You hit the nail on the head concerning how software/AI features have given the industry reasons to push the envelope with hardware. It's not about benchmarks and how fast an app can open anymore.
The "weak" Tensor G chip is as fast as any other chip when it comes to regular tasks. The major difference is gaming & heavy tasks like video editing but even then, how many of us do video editing? And for gaming, google phones aren't more laggy, they just lower the quality of the game.
But we can agree that how fast an app can open is still important right? I mean if a phone were to come along that was perceivably either faster or slower then we could say that would be an important feature of the phone right? I've got the s23 ultra and I know sometimes it feels like I am overtaxing its processor.
I don't know how Best Buy is offering the Pixel 9 + 100$ gift card when you trade in an iPhone 12. The math isn't mathing, but I NEED TO find an iPhone 12 ASAP!
@@Cubano2031 Just never buy an iphone unless you're trading in! Only way to go! I have a S24+ and Oneplus 12R that I'm swapping in between, and I had the pixel 8 but that left a sour taste. Maybe I buy a iphone 12 just for the free99 Pixel 9 !
@@samanthamarasca8864 Okay but S24ultra is definitely worth that value n then some! Iphone 12 at the moment doesn't hold much more value than like 250$!
@samanthamarasca8864 I got the same amount for my 512GB S23 Ultra towards the 256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL. Basically, it's an even trade when you factor in the $200 gift card.
Eh..... Just another form of "big data" we will move on from this silliness. I.P. issues, Privacy issues, lack of understanding. Sure... It's a "Tool" 😂 😂 😂
Shane. There's a reason why I subscribed to your channel. You've become one of my fav RUclipsr to go to for content. This video is one of the best I've seen exploring the entire Google event. Your insights are amazing, your breakdown of categories is amazing. Your honesty about the hardware and software and AI integration is much appreciated. Not sure why you're not up there with the likes of mkbhd but hopefully soon you shall. Keep up the amazing work and looking forward to staying nerdy with you my friend.
Personally (and being a current and very happy Pixel 8 owner), the most important spec about the three main Pixel 9 series devices that Google failed to upgrade, and the one that will keep me from upgrading from my Pixel 8, is the 128gb internal storage! The price increase would make more sense had these new devices been included with 256gb internal storage! These days, 128gb is simply not enough for any high-end smartphone!
I get the argument that the price increase should come with more storage but what are you putting on your phone, that you need more than 128 GB?? You can pretty much put anything on Google Drive or Google Photos, any other cloud service or straight up onto your PC or a hard drive. No offence or anything, but I genuinely don't understand.
@irishcuppa - No offense taken.......I literally take thousands of photos and also take photos of more than 60 years of snapshot pictures I've accumulated aduring my lifetime - that's an awful lot of photos! Add that to my music files, ebooks, etc......and I've used up well over 60% of my internal storage! That being said, the real point is I just feel that Google has unjustly raised the price for the Pixel 9 series without adding enough features or specs! I would not complain at all if Google would've kept the micro SD card slot to expand the storage, like most mid-range and budget phones do!
They are still doing that to get people to get more cloud storage. that or there going to use that as a selling point as outside of the major soc update and maybe some camera refresh, there probably isn't going to be much difference between the models. Most of the other components have been upgraded this year so they can up the storage as a sales pitch like what samsung did for the plus model s phone this year
Our brains sure are amazing copium devices. We used to be unhappy with prices increases of this magnitude with even more features than what we were shown and now we should somehow be happy when most features are software-based along with minimal hardware upgrades? What has this world become to
I’m definitely someone who doesn’t care about AI but I don’t like that they are using it as a means to make the device worth a purchase. Imagine buying a house right and the realtor is telling you about it and how many rooms and restrooms it has. Great! Then the realtor proceeds to tell you that the main feature of the home is that it has running water. Not only that but it can also do hot running water. Wow! Like no one will be impressed by that feature but everyone expects that it exists. That’s pretty much how I feel about AI. It’s cool but I expect it to be part of my purchase. Not the headlining function and sole reason for the device to exist.
I get the analogy but having these AI features should not be expected. We are still talking about groundbreaking technology. I'm pretty sure when running water inside houses was first invented, it was reason enough to buy the house for most people. At some point there's not much more you can add to a phone. We already have better cameras, better displays, a different design, but it still looks and feels about the same as most other phones. Just like you wouldn't expect a new keyboard to have amazing design changes, we already have a design that works perfectly for most people, yk what I mean?
@@irishcuppa yeah, but that notion doesn't work for Google phone because they don't have top of the line hardware. The chips, modems, and battery life are still sub-par compared to the rest of the competition.
I disagree that the chip differences are no longer noticeable. The tensors have had quite a few generations of chips that overheat and the power efficiency of the latest snapdragon are definitely noticeable. I find it a lot more difficult to get my z fold 6 to run hot, and is getting more than acceptable battery life despite the battery's size being the same as previous generations. I find it a shame that the Pixels are charging flagship prices but are using something that is 3-4 generations behind Qualcomm-based phones. It's something that might not be that noticeable day to day now, but I guarantee will have an effect on how long the device will stay usable.
@@abxsandman It actually sucks if you do anything more than open apps, like gaming, editing, recording, etc. The heat is a big deal. Tensor chips are known for their heat and that sucks because it means that they throttle hard quickly and that noticeably impacts the experience. It's fine for opening basic apps and some of this AI stuff, but sucky for anything else.
It's funny how peoples opinions can be so different. I thought Google did a terrible job. Very minor hardware tweaks and their whole selling point was AI, but they showed like two or three niche use cases, despite that being their entire focus. The new fold also looks like a worse OnePlus Open. The front display looks ugly as sin with those massive bezels and the crease on the inner display looks terrible. I guarantee their multitasking won't even touch Samsung, let alone OnePlus. As we already know, the "multitasking" on the original pixel fold was a non existent joke. Lets also not forget to mention that their brand new tensor g4 is still slower than a snapdragon 8 gen 2; forget the gen 3. Google is noticeably behind every other player.
@@scaryifliteral And that's totally okay. That's what's great about competition and having options. People can choose what matters to them more. For me, the entire point of a foldable is multitasking and nobody in the US, especially Google, can touch OnePlus in that department. I'm not against AI, but until it can do something life changing, I just personally don't care.
I agree with you. The reason is Google is a software company first, hardware company second just like Tesla (this is why hardware quality will always be lacking no matter what anyone says). Dave2D logically explains all of this well in his overview if anyone wants to understand both sides of the opinion wall. Currently, the OnePlus Open is still a better foldable in the US, and I'm sure the OnePlus Open 2 will be a big improvement as well. Competition is great, which is why Google changed its design, so at least there's progress. Google's watches still only have 1 day battery life? That's pretty pathetic considering Ticwatch Pro 5, OnePlus Watch 2, and Samsung's latest are tripling that. Everyone will have their opinions, and that's fine - we can respectfully disagree and that leads manufacturers to go back to the drawing board and improve; technology changes so fast and more options are always welcome in my book :).
@opasha00 I normally love Dave's content, but he got a few things pretty wrong in his video. He said "for the most part, the camera hardware didn't have any big changes" which is of course totally wrong. Literally every sensor but one changed lol. He also implied there wasn't enough AI stuff being done to take advantage of the AI capabilities this device has with Tensor G4 and 16GB RAM (right after saying Google outdid themselves on their underwhelming hardware updates lol.) But he only mentioned two AI things (Add Me and Pixel Screenshots) and totally ignored Gemini Nano - the actual reason for 16GB of RAM. He called Screenshots the "Headlining Feature..." It's hard to imagine anyone thinking that is the case given everything they showed, so I kind of get the feeling that maybe what he was shown was much less than what was shown on stage, so he was left questioning things and making this video based on limited information. I don't know, I hate criticizing him because like I said I normally love the content, but something about this video just felt incomplete. He literally flip flopped on stuff *during the video* lol. Talked about how he didn't know how it could be this expensive and then immediately said "the price makes sense based on RAM and their sales pricing." It was just a weird video for me.
