 x 2,424) and better peak brightness (3,000 nits vs 2,700 nits). It also gets more storage size options (up to 1TB) and 16GB of RAM instead of 12GB like on the base model. However, both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro feature the same 4,700 mAh batteries, so longevity should be quite comparable.

Updated styling

Now that we got that out of the way, we can look at the line’s updated design. Every model features Gorilla Glass Victus 2 in front and back along with a boxier frame that Google claims is twice as durable as the previous generation. There are also a few small cosmetic differences such as a different color options (the most notable is peony on the Pixel 9 and rose quartz on the Pro and Pro XL) and a matte satin finish on the base model versus a shiny, polished treatment for the more expensive Pro phones.

From the front, it almost looks like Google is stealing a page out of Apple’s playbook, as both the Pixel 9 and iPhone 14 have similar silhouettes with flat sides and rounded corners. But everything changes when you flip the phone around. Gone is the camera bar that recent Pixels had become known for and in its place is a tall pill-shaped module that looks kind of like a visor. It’s almost like what an Among Us character would look like if you made one into a phone.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But more importantly, Google has upgraded the Pixel 9 line’s camera sensors with a new 50-MP main camera, a 48-MP ultra-wide that can also shoot macros and, for the Pro and Pro XL, a third 48-MP cam with a 5x telephoto zoom. Unfortunately, it was hard to get a good sense of how much image quality has improved during my short hands-on session, but I’d argue the biggest improvements are some of Google’s new camera features anyway.

This includes the debut of Zoom Enhance, which was originally teased back during the launch of the Pixel 8 but hadn’t been officially released until now. It takes soft blurry images and uses AI to increase both detail and sharpness. But the most impressive thing is that it seems to deliver on the TV show magic from series like CSI, where you can just press a button and suddenly a blurry pic becomes clear as day.

New software and camera features

In Google’s Magic Editor, there are two additions called Autoframe and Reimagine. The former relies on machine learning to analyze existing shots and recompose them to better highlight the subject or their surroundings while filling in the blanks similar to how the Content-Aware Fill tool works in Photoshop. Meanwhile, the latter can add new elements to a photo (it works best on foregrounds and backgrounds) simply by typing something in the prompt box. During our session, I replaced a road with a raging river with surprisingly good results.

There’s also the Add Me tool, which uses augmented reality guides to help you shoot two group shots with different people holding the phone before merging everything together. This means that everyone can be in the final image without needing to ask a stranger for help. And as an expansion of last year’s Video Boost tool, you can now shoot videos with up to 20x zoom or clips with up to 8K resolution.

But perhaps the most intriguing new software is two new exclusive standalone apps: Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio. Pixel Screenshots is very straightforward as it uses AI to analyze and search through all your saved screenshots so that you can easily retrieve information like reservations, things mentioned in a text or anything else. That said, unlike Microsoft’s Recall feature in Windows 11, the Pixel 9 doesn’t create screenshots and save screenshots automatically, you have to do that on your own. This potentially sidesteps some of the more pressing security concerns, especially as everything in the Pixel Screenshots app happens on device.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Alternatively, for people who want to create brand new images, the Pixel Studio app uses AI to generate pretty much anything you can think of. You can even make custom stickers with your friends’ faces and combine them with other materials to create things like invitations.

Elsewhere, the Pixel Weather app features new AI-generated summaries of the day’s conditions, while updates to Clear Calling and the new Call Notes feature allow you to better hear and transcribe what’s being said. Finally, for more adventurous folk, Google’s Satellite SOS feature will allow you to text emergency services for help even when your phone doesn’t have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. The service will be free for the first two years, though it remains to be seen how much it will cost after that.

Early impressions

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

All in all, the new Pixel 9 family isn’t a major departure from last year’s phones. That said, I think Google’s revamped designs look great and there are a ton of individual features and tools that seem quite powerful. So even if you might not have plans for all of them, stuff like Satellite SOS, Add Me or the Pixel Studio could make or break certain situations. Then you combine that best-in-class image quality, great screens with top-notch brightness. But the biggest ongoing development is how Google continues to build out its library of class-leading software and services. The Pixel is already home to powerful features like the Pixel Recorder, Call Screener and more, and now it’s getting support for Satellite SOS plus apps like the Pixel Studio, which is essentially a self-contained alternative to services like Midjourney. Year by year, it feels like Google is continuing to grow its lead in AI and software.

The standard Pixel 9 starts at $799 and will be available in four colors: obsidian, porcelain, wintergreen and peony. The Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL start at $999 and $1,099 respectively, and will be available in obsidian, porcelain, hazel and rose quartz. Pre-orders go live today with official sales beginning on August 22.

Catch up on all the news from Google’s Pixel 9 launch event right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-9-and-9-pro-hands-on-a-smart-evolution-and-a-smaller-pro-model-170015733.html?src=rss