Google’s latest Pixel 9 launches in three variants, starts at ₹79,999

Pulling out all the stops with the Vanilla, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL!

Google has dropped the curtain on its latest Pixel 9 Pro, and this time, you’ve got not one, but two versions to pick from. Both the Pro versions are making a debut rolling out with the standard Pixel 9, all dressed to impress with new designs, beefed-up processors, and even more Gemini AI.

There is the Pixel 9 Pro XL, featuring a 6.8-inch display, while the standard Pixel 9 Pro sticks with a 6.3-inch screen, matching the size of the regular Pixel 9. You can tell the Pros apart by their design— the Pro models feature a matte glass back and a polished metal frame, whereas the Pixel 9 flips the script with a polished back and a matte frame. All three models come with flat frames and glass builds. The iconic camera bar is still around, but now it’s got a new look—a pill-shaped design with smooth, rounded corners.

Google has amped up its Actua and Super Actua OLED displays, offering brighter screens and slimmer bezels than the last generation. The 6.3-inch Pixel 9 features a 2424x1080 resolution, a switchable frame rate from 60-120Hz, and a peak brightness of 2700 nits. The Pixel 9 Pro takes it up a notch with a 2856x1280 resolution, an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1-120Hz with LTPO tech, and a peak brightness of 3000 nits. If that’s not enough, the Pixel 9 Pro XL goes all out with a 2992x1344 resolution panel. All three devices are toughened up with Victus 2 Gorilla Glass and are fully compatible with Google’s Ultra HDR standard.

For photography, the Pixel 9 sticks with the 50MP, f/1.68 aperture main camera from the Pixel 8, complete with single-zone laser autofocus and optical image stabilisation. However, it ups the ante with a new 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide lens that supports Macro focus for those up-close-and-personal shots. The front-facing 10.5MP selfie camera remains unchanged from last year. Both Pro models sport 50MP main cameras, 48MP ultrawide lenses, and 48MP telephoto shooters capable of 5x optical zoom. The only significant hardware upgrade is the selfie camera, which now features a 42MP sensor with autofocus, promising sharper and more detailed selfies.

Google’s refined image processing algorithms aim to keep all three Pixel 9 models in the ring with other top-tier smartphones, especially when it comes to low-light panoramas—a feature Google made sure to highlight during their launch event. It has also introduced new generative AI editing tools. The Magic Editor now allows you to expand the frame on tightly-cropped photos, while the "Reimagine as..." feature lets you change backgrounds just by typing in a text prompt. Plus, the low-light enhancing Video Boost has been given a speed boost, supposedly rendering video twice as fast as before.

One standout feature is Add Me, which lets you get in the group shot by handing your phone to someone else. The phone guides them on how to frame the shot, and then its image processor works its magic, stitching everything together so you’re perfectly included.

The Pixel 9 series also introduces Gemini Live, which promises more conversational interactions with Google’s AI assistant. Pixel-exclusive software perks include a brand-new weather app that provides daily updates powered by Gemini, and magic lists in Google Keep that automatically generate to-do lists for events like family dinners or outings. There’s also a fresh screenshots app that allows Gemini to search and extract text. On top of that, Call Notes can listen to your conversations (with your consent) and display relevant notes on the screen while transcribing everything for you to review later.

All the new Pixels are powered by Google’s latest Tensor G4 chipset, designed in-house with a focus on AI acceleration. Google promises noticeable performance boosts over the previous Tensor G3, including 20% faster web browsing and 17% quicker app launches.

The Pixel 9 Pro also benefits from a new vapour chamber cooler, which should help keep things running smoothly even under heavy use. All three phones will ship with Android 14 and come with a solid promise of seven years of Android updates, feature drops, and security patches, so users won’t be left in the lurch.

Google is also touting a 50% charge in just 30 minutes for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro with their new 45W USB-C power brick, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL should hit 70% in the same time. All three phones are said to offer 24+ hours of use, and up to 100 hours with the Extreme Battery Saver mode. The Pixel 9 Pro also debuts as the first Android phone with satellite SOS, launching in the US first with two years of free service for Pixel users. It will eventually make its way to other countries.

The Pixel 9 comes with 12GB of RAM and options for 128GB or 256GB of storage. The Pro models step it up with 16GB of RAM and a choice of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or a whopping 1TB of storage.

The new Pixel lineup starts at ₹79,999 for the standard Pixel 9, available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen, and Peony. The Pixel 9 Pro will cost ₹1,09,999, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes in at ₹1,24,999 marking a price increase from last year’s Pixel 8 Pro. Both Pro models are available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose Quartz.