@@scaryifliteral That's a fair point. I'm not sure where he tested/saw his information, so I can't comment on that. In my many years of watching him, I feel his authenticity stands out among many youtubers for 2 reasons: 1) youtube is his hobby/2nd gig not his day job - this actually makes a difference on this saturated platform 2) his tech/engineering background from what I have seen have led him to be quite knowledgeable and straightforward on tech. I don't think he flip flopped as you stated because he corrected himself - he does do that a lot in his videos when he realizes his mistake on something. He did mention Gemini briefly when he explained about the 1 year trial subscription being for the Pro users. It must not have been that significant in his eyes based on what he has seen. Again, differences of opinion. I'm not defending his lack of insight. Google has always and will most likely continue to rely on their software over hardware because that's what they do best. They have the financial capital and brains to do better, but they don't because like Apple and Samsung, incremental changes will still sell to loyal customers - long term gains lol. It's why people stick to their car brands and keep buying out of loyalty even if the next generation is uglier/slower/heavier.
Samsung offers me $1,200 for my Fold5 while Google offers me $540. After discounts and trade-in the out the door price is $721 for the Fold6 or $1,340 for the 9ProFold. I want to try the Pixel... but that cost difference is a lot. It gets slightly better taking into account that Google is offering $350 credit to their store. If we normalize for phone+case Google is still $557 more expensive. The gap narrows further when we use the Google credit to purchase their new earbuds and outer screen protector. Additional insurance is roughly the same $15/month, but Samsung coverage is up to 3 years, while Google coverage is up to 5 years. I have confidence that Samsung will support their Folds with new software features, but I'm not sure about Google. . . . Your thoughts?
There is nothing appealing about the P9 Fold vs. the Fold 5 or 6 in my eyes. The Fold 5 is much more feature rich with software that takes far more advantage of the form factor, not to mention things like S Pen support and DeX/video out.
@@nickthaskater First, thanks Nick for your perspective. I forgot to mention that when I put the prices in my comment above, that was for a 1TB Fold6 vs the 512GB Pro Fold. I did place the order for the Pixel, but went back and cancelled it and went with the Fold6 1TB. I couldn't pass up the inflated trade-in value on Fold5 along with more Fold6 storage space, better 1st party case w/kickstand and adjustable strap, among other benefits of sticking with Samsung. The $500+ I saved is a much better value to me.
@@TomTheCleric I totally agree that their trade in values and overall pricing is ridiculous compared to the competition. I like how OnePlus did it. There should be a charger, case and front screen protector pre installed from the get go. These devices are so expensive. It's ridiculous that it's not the default standard. I went with the Open for those reasons and for me personally, the entire point of a foldable is multitasking. Open canvas is king for multitasking right now. There's no Dex equivalent, but open canvas is so good, you likely don't need it and there's still video out for bigger screens. Google barely showed anything about the new fold and nothing about the inner screen. I wanted to see new multitasking features and they showed us nothing, which tells me nothing has changed. The original pixel fold couldn't do anything, but basic split screen. That's embarrassing for an $1,800 device.
They spoke more about Ai than the actual specs of the phones. I had to go to their website just to see the specs. Also what is an image anymore? You dont even have to be creative anymore. Some of the features are cool but I mean come on.
Not too happy with the offers Google is giving. No double memory upgrade like Samsung. The $350 credit can only be used after your phone ships. Really? I should be able to apply it to the transaction but not an option. If you want a case you have to wait. Trade in for my Zfold 4 512 is only $450. They charge you the full amount up front and credit your card later. I went to Verizon and they offer an $800 trade in but only on the 256 model. The 512 is greyed out. We'll see if they offer the other color option and RAM in the near future.
Kinda crazy to say that about the jump from s23 to s24. S24 series got bigger screens, birighter screens, bigger batteries, faster wireless power sharing, dynamic AOD with LTPO screens, faster chip, bigger vapor cooling chamber, 3 additional years of software support, and got a more duable body with a tougher screen. Not to even mention the s24+ got QHD, unlike the s23+. That's without even considering AI features. The leap from the pixel 8 to pixel 9 is significantly less justifiable if 3 AI features are the biggest selling point.
You do realize almost all of these are true of the new Pixels, right? lol Plus, about double the new features. Bigger and brighter screens (brighter than Samsung's 😬), faster chip, more RAM, vapor chamber, 7 years of support, more durable... Regardless, my point was that the chat and comments were *very* underwhelmed and they still sold well.
@scaryifliteral the amount of nits displayed and the peak brightness are not always the same. In fact, they are almost never the same. Also, as I said above, those are purely the hardware specs of it. It still received new AI features, and you skipped over the LTPO display with Dynamic AOD. Something neither Google nor Apple has. S24+ was the most well-rounded upgrade, and it received praise from Day 1 just because of the return of QHD coupled with its ray tracing and brand new Samsung display. The new Tensor chip being faster is debateable and not even measurable because no one has shared their day to day experience with it yet. Seems like you're just taking everything Google does at face value to justify such a high increase in pricing. Are we gonna act like there were no modem issues from last year that needed to be addressed? Kind of a disingenous take tbh.
I appreciate this vid because I've seen a lot of negativity online and didn't understand why. I thought the Pixel 9 series looks really good and definitely thinking of upgrading to the Pixel 9 pro.
"Add Me" is cool and I'm sure that there are some practical uses for it, but imagine five years from now, I'm sharing the memories of my vacation at Disney only to remember that some of those photos are not real memories. I didn't actually take that photo with my wife and kids.
@@lemuelcubase I actually agree. That's my problem with some of this AI stuff. Some of it is practical and useful, but a huge problem is it distorts reality. I think that matters. I also think what it's doing to creative spaces is also harmful.
@27Binx72 Let's even go twenty years in the future, and you completely forgot that those "memories" you photographed with your family were stiched together with AI. Now we're living in a world where people are walking around with memories of events that technically did not happen.
I understand your POV, but if the picture is meant to remind you of your time spent with your family at Disney, this largely accomplishes that imo. To me, whether I was actually in that particular shot of 20 years ago is less important than remembering the core memory and being present when putting that photo together with my family. Now the situations where Add Me is used to make up entirely made up events is a different story all together. But for the purposes as demonstrated during the live demo, I think it's cool.
You talk so much sense in this video great content you are on a roll with your out put and definitely deserve more subscribers keep it up mate well done. 👌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙂
Pre-ordered the new fold and trading in my fold 5. Only gripe is the trade in bonuses are shit. And hopefully there's still assistant support if you don't want to pay monthly for Gemini
I have a counterpoint with the hardware. I’ve had my 8Pro phone basically shutdown on me as it got toasting hot (teams call on 5G on a sunny day, another was doing a 4K video on a sunny day while streaming some music). I think efficiency and hardware acceleration (or more efficient 5G modem) still has a ways to go with Tensor along with better designed vapor chambers. I’ve done those same tasks with my S23U and it never got that hot. Still, I did end up trading in my 8Pro for a 9Pro and hoping for the best. The good trade-in value plus free Gemini offer on top of the $200 store credit was too good to resist.
@@Accuaro I feel the same way. To me it looks like a worse OnePlus Open. That front display looks ridiculous like that and wtf is up with that crease? It's not wide, but it's like a sharp line that very noticeably sticks out.
@@ReneTerrago No sh**. I was referring to their crease looking noticeably worse than the OnePlus Opens, which is practically invisible. Their entire phone looks like an Open knockoff and people are gargling google's balls over it.
I don't understand why people are crying about AI calling it boring! The things that we are becoming able to do with our smartphones is absolutely amazing.
Oh I think part of the problem or part of people's problem might be that other than generative AI I haven't heard of any feature that you couldn't have already done yourself with you know the requisite knowledge and skill. I definitely have not learned of anything earth-shattering to be excited about. I would just like my Samsung or Google phone to take pictures as well as say Huawei
Thanks Shane for the breakdown. Really like your content. Keep up the good work brother. Yeah I'm very excited. I was going to get the pixel 9 Pro but decided to get the pixel 9 Pro fold instead cuz I got a real good deal on it through Verizon. So I'm going to pull the trigger on that next Tuesday but I'm definitely excited about the Pixel 9 lineup. I've had a flip phones. The Motorola Razr Plus 2023 but never a fold this will be my first fold. Are you going to get the pixel 9 fold?
Thanks Shane. As usual 👍. Pixel has always been about integration. AI demonstrates that. What AI does that you don't see is huge. It's much less flashy but so much more useful
I'm glad they finally offer quality value on their own trade-ins. I'm coming from a Pixel 8 Pro and why I'm not buying this year I hope they keep they the same trade-in values next year when I do get a new phone.
