You get all the identical software program options because the Pixel 9 collection, however there are some extras to reap the benefits of all of the screens. Made You Look, for instance, performs a cute animation on the outer display to verify your kiddo stares at it while you’re making an attempt to seize a photograph. While you’re on a Google Meet name, now you can make the most of all of the screens so that everybody round you may see the individual you are talking with, and meaning utilizing all of the cameras too, so the individual on the opposite finish would not must see simply your face.
On the finish of the day, that is nonetheless a $1,799 smartphone, and that is simply too excessive a value to pay. However you probably have the money and love folding telephones, particularly when paired with a Pixel’s smarts and digicam prowess, this is without doubt one of the greatest choices accessible.
How Lengthy Is Your Pixel Supported?
The Pixel 10 collection, Pixel 9 collection, Pixel 8 collection, Pixel 9a, and Pixel 8a will get seven years of Android OS upgrades and safety updates. The 2023 Pixel 7a will obtain three years of Android OS upgrades and 5 years of safety updates from the date of launch, the identical as older Pixels. Google has a page you can check to see precisely what month your Pixel telephone will cease receiving updates. Safety updates scale back the chance of malware, maintain your telephone bug-free, and make it safer. Android model updates introduce new options—beauty and practical—that enhance the OS as an entire.
Pixel telephones additionally occur to be the primary to obtain any form of Android replace, in order quickly as Google releases a brand new model, like Android 16, you may obtain it instantly by heading to Settings > System > System Replace > Verify for Replace. You too can take a look at beta variations of Android, however you may have to enroll your device. (Ensure that to back up your phone first!) Pixels are additionally aware of the feature drops Google points each few months, which embody options from newer Pixels coming to older fashions and brand-new options for the newest units.
There are just a few different Pixel telephones value contemplating if you don’t need any of the above decisions. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) can be found by means of official channels and third-party retailers (till provides final). The bottom line is to not pay more than $500 or $600 for either of them; in any other case, it’s possible you’ll as effectively put that cash towards the Pixel 9 or Pixel 10 collection.
I don’t advocate you purchase any older Pixel units. A number of Pixel A-series telephones have been put underneath a battery efficiency program to mitigate the chance of overheating or swelling batteries. These software program updates have crippled the battery life on these telephones, and Google has offered prospects with battery alternative choices or Google Retailer credit score for a brand new Pixel telephone. These potential points imply it is simply not definitely worth the danger of shopping for a Pixel 7a or Pixel 6a. The Pixel 8a (8/10, WIRED Recommends) would not appear to indicate issues but, however I might nonetheless throw warning to the wind.
Pixel A-Collection Battery Points
In 2025, some Google Pixel 4a and Pixel 6a homeowners have acquired obligatory updates that purposefully degrade the efficiency of the battery to forestall overheating. Your telephone might have been working high quality earlier than, however Google issued these updates as a preventative measure, and never each gadget was affected. Equally, some Pixel 7a devices might encounter battery swelling points.
In case your telephone has been affected, you have got two choices. You may get a free battery alternative—Google has a registration web page for the Pixel 4a, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 7a. If that is not going to give you the results you want, you may get Google Retailer credit score for the Pixel 4a and Pixel 6a to place towards a brand new Pixel telephone.
These points appear to have solely affected some batteries within the A-series telephones, suggesting it is doubtless a provider concern. What in regards to the newer Pixel 9a? Here is a press release a Google spokesperson offered to WIRED: “Google constantly improves Pixel testing based mostly on consumer suggestions and totally investigates reported incidents for all elements, together with batteries. With Pixel 9a, we delivered the most important and longest-lasting battery of any A-series but. We’ve been inspired by its reception up to now and are assured within the telephone’s longevity and sturdiness.”
Ideally, this battery concern has been rectified within the newest mannequin, however we’ll be monitoring it over the subsequent few years.
What Does Pixel Care+ Embody?
While you buy a Pixel from Google, you may see the choice so as to add Pixel Care+ for protection. It is solely accessible within the US by means of the Google Retailer and Google Fi. The month-to-month possibility can run for as much as 60 months, whereas the fastened pricing is for a 2-year time period. Here is what you get.
Pixel Care+ begins at $9 per 30 days or $179 and contains limitless unintended harm safety, $0 display and battery repairs, replacements that ship in a day, and precedence assist from Pixel specialists. That pricing is for the Pixel 10, and it goes up for the pricier units. For instance, the Pixel 10 Professional will price $13 per 30 days, or $239 for the 2-year time period. There is no Pixel Care+ possibility for the Pixel 9a.
