Pixel devices have always reflected Google’s vision for Android, serving as a platform to showcase its apps and technological advances. Today, that vision is centered on Google’s consumer AI suite. The company wants Pixel owners to integrate Google AI into every aspect of their daily lives through these new devices.
While many discuss AI as a paradigm shift, companies understand that the best way to reach consumers is still through their phones. Google is determined to convince people that its phones and their AI tools are the best, even hiring Jimmy Fallon to promote them.
The Pixel hardware lineup did not undergo drastic changes this year. The most notable update was the base Pixel 10 model gaining a telephoto camera. Another significant addition is Pixelsnap, Google’s version of MagSafe with Qi2 charging, which unlocks a range of new accessories like chargers and stands.
I have been using the Pixel 10 Pro, which features a brighter screen, more RAM, and a pro camera. Google’s announcement heavily emphasized the new Tensor G5 chip, which is manufactured by TSMC instead of Samsung this year. Google claims the new chip delivers better AI performance and runs the latest Gemini Nano model. A full performance review will require more than a few days of use.
Software features have long been a mainstay of Pixel phones, and with AI, that focus becomes even more prominent.
All companies are packing their device presentations with mentions of AI technology. However, customers often receive only a partial version of those promises when they first get the device. For example, I have been using an Indian Pixel unit, which means some AI features are not immediately available.
Notable features like Daily Hub, which shows a summary of your day with content suggestions, and support for conversational edits in Photos, are currently only available in the U.S. Magic Cue is one of this year’s marquee AI features. It is designed to contextually surface information from one app to another, such as restaurant reservations, flights, or hotel bookings. If you are discussing lunch with a friend, it could surface recommendations, or it could provide flight details during a call with an airline.
In tests, Magic Cue showed me a contact detail when I received a text asking for someone’s information. It also suggested “Love Is Blind” when I opened YouTube based on prior screenshots and messages, and it offered a coffee shop recommendation when I opened Maps. However, when I received a text asking if I had ordered cat food, Magic Cue missed the opportunity to pull context from a Gmail delivery confirmation.
Currently, the feature works largely across Google apps like Messages, Gmail, Keep, Calendar, Screenshots, and Contacts. It will be interesting to see how it evolves, whether other apps can integrate with it, and how much context it can ultimately pull. This promise is similar to what Apple previewed for an AI-enabled Siri in 2024, which has not gone well—Siri’s update is delayed until at least 2026. So far, Magic Cue is off to a good start, but only long-term usage will prove its effectiveness.
Call translation is another significant AI feature on the Pixel 10, especially for those who communicate in different languages or have international colleagues. Google advertised that the feature retains your voice in the translated language. While that claim is largely true, language support is limited. A call with a French-speaking friend where I spoke English worked well on both ends, but the same cannot be said for a Hindi-English call. Hindi support is still in preview, and the translation often fell flat.
Gemini Live, which can highlight objects in your video view, was a hit-or-miss upgrade. It successfully identified a Sprigatito toy, advised on which spoon to use for measuring coffee, and provided guidance on cleaning AirPods Pro 2. However, it misidentified a Pixel 9 Pro XL as a OnePlus phone and incorrectly suggested the SIM tray was on the left.
Other AI tidbits include the ability to add music to your voice recordings, which could be useful for musicians, and screenshot and voice transcript sharing to NotebookLM, which is now a pre-installed app. There are also new voice editing and writing tools in Gboard.
Pixel’s camera hardware is solid and takes signature, punchy pictures. While there are no major hardware changes, Google has added many software updates.
In an age where companies are adding more AI to phone camera photos, Google is also trying to teach people how to take good photos with a feature called Camera Coach. When using the rear camera, tapping a sparkly icon activates the Camera Coach. It analyzes the frame and suggests different styles for your photo. When you choose a style, it offers tips on choosing a lens, framing the object, and adjusting your level. Some tips are generic, but it often provides useful framing context.
An option called “Get Inspired” shows generative AI variations of poses and positioning. At times, I saw unrelated suggestions, and other times, the suggested poses or facial expressions for a person seemed uncanny, with wide eyes or strangely placed hands.
Super Res Zoom, new to the Pixel 10 Pro, is one of the most impressive camera features. While earlier Pixels offered 30x zoom, the Pixel 10 Pro goes up to 100x. The company uses AI models to upscale the photo, allowing you to make out faraway objects instead of seeing a noisy blur. This is controversial because AI is filling in details, but the phone stores both the AI-processed and original photos. The main issue with 100x zoom is the need to keep your hand very steady.
Google is also shipping an updated Portrait mode with the ability to take 50-megapixel images. While the new modes allow higher resolution photos, they do not always get the subject separation right, sometimes blurring part of a person or animal in focus.
The new AI-powered Best Take feature uses frame-mashing techniques for group photos. It captures multiple photos and picks the best one where everyone has their eyes open and is looking at the camera. If no single photo is suitable, it merges multiple images to make everyone look good.
One enjoyable photo mode is action pan, where you focus on a moving object and the software creates a blur in the background.
So why would you want to buy a Pixel? Perhaps you are already a Pixel user with an old phone ready for an upgrade. Maybe you were using an iPhone and want Google’s version of the Android experience. You may have heard about Pixel’s advanced photography and liked what you saw. These are all good reasons.
Although the hardware improvements are incremental year-over-year, as with any flagship, you will feel a difference, especially if upgrading from a phone more than two years old.
The good part about the Pixel 10 Pro is that you do not miss much by not choosing the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Apart from screen size and battery life, the XL offers 25W Qi charging, but that is about it. Google has done well to maintain feature and hardware parity in both Pro devices.
The AI component is what is in contention. The promise of “AI phones” is that your experience will improve over time as the company ships more features. This is why Google includes free AI Pro plans with Pro phones for a year, so you can use more of Google’s AI and feel your phone is better because of it.
But as learned from Apple’s experience last year, announced AI features might not arrive on time or could feel redundant. Users in different parts of the world will also have different experiences, as some AI features may not be available or may not work as well for their language and locale. Google is generating a magnificent vision of AI, but not everyone is living in that AI utopia. Google’s AI is now everywhere in Pixel, but you will not always need it.