@@magicman322 the only trade-in value that I'm upset about is for their Fold. Why is it only $760 and the 8 Pro is $699. Only a $61 difference when the retail price difference was $800. Google should've given $900 at least. Look at Samsung giving $1,200 for their Z Fold 5 which is an awesome value.
I thought call notes was really cool too, but then they said you have to manually turn it on for a call and that it will announce to both people it is now recording. I get they legally probably have to do that, but I just doubt I will ever actually turn it on when I need to remember something.
@@G0ldenSp00n I live in a state where recording without the other person knowing is legal, so that actually kind of sucks. I wouldn't use it then. A) I likely won't remember to do that at times and B) I wouldn't want to awkwardly explain that I'm recording for referral purposes and nothing else lol.
I'm so glad to see a small Pro model. I much prefer smaller devices and this issue is one of the reasons I moved away from Google devices. I haven't had a Google phone since Pixel 2, but I definitely have my eyes on this one.
Having watched the live stream and there were a couple of fails with Gemini at least we were not being deceived that everything will work perfectly immediately every time. So 👍 to Google for that! As with real life and asking people asking the right question in the right way will get you the result you seek.
I do think that considering how much more expensive phones have gotten, people do want to see that the specs are significantly improved to justify what they are paying. It is a bit of a hard pill for me to swallow to spend $1800 and get a phone that performance wise is similar to an iphone 12 (which i currently am using).
I agree that the prices are getting weirdly high, but people are buying it. As sad as it is, companies will always try to make the most money possible, even if the price doesn't match the product. I must say though, I don't really get how the two phones here are supposed to be performing similarly. Google has the better camera, better display, better battery, and better RAM. I'm not an expert by any means, and only use my phone for basic every day things, but the Fold should definitely be performing way better than an iPhone 12 from 2020.
I've had too many hardware issues with Google phones over the years which is a HUGE reason why I won't purchase another one. My son also purchased a 7 pro when it first came out and in less than a year later there were connectivity and heating issues. I saw the nightmare Shane had with his Pixel Fold along with other people who've have had hardware issues so I don't have confidence that the phone will last. Google is asking a premium price for software vs hardware. A consumer paying a premium price should get both. I don't have confidence that Google phones will last the 7 years they're promising for Android and security updates.
Exactly! That's what I had but it seems to be a pattern with Pixel phones that they're just not as durable. I've had iPhones and Samsung devices without insurance and they have lasted so much longer with no issues so it almost seems like if you plan on getting a Google phone you better get the insurance and pay month-to-month for a device that subpar😢
I don't know where there is so much negativity. In my opinion, the hardware jump from 8 to 9 is bigger than from 7 to 8 or 6 to 7. Better screen, better cameras, better cooling, new designs, it all adds up. Even if Google sticks by its word of 7 years of upgrades and every single feature gets released to the previous generation, hardwear wise this is still a big change.
I like everything about the phones but two things. The price and the amount of memories you get for the price. People always look down on the Pixel phones as cheap phones because they are actually cheaper and less premium than iPhones and Samsung. Well, not anymore in terms of hardware/build and also the prices.
I personally was just hoping for more. I've liked my Pixel Fold as it was a good successor to the Duo but the hardware was kind of disapointing for me. I have dead pixels on the inner display, the usb c is garbage as it constantly disconects with game controllers and some chargers, my finger print sensor works some days some days not so much. Not having display out is insaine at $2000 (512gb) but i knew that going in. I think personally would like them to come out and say we improved this and have more reliable better performing hardware. I dont want to shell out another $2000 for the same phone with a worse form factor and worse battery because they added the ability to create fake pictures and talk to fake people on my phone. Hell I don't even want to talk to real people on my phone.
I don't know if this is pure coincidence but on the day of the Google event my pixel fold inner screen failed lol I now I have white line at the bottom of the screen. I'm not annoyed, it's just Funny right on the day of the event phone has been flawless for the 10 months I've owned pixel fold. It's still a warranty whether this will cover under the warranty. I don't know until I return it to Google and go from there. I really like the new pixel fold, however can't really justify the price regarding no real camera upgrades and I'm a little sceptical on the battery life as it's got smaller
Went and looked at a 9 fold in a store today. It is a good size sightly smaller than the pro XL as has been commented. It is thinner and lighter than the Z Fold which I was able to compare directly. I feel that the hinge was also slightly less noticeable than the Z fold but that could be because the 9 fold was only just out on the floor and the Z fold had been in the floor for a long time and subject to as lot more opening and closing by customers. The only concern was the first shop I went to said their 9 fold had failed about an hour after they put it on display not exactly confidence inspiring for sunshine looking to purchase 🙃 I have decided to order one but am just waiting to see if I can get one at cost from a supplier we use as we are planning a big equipment order with them for my company. Our account manager said they don't make a lot of margin on a phone like the 9 fold but thought he could get it for me a cost 😀
I truly find a lot of value in your reviews-- honesty and real for consumers like me. I can't wait to get my hand on the Pixel Pro 9 XL- ordered place!
I just placed my pre-order for the Pixel Pro Fold yesterday. Really amazed by the huge improvements from the first phone. I'm glad I waited... Looking forward to seeing your deep dive video on the Fold.
I find Google's AI-powered features impressive. The objectivity of photography is subjective, as each individual has their own unique perspective of reality. Personally, I don't enjoy staged group photos with forced smiles or selfies capturing everyday life. However, these types of photos are favored by others, including my wife, and the "Add Me" and "Best Take" features can be helpful for capturing such images swiftly, particularly on sunny days when you don't want to miss out.
Yeah, I have nothing against AI, but starting to altering photos like stalin russia feels wierd. "Sorry, but you looked ugly on this picture but I can fix it with the best photo feature" :) Biggest problem with Google AI, as I still do not feel my Pixel 8 is an AI phone.. its just a app running on the phone still.
I like the direction with the phones. Two pro models. One for big hands and one for small. I don't mind the fold is an interesting approach as well, but the AI capabilities are insane. I sure would use the RUclips one as I love to cook.
Eye love me some Pixel phones and cannot wait to receive my P9P. But please Google improve the call history. You still can't look at a recent call and see how long the duration of that or any call was..
@@amanda907 never saw that option on a Pixel phone. And don't see it now. What is the history icon and where is it? There is nothing that says history at all..
@@mackmccord3743 when you select something from the recent call list it opens to 3 more options underneath, one of which should be history for that specific caller.
Totally agree with your points. Great video! In the progression of electronics, AI is the way we can truly take to make our computers, servers and all devices truly smart. It's the future step we have to take to progress further. Like it or not, AI is going to come and we should embrace it rather than reject it. Rather I feel honored to be able to use all of these innovative AI features which is available in my pocket. My experiences with AI on my P8P have been very positive except that gemini is not ready to replace google assistant yet. But after watch the keynote, I can see that gemini software have been drastically improved and hopefully can replace Google assistant fully without compromising some features. Only thing I hope is for Google to allow more countries to use their country exclusive features. It doesn't feel good to pay more in my country and not unlock the full experience.
I think you do a great job of not letting your emotions run you. If you're kind of a pixel fan I think it would be difficult not to be a little bit pissed at people sort of shitting all over the pixel 9. But I think you approached it with levity and from an informed & relatively conciliatory place.
No one seem to talk about Tensor 4 performance. It's hardly comparable to snap dragon flagship performance. In fact at best they are only mid range CPUs. Yet Google charges flagship premium for their pixel 9 series. It's like imagining Samsung putting all its AI features to their mid range phones and charge premium flagship price claiming of well the CPU is sufficient enough to run the AI. Honestly I really hope or even dream Google will either use snapdragon or at least make the tensor close to its performance.
The pixel 9 pro fold , Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche edition, Vivo X fold 3 are all definitely my favorite tough choice with that z fold 6 slim and 7 ultra coming because I love one ui so much and stylus support
I pre-ordered the new Pixel 9 Pro XL and I'm already considering canceling my order. On the Dutch website you can't find any trace of the new AI features like Pixel Studio, the new Magic Editor and all those new features while on the USA website it's all there. If the phone comes without all the new AI features (Like USA only) I will send the phone back and i will never buy a Pixel or any Google product again.