Pixel Care+ with Loss and Theft begins at $10 per 30 days or $199 and contains the identical protections as talked about above however contains two claims of loss and theft each 12 months. Weirdly, Loss and Theft protection isn’t accessible in New York state.
You Can DeGoogle Your Pixel Telephone
Love Google’s Pixel telephones however need to get away from using Google services? It is a little bit ironic, however you may truly use a distinct working system with the Pixel as a substitute of the built-in Android. We have examined and actually like /e/OS, a privacy-first working system that is based mostly on the Android Open Supply Mission. Whilst you can set up it your self, it requires a little bit of technical know-how, you may buy a refurbished Pixel from Murena with /e/OS put in already. If you happen to’re , we’ve extra particulars about /e/OS here.
The Finest Pixel Instances and Equipment
I’ve written a broader information on the Best Pixel 9 Cases and Accessories here, however listed below are just a few alternatives to your perusal. We’ll be testing circumstances for the Pixel 10 collection quickly.
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This silicone case permits you to match your Pixel telephone’s colour. It is sturdy and good to the touch, with raised edges on the entrance to guard the display. It is made with recycled plastics, and whereas the older circumstances entice lint and dirt simply, this revamped case does a greater job of resisting them. I additionally like that it retains the again flush, so the digicam bump is not so apparent. The Pixel 9 Professional Fold case is made from a hard-shell polycarbonate, however it’s pretty slim and light-weight in comparison with third-party circumstances I’ve examined. Entry to the buttons is open, and I like the way it provides you a neater method to unfold the telephone.
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{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu
That is our favourite case total for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 8A collection. It has clicky buttons and extremely grippy edges (therefore the identify). It feels sturdy but pretty slim, and you’ll select a snazzy design. Simply know that it’s important to apply this “pores and skin” to the again of the case. There’s a number of room for error right here, so watch out, and watch Dbrand’s installation video for tips. There’s MagSafe support so you should use your Pixel with MagSafe accessories, and it labored exceptionally in my testing.
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That is hands-down one of the best case for those who steadily connect your Pixel to the handlebars of a motorcycle or an electrical scooter. Peak Design’s mounting system permits you to magnetically affix the telephone to its Universal Bike Mount ($50), and it stays put. After practically a yr of testing, I’ve but to have a telephone fall off my journey utilizing this mounting system. It makes use of Apple’s MagSafe system, so it really works with loads of MagSafe accessories, even wi-fi chargers. The corporate additionally has a number of different magnetic accessories, like a car vent mount. The case itself is good; I simply want the sides had been raised extra for higher display safety. It is available in extra colours than ever.
This charging adapter is all you must recharge your Pixel, whichever mannequin you have got. The most recent high-end Pixel telephones do not include chargers within the field, so if you have no spare USB-C chargers, it is value selecting one up. This one’s prongs fold up, so it is nice for journey too.
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Dbrand provides you two display protectors on this bundle, and once I initially examined it, there was no software instrument, so I needed to freehand the set up. The present Prism 2.0 model fortunately now comes with a instrument, so it ought to be a lot simpler to align. You get all the opposite instruments within the field to wipe down your telephone and guarantee there aren’t any specks of mud on it prior to installing the protector.
Our Favourite Pixel Software program Options
Pixels have many nice software program options, however some should be toggled on. It may also be laborious to do not forget that all these options exist, so listed below are a lot of the high ones.
There are some key options on Pixels that you simply will not discover on some other Android telephone. A few of these can be found solely on choose Pixels—the Tensor chip began with the Pixel 6, and at the moment, the Tensor G4 is within the Pixel 9 vary. Here is a breakdown:
Name Display screen: While you get a name from an unknown quantity, Google Assistant will scan and flag it if it is suspected spam or a robocall. If it is merely a quantity you do not acknowledge, you may have Assistant take the decision. You may see a real-time transcription of what is taking place, so you may finish the decision immediately if it is a telemarketer or reply if it seems to be a long-lost highschool pal. If it is somebody essential, you can provide Assistant responses to recite for those who’re unable to take the decision—it affords up contextual replies now, too. Keep in mind to show it on by opening up the dialer app and heading to Settings (three dots on the highest proper) > Spam and Name Display screen.
