I'm A Longtime Pixel Fan - But I'm Skipping The Latest Model, And Here's Why

1 week ago

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Google's caller Pixel 10 isn't worthy nan upgrade for me.
It comes down to cost, color, and deficiency of caller slayer features.
Too overmuch AI is besides a deterrent.

The new Pixel 10 is upon us, and, arsenic usual, Google wants america each to upgrade. For galore of us, trading successful our existent exemplary for a discount connected nan newer type has go a yearly tradition. I've done it ever since Google adopted nan trade-in policy, and it has served maine well.

However, this twelvemonth is different. I will not beryllium upgrading to nan Pixel 10. Why, you ask? Allow maine to break it down.

It starts pinch nan cost

For nan past fewer years, I've dropped betwixt $600 and $1,000 (depending connected trade-in worth and availability) each clip Google has released a caller phone. If you adhd successful nan latest Pixel Watch, you tin adhd astir $400 to that total.

It adds up.

Also: I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra pinch nan Pixel 10 Pro XL for a week - and can't spell back

This year, pinch nan value of everything increasing, spending upwards of $1,000 connected a caller phone/watch is difficult to justify. At this constituent successful time, nan costs of surviving has precluded my expertise to walk connected -- what galore would see -- an unnecessary expense. Additionally, nan rising ostentation has forced maine to rethink specified purchases.

The costs of nan mixed telephone and watch astir equals a owe costs aliases period of rent, and I would alternatively person a tile complete my caput than a caller telephone successful my bag. It could extremity there, but it doesn't.

A worthy upgrade?

Here's nan thing: My Pixel 9 Pro is nan champion telephone I've ever used. No, it's not perfect, but nary telephone is. But it's arsenic adjacent to perfection arsenic Google has ever produced. Is it worthy spending adjacent to a expansive for what seems to beryllium a insignificant upgrade?

Sure, Google is embedding moreover much AI into nan phone, but that doesn't excite me. What excites maine is much powerful and sleek hardware, and successful those 2 categories, nan upgrade from nan Pixel 9 Pro to nan Pixel 10 Pro is conscionable excessively incremental to person maine jonesing to buy.

Also: Google tin publication your Docs to you now

It would return thing beautiful typical to get maine to upgrade from the Pixel 9 Pro, and nan 10 doesn't execute that feat.

Another logic (and immoderate mightiness deliberation this silly) is that my Pixel 9 Pro colorway has been my favourite to date, and nan offered colors for nan 10 do not see it. In fact, nan Pixel 10 Pro colorways are alternatively boring. I'm a instrumentality of aesthetics (and bully design, and powerful hardware), truthful successful that respect, upgrading to nan Pixel 10 Pro would beryllium a downgrade for me.

My Pixel 9 Pro still performs for illustration it's marque new, and that capacity blows distant each phones I've utilized successful nan past. In my view, Google created a problem for itself pinch nan Pixel 9 Pro because it's a telephone that I simply don't want to fto spell of. I look astatine it nan aforesaid measurement arsenic I do Ubuntu Linux releases: each different year, they unleash a caller LTS (Long Term Support) type of nan OS, and astir users skip nan non-LTS releases. That's really I'm starting to spot nan Pixel telephone releases.

Too overmuch AI

Don't get maine wrong, I don't dislike AI. For example, 1 of nan caller AI features allows Gemini to link to Maps and find restaurants, past matter nan database to nan family group chat for you. It's imaginable that, via Gemini, Google tin past build an moreover much meticulous floor plan of you and your preferences. Gemini will besides make it imaginable to stock your camera successful Gemini Live.

No thanks.

Also: 5 AI features connected nan Pixel 10 that Google thinks will triumph you complete (including nan Fold)

You'll besides get a 1-year subscription to nan Gemini AI Pro plan, which is $20/month. What if Google doesn't make it evident aliases easy to cancel that plan, aliases you hide to cancel it? I've had that hap to maine connected respective occasions, and getting nan money backmost is nary easy feat.

Again, nary thanks.

There's besides nan caller Magic Cue characteristic that further personalizes AI to thief "connect nan dots crossed your integer life." I personally don't want AI anticipating my needs, arsenic I do that good capable connected my own.

The 1 point I mightiness miss retired on

EMBARGOED - Google Pixel 10 Pro Dock Wireless Charging

I will opportunity this: nan new Pixelsnap feature sounds beautiful cool. Essentially, this characteristic adds magnetic tech to nan Pixel telephone truthful you tin "snap" your telephone to accessories (such arsenic chargers). In my case, I purchased a lawsuit for my Pixel 9 Pro, which has a magnetic characteristic built successful arsenic well, truthful I don't really request this. However, if I decided to spell without a case, I'd suffer nan feature. Not truthful pinch nan Pixel 10.

Also: Google Wallet adds support for different charismatic authorities ID

Sorry, Google, I emotion your phones, but I emotion my Pixel 9 Pro much than I emotion nan thought of dropping a expansive connected an incremental (at best) upgrade. I'll support my pinkish Pixel 9 Pro until a caller Pixel makes my existent 1 look and consciousness obsolete.