I love the Pixel 9 series already!! I love that the Pro models are now very identical when it comes to the specs. I love big phones, so the XL already became my favorite (yes, 1 inch taller than the 8 Pro) in the Pixel 9 series. I'm still rocking a Pixel 7 and still a super solid phone (I did wish I had gotten the 7 Pro, but it was unavailable when I purchased my Pixel 7). I personally never had issues with its optical fingerprint sensor, so changing to Ultrasonic isn't really a big deal for me, but for others, it is. I always believed that optical fingerprint sensors in recent years like the Pixel 6/7/8 were never the issue (for some users), it was the lack of optimization that some Pixel 6/7/8 models had issues with. Other brands use optical fingerprint sensors and have no issues, so changing to Ultrasonic, again isn't a big deal. It's all about optimization and how it reads your fingers and how you registered.
Google invited criticism by calling the P9 Fold a "Pro" model when it's anything but. Also on P9 Fold: I am interested to see if Google changes their approach to apps trigging tablet view. To this point, Google apps have relied on aspect ratio orientation to toggle tablet UI (e.g., in Gmail you don't get the tablet view unless you have the device held in a landscape orientation). This worked fine on the original Pixel Fold because it opened to a native landscape orientation. The P9 Fold doesn't. This issue can be seen on existing portrait foldables like the Z Fold where you don't get the tablet UI in a Google app until you rotate the device. My hope is that this changes Google's philosophy to toggle the tablet UI based on the viewport size rather than orientation. Whether in portrait or landscape orientation, an unfolded foldable has more than enough screen space to display the tablet UI of an app and that's what I'd expect when unfolding it. Having the "mobile" UI on a foldable's inner display makes no sense as it typically just over inflates UI elements to a silly degree.
The Pro Fold should certainly be criticized for the camera hardware, but beyond that it's as "Pro" as the other models. For the other stuff, I haven't confirmed it 100%, but I was told before launch that Google had addressed this and that apps like RUclips Music opened to the dual pane layout without rotating.
@@scaryifliteral aren't the "pro" cameras the biggest distinction between the Pro and non-Pro pixels, though? Aside from having 16GB of RAM vs. 12GB, what else is there? Glad to hear about the apps. That'll make the foldable experience better for everyone.
My dad asked chat gpt how to improve his work and make more money as a uber, and the freaking ai advice really worked ☠️ Hating ai is like hating a mechanic drill because it will make everyone do more work for less effort than someone that used a hammer all their life xdd
Love the Essential Phone reference. I had that phone for a bit back in the day and loved the in-hand feel from the flat edges and the cool ceramic back 👍 I'm all on board with the smaller Pixel 9 Pro (been asking for a small Pro for like 5 years) so I'll likely grab one around Black Friday
Just checked t-mobile and their pre-orders for the pro and XL and they're doing better than they did for the Pixel 9 pro. Pixel 9 pro has 128gb and 256gb options while the Pro XL is 256gb and 512gb option. I know which phone I'm upgrading to this year.
I worry that this is mostly a play on getting you 'hooked' on to an expensive subscription service next year. That is not a marketing ploy, it is a way to get us paying more
Thanks a bunch for being one of the few people on the internet that actually talks sense especially when it comes to the "OmG TEnSoR sucks" benchmark folks.
The reason AI rubbed me wrong in the event is... These phones are midrange specs and bargain bin storage for S24 Ultra money. Now, used to Google threw in a free watch or buds to offset that insane pricing. Now you get a free year of AI that few people if any actually use let alone would have paid for anyway. The incentive to buy at launch is gone. AI is fine to throw in as a gimmick with the OS like Samsung did, but it isn't a selling point or feature so to speak. And certainly not an incentive to buy a $500 device for $1,000+
After a 3 year test of iOS I’m cashing in my iPhone 15 PM and getting a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Before my two iPhones I’ve been with Android since basically the second Android phone was released. The iPhones have been solid, but they’re so boring year on year and I genuinely feel Google are doing the better job integrating AI. Plus, I definitely prefer the more open platform. Also ordered a 45mm Pixel Watch 3 :-) Keep up the great and positive work Shane!
As someone who is forgetful and doesnt record calls (haven't for years), the notes function will be extremely helpful. I am concerned about a comment that I thought I heard later in the presentation that you have to start it at the beginning of the call, and that it will notify the other person on the line. We will see
Pixel Fold 2 is still below in terms of processor, battery, and charging compared to Open. Jeez only reason i would ever get the pixel pro fold 9 is for the killer trade in deal that oneplus will do with the Oneplus Open 2.
I was quite excited about the S24 when it came out, the AI features seemed pretty cool, but I have to say this new range of features is really good. I could see myself using them, especially the call summary. I think the Fold is the direction I will go in.
Seriously considering the 9 Pro Fold.. did they happen to mention if it has stylus support? You had the best speedrun video, btw.. Thanks for including the parts where the AI stuff kinda stumbled. It definitely shows the state of things at this time anyway.
I was excited about the Pixel Fold 2 but the trade-in deals are horrible so I will wait. I'm still in love with my OnePlus Open since the matte antireflective inner screen protector is amazing. I also have a Z Fold 6 (I know I have a problem) and honestly I still prefer my OnePlus Open since I don't get any glare and you really can't see the crease during normal use.
Hi, I watched most of the event but didn't hear anything about the selfie camera that got a huge upgrade! And there were some rumors about the wireless charging getting the new standard but they didn't say anything about that either.
You hit the nail on the head concerning how software/AI features have given the industry reasons to push the envelope with hardware. It's not about benchmarks and how fast an app can open anymore.
The "weak" Tensor G chip is as fast as any other chip when it comes to regular tasks. The major difference is gaming & heavy tasks like video editing but even then, how many of us do video editing? And for gaming, google phones aren't more laggy, they just lower the quality of the game.
@@BananaBlooD9517 what about battery life and modem connectivity? Don't be disingeous.
But we can agree that how fast an app can open is still important right? I mean if a phone were to come along that was perceivably either faster or slower then we could say that would be an important feature of the phone right? I've got the s23 ultra and I know sometimes it feels like I am overtaxing its processor.
Pixel 9 Pro XL gang 💪🏼
🦾🤖🦾
I don't know how Best Buy is offering the Pixel 9 + 100$ gift card when you trade in an iPhone 12. The math isn't mathing, but I NEED TO find an iPhone 12 ASAP!
In Bestbuy they sell the same pre owned iphone 12 for like $360 lmao
They gave me $1100 for my S24 Ultra, and a $200 gift card on top of that
@@Cubano2031 Just never buy an iphone unless you're trading in! Only way to go! I have a S24+ and Oneplus 12R that I'm swapping in between, and I had the pixel 8 but that left a sour taste. Maybe I buy a iphone 12 just for the free99 Pixel 9 !
@@samanthamarasca8864 Okay but S24ultra is definitely worth that value n then some! Iphone 12 at the moment doesn't hold much more value than like 250$!
@samanthamarasca8864 I got the same amount for my 512GB S23 Ultra towards the 256GB Pixel 9 Pro XL. Basically, it's an even trade when you factor in the $200 gift card.
Just like everything else, AI can be used for bad purposes. But the benefits of AI to help with things we do is revolutionary
Exactly. Tools are as good as the person wielding them.
Eh.....
Just another form of "big data" we will move on from this silliness.
I.P. issues, Privacy issues, lack of understanding. Sure... It's a "Tool" 😂 😂 😂
Shane. There's a reason why I subscribed to your channel. You've become one of my fav RUclipsr to go to for content.
This video is one of the best I've seen exploring the entire Google event.
Your insights are amazing, your breakdown of categories is amazing. Your honesty about the hardware and software and AI integration is much appreciated.
Not sure why you're not up there with the likes of mkbhd but hopefully soon you shall.
Keep up the amazing work and looking forward to staying nerdy with you my friend.
Speaking of hardware improvements WHERE IS PEN SUPPORT on the Fold Google!!?? My Duo 2 is aging
The ten maybe?
It's never coming. That's Samsung's thing.
AI just isn’t a selling point for me, personally.
Nope!
Personally (and being a current and very happy Pixel 8 owner), the most important spec about the three main Pixel 9 series devices that Google failed to upgrade, and the one that will keep me from upgrading from my Pixel 8, is the 128gb internal storage! The price increase would make more sense had these new devices been included with 256gb internal storage! These days, 128gb is simply not enough for any high-end smartphone!
My 7 Pro is a 128 and I use just under 40gb 😅 I just keep everything in the cloud
I get the argument that the price increase should come with more storage but what are you putting on your phone, that you need more than 128 GB?? You can pretty much put anything on Google Drive or Google Photos, any other cloud service or straight up onto your PC or a hard drive. No offence or anything, but I genuinely don't understand.