Wait Instances and Direct My Name: While you name a enterprise within the telephone app, you may see an estimated wait time till somebody actual picks up (it would not work with each enterprise). Google’s Direct My Name characteristic additionally transcribes your entire name and separates the menu choices so you may see them with out having to pay attention intently to the decision. Extra just lately, for some numbers, Direct My Name will cache responses so you may instantly see menu choices with no need to attend for the automated response to undergo each quantity. You’ll be able to flip this on by going to the telephone app’s Settings > Direct My Name.
Maintain for Me: If you happen to’ve been positioned on maintain with a enterprise quantity, you may ask Google Assistant to take over. It would play a loud chime when the individual on the opposite finish is again. No have to pay attention to carry music! Toggle it on within the telephone app’s Settings > Maintain for Me. This characteristic is on the market on most Pixels however solely works in choose international locations, together with the US, Australia, Japan, the UK, and Canada.
Clear Calling: If in case you have a Pixel 7 or newer, you may activate this characteristic to boost the opposite caller’s voice and scale back their background noise. Head to Settings > Sound & Vibration > Clear Calling to toggle it on. It additionally works on Google’s Pixel Buds Pro.
Name Notes (Tensor G4 and newer; with 12-plus GB RAM): You’ll be able to allow this within the dialer app by going to Settings > Name Notes and ensuring the toggle is on. This does not activate each time you are on a name. Moderately, it’s important to faucet the Extra button while you’re on a name and faucet Name Notes to begin it. It kind of data the dialog (it notifies the opposite person who the decision is being recorded), and on the finish, it’s going to offer you a abstract of essential factors from the decision proper within the name historical past log, reminiscent of value quotes, telephone numbers, or addresses. Typically it will get info mistaken, because the accuracy of the transcription relies on the decision high quality, however you may play again your entire recording your self to double-check.
Rip-off Detection: This characteristic detects dialog patterns as you might be on the telephone with a suspicious quantity to warn you when somebody is deploying a traditional rip-off tactic. It additionally works in Google’s Messages app. You’ll be able to flip it on by going to the telephone app, then tapping the three-dot menu icon on the high proper, and hitting Settings > Rip-off Detection.
Reverse Telephone Quantity Lookup: Do not acknowledge the telephone quantity from an incoming name? Within the name app, now you can rapidly lookup a quantity with out having to manually run a search your self.
Take a Message (Tensor G5): Google is revamping voicemails with Take a Message. It is much like transcribed voicemails, although that characteristic would not all the time work and will rely in your provider. Take a Message bypasses the usual voicemail (your regular voicemail will solely kick in with missed calls when your telephone is off or out of community). The caller will likely be informed to depart a message, and this recording will likely be auto-transcribed, seen proper within the name historical past of the telephone app. It will even provide actionable steps, like including a reminder or an occasion to your calendar.
Pixel VIPs: It is a new widget that provides you one-tap entry to your favourite contacts. However it’s greater than that. Faucet on certainly one of your contacts and you will see a fantastically designed web page that provides fast entry to name the contact and message them on varied platforms. It will present the final messages between you two, share location, climate updates, and the time for his or her space, and you’ll add notes if you wish to bear in mind particular issues. You’ll be able to entry this the identical means you add a widget; it sits underneath the Contacts app.
Transcription and Translation Options
Translated Telephone Calls in Your Voice (Tensor G5): You’ll be able to translate a telephone name in actual time, however what makes Google’s strategy distinctive is that the corporate will make the translated voice sound like your individual (or the individual on the opposite finish). That means, it nonetheless sounds such as you’re speaking to somebody you already know, quite than a robotic voice. No audio is recorded, and information is not saved (it really works on-device). It is solely accessible for just a few languages, like English, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Stay Translate: In choose messaging apps, Pixels will routinely know when somebody sends a message in a language aside from your default. It will translate it (if you want), and you’ll reply in that very same language. Greater than 50 languages are supported, although you may have to obtain the languages you need to see translated by heading to Settings > System > Stay Translate.
Stay Caption: Pixels can routinely transcribe any video taking part in on the display. You’ll be able to rapidly toggle this on by tapping one of many quantity buttons and tapping on the sq. button under the amount slider (or head to Settings > Sound and Vibration > Stay Caption). If the video is in a distinct language, you may even see it translated (solely on Tensor-powered Pixels), although you may have to obtain one of many supported languages. It will probably even caption telephone calls.
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