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Google Pixel Event Reveals Pixel 9 Pro, Pro Fold, and More

By Brian Burgess

Published August 14, 2024

On Tuesday, Google held it’s annual Pixel event where AI was the theme and new phones with beefed up hardware are coming.

Google wrapped up its “Made by Google” event. During the event, the company announced new Pixel devices and a lot of Gemini AI. AI was the theme of the presentation, and new hardware is coming to fuel its resource-intensive nature.

The new Pixel 9 series of phones has been beefed up with improved hardware and displays. The devices will come with Android 14 installed. The next-gen Android 15 will come later as an OTA update and has several new features in its own right. The most expensive (and biggest) phone is the Pixel 9 Fold, which, as the name implies, is Google’s second-gen foldable smartphone.

Google Gemini AI was also prominently shown off during the event, and, like it or not, AI will be infused deeply into Android on Pixel phones, similar to how Microsoft pushes its version of AI in Copilot+ AI laptops.

If you don’t want to sit through the entire event (shown below), we’ve summed up the biggest reveals for you to read through.

Google Pixel 9 Series

The biggest news from the event is the Google Pixel 9 series of phones, which includes three Pro models — Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

AI is a significant theme this year, and the company is packing more powerful hardware. Google’s Tensor G4 processor powers each model from the Pixel 9 family. Also, each phone is loaded with more memory to accommodate the power-hungry AI. The Pixel 9 ships with 12GB of RAM, while the other Pro versions are boosted to 16GB of memory.

The screens are also getting improved. The Pixel 9 series gets a display upgrade to the more durable Corning Victus 2, brighter output with a “Super Actua” screen, and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. Google notes that the new sensor is 50 percent faster than the previous generation of Pixel phones. The screen is 35 percent brighter than the Pixel 8 series. The Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch screen, while the Pro XL has a larger 6.8-inch display.

Introducing the Pixel 9 Pro Fold

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a whopping 8 inches diagonal, which makes it the largest foldable phone currently on the market. When unfolded, it’s roughly the size of an iPad Mini. When you fold it up and put it in your pocket, the cover display is 6.3 inches in size.

So how much do they cost? Unfortunately, more powerful hardware will cost more. The Pixel 9 starts at $799, the 9 Pro starts at $999, and the 6.8-inch Pro XL starts at $1099. The fancy Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a starting price of $1799.

All three Pro phone versions include one year of Gemini Advanced and 2TB of free Google One cloud storage (regularly $19.99/month). They are available for preorder and will ship on August 22.

Other Announcements from Google Pixel Event

There are other notable announcements from the event. Other new devices include the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. Google prominently showed off its Gemini AI, which, in addition to a live chat and assistant update, is integrated into more of Google’s built-in apps.

For instance, Gemini can be utilized in the Photos app and Pixel Screenshots, which is an exclusive app for the Pixel 9 series. The new Pixel Weather app will also use Gemini Nano to generate custom AI weather reports.

You can find more specifics about all phones, Gemini AI, and services on the Google products page.