Key features and challenges of Google Pixel 9 series
Top 3 Key Points:
- Enhanced AI Summarization: The Google Pixel 9’s AI-powered Pixel Recorder now offers more useful summaries, surpassing previous models.
- Display Output Limitations: Despite native support for external displays, the Pixel 9 series lacks a robust desktop mode, limiting its usability.
- Improved Device Tracking: The Pixel 9 series can be located even when powered off, thanks to advanced Bluetooth technology.
The Google Pixel 9 series brings several notable improvements and features to the table, enhancing the user experience with its cutting-edge technology. However, there are still some areas where the new series could benefit from further refinement.
Pixel Recorder’s Enhanced Summarization
One of the standout features of the Google Pixel 9 is its improved Pixel Recorder app, which offers more effective summarization capabilities. While previous Pixel models struggled with generating useful summaries for longer recordings, the Pixel 9 leverages Google’s advanced AI model, Gemini Nano with multimodality, to handle this task more efficiently. This AI model processes not just text, but also images, audio, and speech, enabling the Pixel 9 to summarize transcripts of recordings over 30 minutes long, which the Pixel 8 struggled with. However, there are still limitations, particularly with recordings over an hour in length, where the app might still struggle.
Display Output Support: A Work in Progress
The Google Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, now supports display output right out of the box. This is a significant step forward as previous Pixel models lacked this feature. The phones utilize DisplayPort Alternate Mode to mirror their screens onto external displays. However, the lack of an optimized desktop interface, similar to Samsung DeX, limits its practicality. While Google is working on a more refined desktop mode for future Android releases, users currently need to tinker with settings and third-party apps to improve the experience.
Powered-Off Finding with Find My Device
Losing a smartphone can be stressful, but Google Pixel 9 series devices have a unique feature to ease this concern. These phones can still be located even when powered off, thanks to a reserve power system that keeps the Bluetooth chip active for several hours after the battery dies. This allows the phone to continue broadcasting its location to nearby devices in the Find My Device network, making it easier to track down a lost Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, or Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Pixel Studio’s AI Image Generation: Potential Pitfalls
Another intriguing feature of the Pixel 9 series is Pixel Studio, an app that creates images from text prompts using advanced AI. While this tool can unlock creativity, it also has the potential to generate inappropriate or offensive content, even with Google’s safeguards in place. This highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining ethical standards in AI-generated content.
Conclusion
The Google Pixel 9 series showcases impressive advancements in AI and device features, making it a compelling option for tech enthusiasts. However, the limitations in display output and the challenges in controlling AI-generated content indicate that there’s still room for improvement. As Google continues to refine these features, future updates may unlock even more potential in the Pixel 9 series.