@irishcuppa - No offense taken.......I literally take thousands of photos and also take photos of more than 60 years of snapshot pictures I've accumulated aduring my lifetime - that's an awful lot of photos! Add that to my music files, ebooks, etc......and I've used up well over 60% of my internal storage! That being said, the real point is I just feel that Google has unjustly raised the price for the Pixel 9 series without adding enough features or specs! I would not complain at all if Google would've kept the micro SD card slot to expand the storage, like most mid-range and budget phones do!
They are still doing that to get people to get more cloud storage. that or there going to use that as a selling point as outside of the major soc update and maybe some camera refresh, there probably isn't going to be much difference between the models. Most of the other components have been upgraded this year so they can up the storage as a sales pitch like what samsung did for the plus model s phone this year
Our brains sure are amazing copium devices. We used to be unhappy with prices increases of this magnitude with even more features than what we were shown and now we should somehow be happy when most features are software-based along with minimal hardware upgrades? What has this world become to
Idk but it seems like Google gets more of a pass than Samsung does from Tech RUclips.
I just bought the fold for $1800. The previous order on my Google account is from 2012 for the Nexus 4, which was $350. Lol
Well keep you old phone and don't worry about other peoples brains
I’m definitely someone who doesn’t care about AI but I don’t like that they are using it as a means to make the device worth a purchase. Imagine buying a house right and the realtor is telling you about it and how many rooms and restrooms it has. Great! Then the realtor proceeds to tell you that the main feature of the home is that it has running water. Not only that but it can also do hot running water. Wow! Like no one will be impressed by that feature but everyone expects that it exists. That’s pretty much how I feel about AI. It’s cool but I expect it to be part of my purchase. Not the headlining function and sole reason for the device to exist.
I get the analogy but having these AI features should not be expected. We are still talking about groundbreaking technology. I'm pretty sure when running water inside houses was first invented, it was reason enough to buy the house for most people. At some point there's not much more you can add to a phone. We already have better cameras, better displays, a different design, but it still looks and feels about the same as most other phones. Just like you wouldn't expect a new keyboard to have amazing design changes, we already have a design that works perfectly for most people, yk what I mean?
@@irishcuppa yeah, but that notion doesn't work for Google phone because they don't have top of the line hardware. The chips, modems, and battery life are still sub-par compared to the rest of the competition.
I disagree that the chip differences are no longer noticeable. The tensors have had quite a few generations of chips that overheat and the power efficiency of the latest snapdragon are definitely noticeable. I find it a lot more difficult to get my z fold 6 to run hot, and is getting more than acceptable battery life despite the battery's size being the same as previous generations.
I find it a shame that the Pixels are charging flagship prices but are using something that is 3-4 generations behind Qualcomm-based phones. It's something that might not be that noticeable day to day now, but I guarantee will have an effect on how long the device will stay usable.
Tensor does double the amount of AI token possessing compared to gen 3. Regular apps are already fast enough
I do agree the price should be lower.
I felt that it was even bold last generation to charge the same as a Fold 5.
@@abxsandman It actually sucks if you do anything more than open apps, like gaming, editing, recording, etc. The heat is a big deal. Tensor chips are known for their heat and that sucks because it means that they throttle hard quickly and that noticeably impacts the experience. It's fine for opening basic apps and some of this AI stuff, but sucky for anything else.
Completely agree with everything you said.
Agreed fold 6 is the first Samsung phone I've owned and I've had alot that feels kinda perfect
It's funny how peoples opinions can be so different.
I thought Google did a terrible job. Very minor hardware tweaks and their whole selling point was AI, but they showed like two or three niche use cases, despite that being their entire focus.
The new fold also looks like a worse OnePlus Open. The front display looks ugly as sin with those massive bezels and the crease on the inner display looks terrible. I guarantee their multitasking won't even touch Samsung, let alone OnePlus. As we already know, the "multitasking" on the original pixel fold was a non existent joke.
Lets also not forget to mention that their brand new tensor g4 is still slower than a snapdragon 8 gen 2; forget the gen 3. Google is noticeably behind every other player.
I feel like I addressed nearly everything in this comment lol. Just different perspectives I guess.
@@scaryifliteral And that's totally okay. That's what's great about competition and having options. People can choose what matters to them more.
For me, the entire point of a foldable is multitasking and nobody in the US, especially Google, can touch OnePlus in that department.
I'm not against AI, but until it can do something life changing, I just personally don't care.
I agree with you. The reason is Google is a software company first, hardware company second just like Tesla (this is why hardware quality will always be lacking no matter what anyone says). Dave2D logically explains all of this well in his overview if anyone wants to understand both sides of the opinion wall.
Currently, the OnePlus Open is still a better foldable in the US, and I'm sure the OnePlus Open 2 will be a big improvement as well. Competition is great, which is why Google changed its design, so at least there's progress.
Google's watches still only have 1 day battery life? That's pretty pathetic considering Ticwatch Pro 5, OnePlus Watch 2, and Samsung's latest are tripling that.
Everyone will have their opinions, and that's fine - we can respectfully disagree and that leads manufacturers to go back to the drawing board and improve; technology changes so fast and more options are always welcome in my book :).
@opasha00 I normally love Dave's content, but he got a few things pretty wrong in his video.
He said "for the most part, the camera hardware didn't have any big changes" which is of course totally wrong. Literally every sensor but one changed lol.
He also implied there wasn't enough AI stuff being done to take advantage of the AI capabilities this device has with Tensor G4 and 16GB RAM (right after saying Google outdid themselves on their underwhelming hardware updates lol.)
But he only mentioned two AI things (Add Me and Pixel Screenshots) and totally ignored Gemini Nano - the actual reason for 16GB of RAM. He called Screenshots the "Headlining Feature..." It's hard to imagine anyone thinking that is the case given everything they showed, so I kind of get the feeling that maybe what he was shown was much less than what was shown on stage, so he was left questioning things and making this video based on limited information.
I don't know, I hate criticizing him because like I said I normally love the content, but something about this video just felt incomplete. He literally flip flopped on stuff *during the video* lol. Talked about how he didn't know how it could be this expensive and then immediately said "the price makes sense based on RAM and their sales pricing." It was just a weird video for me.
@@scaryifliteral That's a fair point. I'm not sure where he tested/saw his information, so I can't comment on that. In my many years of watching him, I feel his authenticity stands out among many youtubers for 2 reasons: 1) youtube is his hobby/2nd gig not his day job - this actually makes a difference on this saturated platform 2) his tech/engineering background from what I have seen have led him to be quite knowledgeable and straightforward on tech.
I don't think he flip flopped as you stated because he corrected himself - he does do that a lot in his videos when he realizes his mistake on something. He did mention Gemini briefly when he explained about the 1 year trial subscription being for the Pro users. It must not have been that significant in his eyes based on what he has seen. Again, differences of opinion. I'm not defending his lack of insight. Google has always and will most likely continue to rely on their software over hardware because that's what they do best. They have the financial capital and brains to do better, but they don't because like Apple and Samsung, incremental changes will still sell to loyal customers - long term gains lol. It's why people stick to their car brands and keep buying out of loyalty even if the next generation is uglier/slower/heavier.
Samsung offers me $1,200 for my Fold5 while Google offers me $540. After discounts and trade-in the out the door price is $721 for the Fold6 or $1,340 for the 9ProFold. I want to try the Pixel... but that cost difference is a lot. It gets slightly better taking into account that Google is offering $350 credit to their store. If we normalize for phone+case Google is still $557 more expensive. The gap narrows further when we use the Google credit to purchase their new earbuds and outer screen protector. Additional insurance is roughly the same $15/month, but Samsung coverage is up to 3 years, while Google coverage is up to 5 years. I have confidence that Samsung will support their Folds with new software features, but I'm not sure about Google. . . . Your thoughts?
There is nothing appealing about the P9 Fold vs. the Fold 5 or 6 in my eyes. The Fold 5 is much more feature rich with software that takes far more advantage of the form factor, not to mention things like S Pen support and DeX/video out.
@@nickthaskater First, thanks Nick for your perspective. I forgot to mention that when I put the prices in my comment above, that was for a 1TB Fold6 vs the 512GB Pro Fold. I did place the order for the Pixel, but went back and cancelled it and went with the Fold6 1TB. I couldn't pass up the inflated trade-in value on Fold5 along with more Fold6 storage space, better 1st party case w/kickstand and adjustable strap, among other benefits of sticking with Samsung. The $500+ I saved is a much better value to me.
