Google seems to have taken a leaf out of Apple’s book with the new Pixel devices: appeal to the masses, make things as simple as possible and don’t mess with a winning formula.
After last year’s redesign of the Pixel phone, no one was expecting another significant design update. This year, it seems, was all about making the devices more accessible to the wider population. Pixel is stepping out of the tech shadows, ready to win over the average phone buyer.
One area where it is not following Apple? Integrating AI into its systems. While Apple has adopted a more cautious approach, Google has leapt in with both feet.
Gemini, its AI model, has replaced Google Assistant as the voice interface on its devices. There are AI-powered suggestions through the new Magic Cue feature that bring information to you rather than making you search it out. And the camera app now has a dose of AI too, with a Pro Res Zoom that goes up to 100x and fills in the gaps with AI.
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This creates two photos – the original shot you have captured with digital zoom, and the AI version, with its smoother lines and sharper focus. It doesn’t do well zooming in on people, which is probably a good thing.
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That is alongside the previous features: Add me, to get yourself into the shot by combining two images; unblur, to clean up photos; and best take, which combines similar shots to get the best photo.
It has sparked an interesting debate on what constitutes a photograph. Is it still a photograph if AI is used to create some elements? What about filters and minor edits after the fact? Are we killing our creativity altogether by using AI to make up for our – and our equipment’s – shortfalls?
The good news is that the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a decent phone even without the AI features. You can delete the Pro Res Zoom model, ignore the new Camera Coach and never use the Magic Editor that will remove distractions from your shots.
Google’s latest device comes with a 6.8-inch display, which gives plenty of room to line up your shots. Aside from the high-quality video camera, it is, as you would expect from a Pixel, no slouch on the still-image front.
The camera on the back is a triple set-up with a 50MP wide lens, 48MP ultra-wide that also has a macro focus function, and a 48MP telephoto lens that magnifies up to 5x. With the usual photo modes – portrait, night sight and so on – it is almost impossible to take a bad photo. Believe me, I tried.
On the off-chance that your skills are badly lacking, you can go back to that previously mentioned coach. The Camera Coach is a step-by-step walk-through for those who need a bit of help with their photography skills.
Point your camera at what you want to shoot, press the Camera Coach icon in the top right corner of the screen, and Google’s AI will scan the scene to see what is in frame. Then it will throw up some suggestions – a shot of a child playing might generate suggestions for perfect portraits or a close-up of colourful toys. You select the shot you want to capture and it walks you through the process step by step.
A lot of it is elementary stuff, but given the number of Instagram accounts pushing phone photography lessons that seem to make it into my feed these days, Google is planting fertile ground here.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a powerhouse. It has Google’s Tensor G5 processor built in, comes with 16GB of RAM and starts at 256GB of storage, up to 1TB. It has the temperature sensor – still not for body temperature though – which comes in handy very occasionally, but is something you can live without.
And while it is not cheap – from €1,119 for the base model – it comes with seven years of software and security updates. Treat it right and you will get your money’s worth. Google is counting on you being in it for the long haul.
The Pixel 10 series isn’t targeting last year’s buyers, or even the year before. There are few differences between this year’s Pixel and last year’s, hardware wise.
There is of course the addition of PixelSnap, the new series of magnetic chargers and other accessories that iPhone users will find familiar. But people are looking for more from their phones these days than some shiny accessories, and that includes longer support.
Good
Google has taken last year’s design and refined it a little. There was no need for a major redesign just yet; we would settle for new colours. Well, new colours and some decent hardware, which the company has managed to provide.
AI has been woven well into the operating system, and many features can be disabled if you aren’t keen on them.
Battery life is also good, with the XL’s battery easily lasting the day and then some with regular use.
Bad
If you don’t like AI, you will be turning off a lot of features. The phone is still a solid one underneath though.
Pro Res Zoom can be difficult to master at the strongest magnification, even with image stabilising active. Use it sparingly.
Everything else
Lots of AI. AI everywhere. It has the Pixel Studio app preinstalled too, which allows you to create your own images via a text prompt – within reason though, Google’s policies prevent certain types of photos from being created, such as realistic images of children or violent content.
Verdict
AI is here to stay (for now, at least) and the Pixel 10 Pro XL is firmly on board. Would you expect anything less from Google?
