Google announces the Pixel 9 series with four phones including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold — and they’re all coming to Australia

The annual Made By Google event arrived earlier than usual with Google announcing their latest Pixel 9 series of phones overnight.

The Google Pixel 9 series includes four devices, the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold.  All devices are set to launch in Australia in the coming weeks.   

Pixel 9

This year Google has opted for two Pixel 9 Pro devices, with only the screen size being different.  They have matching specs all the way down the line (aside from screen and battery size) and most importantly with the camera specs are identical.

The Pixel 9 Pro is the XL specs inside the body of the Pixel 9.  Both the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 have a 6.3-inch display although the Pro version is a 1280 x 2856 display compared to a 1080 x 2424 display in the 9.  The size and weight of the two devices though is essentially the same.

The Pixel 9 phones are powered by the new fourth generation Tensor G4 processor offering more power and the ability to do more on the go.  You’ll notice this additional power with faster web browsing and faster app loading speeds (up to 17 percent faster than the previous generation Tensor G3). 

As expected, the Pixel 9 series has a large focus on AI and Gemini with the Tensor G4 improving the AI capabilities and Gemini Nano is now able to offer Multi-Modality on a mobile device for the first time.  This means you can add a variety of inputs to Gemini making it a lot more useful.

Google will be including a year of Google One AI Premium with the Pixel 9 Pro (and Pixel 9 Pro XL), giving you access to Gemini Advanced, as well as 2TB of cloud storage – normally priced at $12.49 per month. 

These new inputs into Gemini thanks to the more capable and powerful Tensor G4 allows for additional features such as Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Studio.

Pixel Screenshots is a new feature that uses Gemini to analyse any screenshots you may have taken and find objects such as receipts, codes and more.

Pixel Studio is Google’s new generative AI image creation tool which uses Google’s Imagen3 AI in the cloud to do the grunt work to create the image and then their Fusion model on-device for quick edits. 

All Pixel 9 phones see an increase in memory (RAM) this year with the Pixel 9 now at 12GB (from 8GB in the Pixel 8) and the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL jumping to 16GB.  Onboard storage starts at 128GB on the Pixel 9 series, with options for up to 256GB on Pixel 9, or up to 512GB on Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Google has also managed to eke out more battery life from the Pixel 9 phones too with Google listing over 24 hours of battery life and if you switch to their extreme battery saver mode that can be extended to nearly 100 hours.  There is also now support for 45W fast charging offering up to 55% charge in 30 minutes on the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, and up to 70% charge in 30 minutes on the Pixel 9 Pro XL.  As is the case these days, the charger is sold separately.

Google’s phones have always had great cameras and this year they are improved even more with new camera features.  Everyone’s favourite features are back including Night Sight including Night Sight Video, Astrophotography Mode, Top Shot and more, with two new features, Add Me and Auto Frame for Magic Editor.

Add Me is designed to allow the photographer to be inserted into an image after it has been taken by them being taken in an image immediately after with someone else removed (and taking the photo this time).  AR swap is then used with Pixel merging the two photos.

Auto Frame will pop up in Magic Editor as an option, letting you completely reframe your shot (eg. increase your field of view), with generative AI filling in the gaps to complete your shot.

The Google Pixel 9 series will launch with Android 14, with Android 15 right around the corner and expected to arrive within a few months.  Updates won’t be a problem though, with the phones getting seven years of OS and security updates, as well as new and upgraded features every month with Pixel Drops.

Availability

The Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are available to pre-order from today and will be on sale starting August 22. They will be available through the Google Store online, as well as JB Hi-Fi, Telstra, Optus, Harvey Norman, Officeworks and Vodafone.

Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Google has decided to bring the second generation foldable to our shores this year.  The new Pixel 9 Pro Fold is their premium option, starting at $2,699 and will be available from September 2.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold obviously is a dual-screen phone, with the outer display a 6.3-inch display (the same as the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro) and the inner display an 8-inch Super Actua Flex display. The new hinge design from Google uses aerospace aluminium making it lightweight and results in a crease that is smaller than the other big name foldable on the Australian market.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also powered by Google’s Tensor G4 and arrives with 16GB of RAM and starts at 256GB of onboard storage.

All AI features coming to the Pixel 9 series will also be landing on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold including Pixel Screenshot, letting you recall information like events just by asking Gemini.

The rear camera on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a triple rear camera setup which includes a 48MP wide sensor, a 10.5MP ultrawide sensor with 127° field of view that can also be used as a macro camera and a 10.8MP telephoto sensor offering up to 5x optical zoom, or 20x digital using Super Res Zoom.  Both the wide and telephoto sensors get optical and electronic image stabilisation.

There are more cameras too with a 10MP sensor and 87 degree ultrawide field of view embedded on the inner AND the outer display.  All camera features on the Pixel 9 phones will also be arriving on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

There is also a great new feature aimed to help you take photos of young kids on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold called Made You Look.  This feature plays fun animations on the outer display while the phone is open and you are using the main triple rear camera to take the photo.  The animation is designed to capture the attention of the littlies – something that everyone knows is incredibly difficult.

Using the Fold while open you can take great quality selfies using the rear camera and the front display to frame it correctly.  This front display also helps with group shots letting everyone see what’s happening on the outer display so they’re all in frame.

Google is also launching the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with Android 14,  with Android 15 available soon after launch. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold will also see seven years of OS and security updates, as well as new and upgraded features every month with Pixel Drops.

Availability

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $2,699 (RRP) and will be on sale from September 2. You’ll be able to grab one from the Google Store online, as well as through JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, as well as through Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.