@@TomTheCleric I totally agree that their trade in values and overall pricing is ridiculous compared to the competition.
I like how OnePlus did it. There should be a charger, case and front screen protector pre installed from the get go. These devices are so expensive. It's ridiculous that it's not the default standard.
I went with the Open for those reasons and for me personally, the entire point of a foldable is multitasking. Open canvas is king for multitasking right now. There's no Dex equivalent, but open canvas is so good, you likely don't need it and there's still video out for bigger screens.
Google barely showed anything about the new fold and nothing about the inner screen. I wanted to see new multitasking features and they showed us nothing, which tells me nothing has changed. The original pixel fold couldn't do anything, but basic split screen. That's embarrassing for an $1,800 device.
They spoke more about Ai than the actual specs of the phones. I had to go to their website just to see the specs. Also what is an image anymore? You dont even have to be creative anymore. Some of the features are cool but I mean come on.
I like my original pixel fold but man did all of these look cool, they should throw some of that love to the original
I have pre-ordered my Google pixel 9 pro fold. Verizon says I'm supposed to be receiving it either today or tomorrow. I'll believe it when I see it.
🤔 yea that's pretty early
Strange me, and everyone else have to wait until the 22nd for it to ship
You sure you got the fold ? lol. That’s super early to get it
@@aaronchambers2866 we will sure find out
I was told in Australia anytime from early to late September for delivery
Not too happy with the offers Google is giving. No double memory upgrade like Samsung. The $350 credit can only be used after your phone ships. Really? I should be able to apply it to the transaction but not an option. If you want a case you have to wait. Trade in for my Zfold 4 512 is only $450. They charge you the full amount up front and credit your card later. I went to Verizon and they offer an $800 trade in but only on the 256 model. The 512 is greyed out. We'll see if they offer the other color option and RAM in the near future.
the trade in value is bit crazy. only $450 for a galaxy fold??? no matter what storage size. nope
@@chrisjoel247 I saw that too and laughed. 🤣 You'd be better off selling it yourself.
I'm getting $600 for my S24 Ultra at Best buy, try them
Kinda crazy to say that about the jump from s23 to s24. S24 series got bigger screens, birighter screens, bigger batteries, faster wireless power sharing, dynamic AOD with LTPO screens, faster chip, bigger vapor cooling chamber, 3 additional years of software support, and got a more duable body with a tougher screen. Not to even mention the s24+ got QHD, unlike the s23+. That's without even considering AI features. The leap from the pixel 8 to pixel 9 is significantly less justifiable if 3 AI features are the biggest selling point.
You do realize almost all of these are true of the new Pixels, right? lol Plus, about double the new features.
Bigger and brighter screens (brighter than Samsung's 😬), faster chip, more RAM, vapor chamber, 7 years of support, more durable... Regardless, my point was that the chat and comments were *very* underwhelmed and they still sold well.
@scaryifliteral the amount of nits displayed and the peak brightness are not always the same. In fact, they are almost never the same. Also, as I said above, those are purely the hardware specs of it. It still received new AI features, and you skipped over the LTPO display with Dynamic AOD. Something neither Google nor Apple has. S24+ was the most well-rounded upgrade, and it received praise from Day 1 just because of the return of QHD coupled with its ray tracing and brand new Samsung display. The new Tensor chip being faster is debateable and not even measurable because no one has shared their day to day experience with it yet. Seems like you're just taking everything Google does at face value to justify such a high increase in pricing. Are we gonna act like there were no modem issues from last year that needed to be addressed? Kind of a disingenous take tbh.
I appreciate this vid because I've seen a lot of negativity online and didn't understand why. I thought the Pixel 9 series looks really good and definitely thinking of upgrading to the Pixel 9 pro.
"Add Me" is cool and I'm sure that there are some practical uses for it, but imagine five years from now, I'm sharing the memories of my vacation at Disney only to remember that some of those photos are not real memories. I didn't actually take that photo with my wife and kids.
@@lemuelcubase I actually agree. That's my problem with some of this AI stuff. Some of it is practical and useful, but a huge problem is it distorts reality. I think that matters. I also think what it's doing to creative spaces is also harmful.
@27Binx72 Let's even go twenty years in the future, and you completely forgot that those "memories" you photographed with your family were stiched together with AI. Now we're living in a world where people are walking around with memories of events that technically did not happen.
I understand your POV, but if the picture is meant to remind you of your time spent with your family at Disney, this largely accomplishes that imo. To me, whether I was actually in that particular shot of 20 years ago is less important than remembering the core memory and being present when putting that photo together with my family.
Now the situations where Add Me is used to make up entirely made up events is a different story all together. But for the purposes as demonstrated during the live demo, I think it's cool.
You talk so much sense in this video great content you are on a roll with your out put and definitely deserve more subscribers keep it up mate well done. 👌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙂
Pre-ordered the new fold and trading in my fold 5. Only gripe is the trade in bonuses are shit. And hopefully there's still assistant support if you don't want to pay monthly for Gemini
Are you buying from the google store? z fold 5 isn't showing for me
@@mcod99 it was the first option for me on the Google Canada order page. They're offering all of $600 CAD for a Fold 5 regardless of storage, lol.
I certainly need the Pixel Screenshots feature... because i have over 4, 000 screeshots
😐
Call transcript is gold feature. Screenshots too
I wish they would’ve showed the google pro9 fold off more tho
Honestly. They didn't focus on it at all.
What's to show? It's bigger but it's just the same as the Pixel fold.
@@SamuelObafemi the event was boring to me
@@hobbitpsi how the apps looks on the inner screen
@@dillonbanks609 Why you asking me? Probably the same as it does on the Z Fold or the Oneplus Open
I have a counterpoint with the hardware. I’ve had my 8Pro phone basically shutdown on me as it got toasting hot (teams call on 5G on a sunny day, another was doing a 4K video on a sunny day while streaming some music). I think efficiency and hardware acceleration (or more efficient 5G modem) still has a ways to go with Tensor along with better designed vapor chambers. I’ve done those same tasks with my S23U and it never got that hot. Still, I did end up trading in my 8Pro for a 9Pro and hoping for the best. The good trade-in value plus free Gemini offer on top of the $200 store credit was too good to resist.
Good news is, new Tensor has a more efficient modem and we have vapor chambers now.
I will create the spiderman meme with this
Man.. google fold looks so.. idk, unbalanced? all that space left could have been a screen like the fold 6.
@@Accuaro I feel the same way. To me it looks like a worse OnePlus Open. That front display looks ridiculous like that and wtf is up with that crease? It's not wide, but it's like a sharp line that very noticeably sticks out.
It's sort of the Pixel design language though. Sure they'll improve upon its form but this also screams pixel design for the Fold. I don't mind it
@@ReneTerrago No sh**. I was referring to their crease looking noticeably worse than the OnePlus Opens, which is practically invisible. Their entire phone looks like an Open knockoff and people are gargling google's balls over it.
Everything was going smooth until he picked up that Samsung😂. 😮
I don't understand why people are crying about AI calling it boring! The things that we are becoming able to do with our smartphones is absolutely amazing.
Oh I think part of the problem or part of people's problem might be that other than generative AI I haven't heard of any feature that you couldn't have already done yourself with you know the requisite knowledge and skill. I definitely have not learned of anything earth-shattering to be excited about. I would just like my Samsung or Google phone to take pictures as well as say Huawei
Thanks Shane for the breakdown. Really like your content. Keep up the good work brother. Yeah I'm very excited. I was going to get the pixel 9 Pro but decided to get the pixel 9 Pro fold instead cuz I got a real good deal on it through Verizon. So I'm going to pull the trigger on that next Tuesday but I'm definitely excited about the Pixel 9 lineup. I've had a flip phones. The Motorola Razr Plus 2023 but never a fold this will be my first fold. Are you going to get the pixel 9 fold?
Thanks Shane. As usual 👍. Pixel has always been about integration. AI demonstrates that. What AI does that you don't see is huge. It's much less flashy but so much more useful
Yeah they also crushed their trade-in values too. 😂
I'm glad they finally offer quality value on their own trade-ins. I'm coming from a Pixel 8 Pro and why I'm not buying this year I hope they keep they the same trade-in values next year when I do get a new phone.
