Google Pixel 9 Unveiled: Refreshed Design, Familiar Camera
At its annual Made by Google event, the company revealed its latest smartphone, the Pixel 9. This base model, along with its counterparts, sports a slightly updated camera module design and flat edges reminiscent of the iPhone 15. Notably absent is a telephoto lens, a feature Google reserves for its Pro models. Let's delve into what else this new smartphone offers.
Design Refresh
The first thing that catches the eye is the subtle design change. Gone are the rounded edges, replaced by a flatter aesthetic mirroring the screen and camera module. The base model boasts a 6.3-inch OLED Actua display with a peak brightness of 2700 nits, a resolution of 1080x2424 pixels, a 60-120Hz refresh rate, and the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Embedded within the display is a 10.5MP front-facing camera (Samsung 3J1, f/2.2, 95°) with autofocus. Underneath the display, Google has incorporated Qualcomm's new 3D Sonic Gen 2 ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
The camera module remains noticeably prominent. Since the Pixel 5, Google has opted against including a telephoto lens in its base models. Consequently, the Pixel 9 features a 50MP main camera (Octa PD wide camera, Samsung GNK, 1/1.31", f/1.68, 82°) and a new 48MP ultrawide lens (Quad PD ultrawide, Sony IMX 858, f/1.7, 1/2.55") with a 123-degree field of view. The device also supports 8x Super Res Zoom and comes equipped with laser autofocus (LDAF), OIS, and EIS.
Performance & Features
Powering the Pixel 9 is the new Google Tensor G4 (ARMv9.2) processor. According to insiders, this chip comprises four Cortex-A520 "small" cores, three Cortex-A720 "medium" cores, and a single Cortex-X4 "large" core. Compared to its predecessor, the G4 has one less "medium" core, suggesting a marginal performance difference from the G3. Pre-release benchmarks indicate that the new chip is only about 11% faster in single-core tasks and 3% faster in multi-core tasks. While the GPU remains the same (Mali-G715), its clock speed has increased slightly from 890MHz to 940MHz. To enhance energy efficiency, Google has integrated the new Exynos 5400 modem, which not only conserves power but also enables satellite connectivity, used here for transmitting SOS signals and location data to emergency services. RAM has also been bumped up to 12GB in the base model, presumably to support the phone's new AI features.
Other modules remain unchanged:
- Edge TPU: Machine learning algorithm accelerator
- BigWave: AV1 encoder/decoder
- GXP: Camera performance accelerator
- Titan M2: Security chip
Google highlighted new AI capabilities coming to the Pixel 9, even in the base version. For instance, Pixel 9 buyers will receive a free one-year subscription to Google's advanced AI assistant, Gemini Advanced. This neural network boasts an impressive context size (1 million tokens) and supports file analysis.
The Pixel 9 also introduces Pixel Screenshots, akin to Recall in Windows 11 24H2. This feature allows the neural network to analyze saved screenshots and answer user queries about their content. Additionally, the phone supports both existing and new algorithms:
- Add Me: Adds missing individuals to a photo by analyzing two images taken at the same location.
- Magic Editor: Allows users to describe desired photo edits textually, such as changing the weather from rainy to sunny.
- Magic Eraser: Removes unwanted objects from photos.
- Magic Editor: Modifies the sky or water in a photo.
- Best Take: Creates the perfect group photo by combining elements from multiple images, ensuring everyone is captured at their best.
- Photo Unblur: Sharpens blurry images.
The Pixel 9 will be available in four colors: pink, light green, black, and beige.
Availability and Pricing
The Pixel 9 will ship with Android 14, with an update to Android 15 expected soon. Like last year's series, the new Pixel will receive OS and security updates for seven years. The smartphone will come bundled with a USB Type-C charging cable, but lacks a power adapter. On the plus side, the built-in 4700 mAh battery supports 27W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging. The device measures 72 x 152.8 x 8.5 mm and weighs 198 grams. Its casing is IP68-rated for dust and water resistance.
A complete list of specifications can be found on the official Google website.
The base model of the Pixel 9 will be priced at $799 for the 128GB version and $899 for the 256GB variant.
