Disclaimer first: I didn’t watch the full Google event as I was playing tennis, I wouldn’t play tennis during an Apple event, but I am not in the Google ecosystem so tennis took priority. But that said, as someone who is deep in the Apple ecosystem, the Google devices are the ones I am most vested in (apart from Apple of course). Not Samsung, but Google. My thoughts are from these three YouTubers whose videos I just watched:
The design
Call it Apple bias but these phones look very Apple like. I am not claiming that Google has copied the iPhone, but if Apple was making an Android phone this is what it will look like. And it looks gorgeous, I think these are the best looking Android phones out there. I love the flat edges, I love the small bezels, I love the circular pill like camera bump at the back which give off RoboCop vibes. The shiny sides and the matt glass back reminds of the iPhone Pro 12, 13 and 14’s, it’s all great design, looks sleek.
I love that there are two different sizes of the Pro phones, akin to the Pro and Pro Max of the iPhones. So now if you wan’t pro features and still want a phone that is relatively pocketable you don’t have to go big.
I could not speak about the design and not speak about the colours, the colours are pretty great too, there is variety. Not just 4 variations of grey! (I am talking about the iPhone 15 Pro colours, if you weren’t sure). I think Hazel is the colour I like, reminds me of my natural titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is a great colour too. The Rose Quartz is my second favourite colour, it is a beautiful shade of pink.
The Performance
The Google Tensor G4 is not going to be as fast as an Apple A17 chip (found in the iPhone 15 Pro), and I don’t really care. If I am to go ahead and buy an Android phone, Google or otherwise, performance is not what I am going for. At this moment in time Apple’s processors are far better at performance, that’s that. And the iPhone will be my primary phone, and I don’t need all the performance in a secondary Android phone.
However, what I did notice is that the Pixel 9 has 12gigs of RAM, and the Pro, the Pro XL and Fold all have 16gigs of RAM. All the iPhone 16’s are touted to have 8 gigs of RAM in comparison. Yes, iOS does not need as much RAM but it always amuses me how Apple can, and is stingy when it comes to providing RAM, and it comes back to bite them (No Apple Intelligence on your non-Pro iPhone 15 due to lack of sufficient RAM).
The Cameras
Again, I am not bothered much about how many megapixels these cameras are, but on the Pro phones, they are 50-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultra wide), 48-megapixel (5x telephoto).
Apple still has 12-megapixels on the ultra wide and telephoto lenses. More megapixels don’t necessarily mean a better camera system, but I know Apple has plans to upgrade them. Google is already at a minimum of 48-megapixels already, and the rumour is that the iPhone 16 Pro will get a 48-megapixel ultra wide this year. And the iPhone 17 Pro next year will see Apple upgrade the telephoto lens to 48-megapixels. I just wish Apple would get on with it and focus on upgrading more than one lens at a time.
When talking about the design I said I love the way the cameras are laid out in the back of these phones. I think they really look cool and futuristic, they look better than the 3-camera-stove like system in the back of iPhones. But the thing about the camera layout in the iPhone is the distance between the 3 lenses are the same so switching between them is smooth and seamless. And there was a bit of jitter in the video by Becca when she switched the lenses. I would take Apple’s functionality over Google’s form any day.
I will wait for some full reviews of the new Google Pixel cameras but I am sure they will be great. Thing is, if you buy a modern smartphone, let it be Apple, Google, or Samsung, you will get a great camera for photography anyway. You can’t lose, pick the system you like.
Videography is one thing I think Apple is miles ahead, mostly thanks to the powerful processor. But that doesn’t mean Google or Samsung are bad at video. I am excited to see what video improvements Google has brought to these new phones, and I hope the new Pixel phones give Apple a run for its money when it comes to video. Competition is good, competition is what makes tech exciting.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Here’s where I get jealous! The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a name that does not roll out of the tongue smoothly as you’d like, but goodness me it looks amazing!
I have already been out at Samsung stores here in London looking at the Galaxy Fold 6 and being envious at it. The hardware is amazing, the software however is not something I really am a fan of. Nothing wrong with Android, I just prefer iOS, and iOS works the way my brain works. I have been using a Nothing CMF1 phone as a secondary phone for about a month now. And I find Android confusing the same way someone would find iOS confusing after using Android for over a decade. This is a story for later, keep an eye on this site.
I haven’t held a Pixel 9 Pro Fold in my hands, but I feel like this one is better than the Samsung Galaxy Fold 6. Foldable phones often have a complaint that they are two phones stacked upon each other making the whole thing thick, but the Pro fold looks very thin, as this as it could get. And it folds perfectly leaving no gap in between. There is still a visible line on the display where the hinge is, but it is as good as it gets today. And the display is bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Fold 6 too.
The Galaxy Fold 6 made me feel like I was missing out on foldable phones and the Pixel Fold has now made it worse. I just wish Apple would make a foldable soon. I am sure they are prototyping it, and they wouldn’t release it until they get it perfect. But when is that going to be? The Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1799, the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1199, surely Apple can make a Fold and start it at $1999?
There is a saying that Apple is usually not about getting to the party first, but getting there the best dressed. The party has started years ago and it’s making iPhone enthusiasts like me feel a bit bored. A foldable phone running iOS is all I ask for.
I will be keeping an eye on any deals on the new Pixel Fold, because I think it’s an amazing device, and as a tech nerd it is what I would love to have.