@@magicman322 the only trade-in value that I'm upset about is for their Fold. Why is it only $760 and the 8 Pro is $699. Only a $61 difference when the retail price difference was $800. Google should've given $900 at least.
Look at Samsung giving $1,200 for their Z Fold 5 which is an awesome value.
@@volcalstone- Yeah that a weak value proposition going from an 8 Pro to a Fold. That thing should be at like 1k - 1099 range.
I thought call notes was really cool too, but then they said you have to manually turn it on for a call and that it will announce to both people it is now recording. I get they legally probably have to do that, but I just doubt I will ever actually turn it on when I need to remember something.
@@G0ldenSp00n I live in a state where recording without the other person knowing is legal, so that actually kind of sucks. I wouldn't use it then. A) I likely won't remember to do that at times and B) I wouldn't want to awkwardly explain that I'm recording for referral purposes and nothing else lol.
I'm so glad to see a small Pro model. I much prefer smaller devices and this issue is one of the reasons I moved away from Google devices. I haven't had a Google phone since Pixel 2, but I definitely have my eyes on this one.
Having watched the live stream and there were a couple of fails with Gemini at least we were not being deceived that everything will work perfectly immediately every time. So 👍 to Google for that! As with real life and asking people asking the right question in the right way will get you the result you seek.
I do think that considering how much more expensive phones have gotten, people do want to see that the specs are significantly improved to justify what they are paying. It is a bit of a hard pill for me to swallow to spend $1800 and get a phone that performance wise is similar to an iphone 12 (which i currently am using).
I agree that the prices are getting weirdly high, but people are buying it. As sad as it is, companies will always try to make the most money possible, even if the price doesn't match the product. I must say though, I don't really get how the two phones here are supposed to be performing similarly. Google has the better camera, better display, better battery, and better RAM. I'm not an expert by any means, and only use my phone for basic every day things, but the Fold should definitely be performing way better than an iPhone 12 from 2020.
I've had too many hardware issues with Google phones over the years which is a HUGE reason why I won't purchase another one. My son also purchased a 7 pro when it first came out and in less than a year later there were connectivity and heating issues. I saw the nightmare Shane had with his Pixel Fold along with other people who've have had hardware issues so I don't have confidence that the phone will last. Google is asking a premium price for software vs hardware. A consumer paying a premium price should get both. I don't have confidence that Google phones will last the 7 years they're promising for Android and security updates.
gotta get that warranty lol
Exactly! That's what I had but it seems to be a pattern with Pixel phones that they're just not as durable. I've had iPhones and Samsung devices without insurance and they have lasted so much longer with no issues so it almost seems like if you plan on getting a Google phone you better get the insurance and pay month-to-month for a device that subpar😢
I don't know where there is so much negativity. In my opinion, the hardware jump from 8 to 9 is bigger than from 7 to 8 or 6 to 7. Better screen, better cameras, better cooling, new designs, it all adds up. Even if Google sticks by its word of 7 years of upgrades and every single feature gets released to the previous generation, hardwear wise this is still a big change.
I like everything about the phones but two things. The price and the amount of memories you get for the price. People always look down on the Pixel phones as cheap phones because they are actually cheaper and less premium than iPhones and Samsung. Well, not anymore in terms of hardware/build and also the prices.
I ain’t buying nothing till I hear about that battery life
I personally was just hoping for more. I've liked my Pixel Fold as it was a good successor to the Duo but the hardware was kind of disapointing for me. I have dead pixels on the inner display, the usb c is garbage as it constantly disconects with game controllers and some chargers, my finger print sensor works some days some days not so much. Not having display out is insaine at $2000 (512gb) but i knew that going in. I think personally would like them to come out and say we improved this and have more reliable better performing hardware. I dont want to shell out another $2000 for the same phone with a worse form factor and worse battery because they added the ability to create fake pictures and talk to fake people on my phone. Hell I don't even want to talk to real people on my phone.
I don't know if this is pure coincidence but on the day of the Google event my pixel fold inner screen failed lol I now I have white line at the bottom of the screen. I'm not annoyed, it's just Funny right on the day of the event phone has been flawless for the 10 months I've owned pixel fold. It's still a warranty whether this will cover under the warranty. I don't know until I return it to Google and go from there. I really like the new pixel fold, however can't really justify the price regarding no real camera upgrades and I'm a little sceptical on the battery life as it's got smaller
Went and looked at a 9 fold in a store today.
It is a good size sightly smaller than the pro XL as has been commented. It is thinner and lighter than the Z Fold which I was able to compare directly. I feel that the hinge was also slightly less noticeable than the Z fold but that could be because the 9 fold was only just out on the floor and the Z fold had been in the floor for a long time and subject to as lot more opening and closing by customers.
The only concern was the first shop I went to said their 9 fold had failed about an hour after they put it on display not exactly confidence inspiring for sunshine looking to purchase 🙃
I have decided to order one but am just waiting to see if I can get one at cost from a supplier we use as we are planning a big equipment order with them for my company. Our account manager said they don't make a lot of margin on a phone like the 9 fold but thought he could get it for me a cost 😀
I truly find a lot of value in your reviews-- honesty and real for consumers like me. I can't wait to get my hand on the Pixel Pro 9 XL- ordered place!
Great video, thanks.
Honestly, the AI photo stuff is just lame.
I just placed my pre-order for the Pixel Pro Fold yesterday. Really amazed by the huge improvements from the first phone. I'm glad I waited...
Looking forward to seeing your deep dive video on the Fold.
Love your videos and your enthusiasm
it was a good event! I already preordered!
Hardware upgrades should be changed to 2 year cycle, especially for the 1500$ range phones.
AI is ok, but eats battery life.
Also, Google already offering me to upgrade my prem membership to include new AI for like $350/yr
I find Google's AI-powered features impressive. The objectivity of photography is subjective, as each individual has their own unique perspective of reality.
Personally, I don't enjoy staged group photos with forced smiles or selfies capturing everyday life. However, these types of photos are favored by others, including my wife, and the "Add Me" and "Best Take" features can be helpful for capturing such images swiftly, particularly on sunny days when you don't want to miss out.
Yeah, I have nothing against AI, but starting to altering photos like stalin russia feels wierd. "Sorry, but you looked ugly on this picture but I can fix it with the best photo feature" :) Biggest problem with Google AI, as I still do not feel my Pixel 8 is an AI phone.. its just a app running on the phone still.
I like the direction with the phones. Two pro models. One for big hands and one for small. I don't mind the fold is an interesting approach as well, but the AI capabilities are insane. I sure would use the RUclips one as I love to cook.
Eye love me some Pixel phones and cannot wait to receive my P9P. But please Google improve the call history. You still can't look at a recent call and see how long the duration of that or any call was..
If you click the history icon for a recent call it will give how long the calls were for that number and when
@@amanda907 never saw that option on a Pixel phone. And don't see it now. What is the history icon and where is it? There is nothing that says history at all..
@@mackmccord3743 when you select something from the recent call list it opens to 3 more options underneath, one of which should be history for that specific caller.
Totally agree with your points. Great video!
In the progression of electronics, AI is the way we can truly take to make our computers, servers and all devices truly smart. It's the future step we have to take to progress further. Like it or not, AI is going to come and we should embrace it rather than reject it. Rather I feel honored to be able to use all of these innovative AI features which is available in my pocket. My experiences with AI on my P8P have been very positive except that gemini is not ready to replace google assistant yet. But after watch the keynote, I can see that gemini software have been drastically improved and hopefully can replace Google assistant fully without compromising some features.
Only thing I hope is for Google to allow more countries to use their country exclusive features. It doesn't feel good to pay more in my country and not unlock the full experience.
I think you do a great job of not letting your emotions run you. If you're kind of a pixel fan I think it would be difficult not to be a little bit pissed at people sort of shitting all over the pixel 9. But I think you approached it with levity and from an informed & relatively conciliatory place.
That is always my goal. Comments like this definitely help me keep it up!
No one seem to talk about Tensor 4 performance. It's hardly comparable to snap dragon flagship performance. In fact at best they are only mid range CPUs. Yet Google charges flagship premium for their pixel 9 series. It's like imagining Samsung putting all its AI features to their mid range phones and charge premium flagship price claiming of well the CPU is sufficient enough to run the AI. Honestly I really hope or even dream Google will either use snapdragon or at least make the tensor close to its performance.
Appreciate your approach to tech reviews & your perspective, Shane
I pre-ordered but only concern is the battery charging speed wired compared to oneplus fold.
Pre-ordering the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel Buds Pro 2
Hey Shane I believe that for the call notes feature, you have to activate it for each call you want to record. Thanks for the amazing coverage!!
One of the most intelligent reviews I have seen. Thank you
Ai when it comes to phones does not stand for artificial intelligence it stands for advance intelligence
10:41 - Theres this old grouchy gadget guy whose heen saying this for yearsssssss.
The pixel 9 pro fold , Honor Magic V2 RSR Porsche edition, Vivo X fold 3 are all definitely my favorite tough choice with that z fold 6 slim and 7 ultra coming because I love one ui so much and stylus support
Anyone know if the 9 Pro Fold has the Vapor chamber? It's so thin, i'd be impressed if it has one
Curious too. The presentation didn't do a good job explaining the overlap especially the camera/video
It doesnt. Just the 2 pro's
AI yeah people not going get happy or go crazy especially when they planning to charge you for it
Ordered my P9P Fold yesterday. I can't wait! Verizon gave me $800 for my S22 Ultra.
I pre-ordered the new Pixel 9 Pro XL and I'm already considering canceling my order. On the Dutch website you can't find any trace of the new AI features like Pixel Studio, the new Magic Editor and all those new features while on the USA website it's all there. If the phone comes without all the new AI features (Like USA only) I will send the phone back and i will never buy a Pixel or any Google product again.
I love the Pixel 9 series already!! I love that the Pro models are now very identical when it comes to the specs. I love big phones, so the XL already became my favorite (yes, 1 inch taller than the 8 Pro) in the Pixel 9 series. I'm still rocking a Pixel 7 and still a super solid phone (I did wish I had gotten the 7 Pro, but it was unavailable when I purchased my Pixel 7). I personally never had issues with its optical fingerprint sensor, so changing to Ultrasonic isn't really a big deal for me, but for others, it is. I always believed that optical fingerprint sensors in recent years like the Pixel 6/7/8 were never the issue (for some users), it was the lack of optimization that some Pixel 6/7/8 models had issues with. Other brands use optical fingerprint sensors and have no issues, so changing to Ultrasonic, again isn't a big deal. It's all about optimization and how it reads your fingers and how you registered.
Google invited criticism by calling the P9 Fold a "Pro" model when it's anything but.
Also on P9 Fold: I am interested to see if Google changes their approach to apps trigging tablet view. To this point, Google apps have relied on aspect ratio orientation to toggle tablet UI (e.g., in Gmail you don't get the tablet view unless you have the device held in a landscape orientation). This worked fine on the original Pixel Fold because it opened to a native landscape orientation. The P9 Fold doesn't. This issue can be seen on existing portrait foldables like the Z Fold where you don't get the tablet UI in a Google app until you rotate the device.
My hope is that this changes Google's philosophy to toggle the tablet UI based on the viewport size rather than orientation. Whether in portrait or landscape orientation, an unfolded foldable has more than enough screen space to display the tablet UI of an app and that's what I'd expect when unfolding it. Having the "mobile" UI on a foldable's inner display makes no sense as it typically just over inflates UI elements to a silly degree.
The Pro Fold should certainly be criticized for the camera hardware, but beyond that it's as "Pro" as the other models.
For the other stuff, I haven't confirmed it 100%, but I was told before launch that Google had addressed this and that apps like RUclips Music opened to the dual pane layout without rotating.
@@scaryifliteral aren't the "pro" cameras the biggest distinction between the Pro and non-Pro pixels, though? Aside from having 16GB of RAM vs. 12GB, what else is there?
Glad to hear about the apps. That'll make the foldable experience better for everyone.
My dad asked chat gpt how to improve his work and make more money as a uber, and the freaking ai advice really worked ☠️
Hating ai is like hating a mechanic drill because it will make everyone do more work for less effort than someone that used a hammer all their life xdd
Trading in cursed s24u for pixel 9 xl. S24u is the worst camera experience I've had
A decent selfie camera, finally. It's about time. 👏
I do miss the days of the total UI refresh, but I am super excited for this line of phones and the AI features Google is including.
Love the Essential Phone reference. I had that phone for a bit back in the day and loved the in-hand feel from the flat edges and the cool ceramic back 👍 I'm all on board with the smaller Pixel 9 Pro (been asking for a small Pro for like 5 years) so I'll likely grab one around Black Friday
The best built pixel so far...
The durability tests are insane... No flagship has that level of durability yet...
Just checked t-mobile and their pre-orders for the pro and XL and they're doing better than they did for the Pixel 9 pro. Pixel 9 pro has 128gb and 256gb options while the Pro XL is 256gb and 512gb option. I know which phone I'm upgrading to this year.
My only problem is that the smaller pixel 9 pro is not releasing until later on next month and even in October for some carriers😤
I worry that this is mostly a play on getting you 'hooked' on to an expensive subscription service next year. That is not a marketing ploy, it is a way to get us paying more
Thanks a bunch for being one of the few people on the internet that actually talks sense especially when it comes to the "OmG TEnSoR sucks" benchmark folks.
The reason AI rubbed me wrong in the event is... These phones are midrange specs and bargain bin storage for S24 Ultra money. Now, used to Google threw in a free watch or buds to offset that insane pricing. Now you get a free year of AI that few people if any actually use let alone would have paid for anyway. The incentive to buy at launch is gone. AI is fine to throw in as a gimmick with the OS like Samsung did, but it isn't a selling point or feature so to speak. And certainly not an incentive to buy a $500 device for $1,000+
😂 Samsung 24u demoed haha!! When Gemini failed 3 times, he had to switch the Pixel for a Samsung 24u 😂
I thought he was using a Samsung the whole time because he was trying to demonstrate Gemini on other devices
@@carriegreicar4978 Ah ok, maybe I got that wrong, thanks for pointing that out 👍
After a 3 year test of iOS I’m cashing in my iPhone 15 PM and getting a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Before my two iPhones I’ve been with Android since basically the second Android phone was released.
The iPhones have been solid, but they’re so boring year on year and I genuinely feel Google are doing the better job integrating AI. Plus, I definitely prefer the more open platform.
Also ordered a 45mm Pixel Watch 3 :-)
Keep up the great and positive work Shane!
i love my vivo x fold 3 pro and i wish that AI 😒😒😒😒
T-Mobile is only doing the 256gb model on the fold 😡highly annoyed about it
As someone who is forgetful and doesnt record calls (haven't for years), the notes function will be extremely helpful.
I am concerned about a comment that I thought I heard later in the presentation that you have to start it at the beginning of the call, and that it will notify the other person on the line. We will see
You still need to manually toggle the notes function. If you have trouble remembering to record calls, I don't see this fixing that.
Pixel Fold 2 is still below in terms of processor, battery, and charging compared to Open. Jeez only reason i would ever get the pixel pro fold 9 is for the killer trade in deal that oneplus will do with the Oneplus Open 2.
I wish they upgraded the camera a little bit on the fold, i would've change my fold 3 for it
I was quite excited about the S24 when it came out, the AI features seemed pretty cool, but I have to say this new range of features is really good. I could see myself using them, especially the call summary. I think the Fold is the direction I will go in.
Seriously considering the 9 Pro Fold.. did they happen to mention if it has stylus support? You had the best speedrun video, btw.. Thanks for including the parts where the AI stuff kinda stumbled. It definitely shows the state of things at this time anyway.
No stylus, poor support. Don't believe the hype. Love Mr Craig's videos. However, he is all in on the Pixel fold no matter how often he is let down.
Are we getting Video Boost on the 9 Pro Fold?
I was excited about the Pixel Fold 2 but the trade-in deals are horrible so I will wait. I'm still in love with my OnePlus Open since the matte antireflective inner screen protector is amazing. I also have a Z Fold 6 (I know I have a problem) and honestly I still prefer my OnePlus Open since I don't get any glare and you really can't see the crease during normal use.
Yea i like that too Call Notes
Great summary!
What fingerprint sensor uses the new fold?
Hi, I watched most of the event but didn't hear anything about the selfie camera that got a huge upgrade! And there were some rumors about the wireless charging getting the new standard but they didn't say anything about that either.
But the pixel looks hokey compared to Fold 6.
Samsung made a executive looking device, the Pixel looks like a kids phone in comparison
Nailed it!!!