Sturdy Pixel 9 gross sales is not simply nice information for Google, it is nice information for Android

For practically a decade now, Google’s Pixel lineup has been a fan favourite amongst Android fanatics. Sturdy on-line fandoms do not all the time translate to actual world recognition, after all — ask any die-hard Carly Rae Jepsen fan, ahem — and that is often been the case for the Pixel. Regardless of regular year-over-year development, Google’s smartphone division solely moved 10 million models in 2023, and that represented an all-time excessive. As compared, Apple offered practically 235 million iPhones in the identical 12-month time interval, with Samsung not too far behind.

However issues is likely to be turning round, because the final couple of weeks have been chock full of fine information for Google’s {hardware} gross sales. On the foot of the “highest-ever” quarterly gross sales following the launch of the Pixel 9, two back-to-back stories are portray a fairly shiny image for the way forward for our favourite Android smartphone six years working. And even when a few of these claims are value taking with a grain of salt, one factor’s for positive: Google’s smartphone technique appears to be working.

It has been a month’s value of nice information for Google’s Pixel household

However let’s not get too far forward of ourselves

Let’s shortly break down the entire excellent news from the previous few weeks. In October, throughout Google’s Q3 2024 incomes’s name, the corporate confirmed “robust demand” for the Pixel 9 sequence, albeit with none additional particulars on how that demand translated into remaining gross sales numbers. This echoed a report from Counterpoint Analysis earlier within the month, which discovered extra Google smartphones offered in Q3 2024 than every other quarter on report. Once more, no particular numbers right here, although the vibes definitely really feel robust.

This week, although, it looks like we’re seeing a bit extra perception into simply how profitable the Pixel 9 lineup actually is, led by yesterday’s pretty surprising new report from StatCounter. Utilizing knowledge from greater than 1.5 million web sites, StatCounter discovered Pixel customers made up 12.9 % of the North American market, with that quantity leaping as much as practically 15 % when focusing solely on the US. Consider one other Counterpoint Analysis report that comprises the Pixel 9 Professional XL within the high 10 of premium US smartphone gross sales (h/t Ben Schoon at 9to5Google), and there isn’t any different manner to have a look at it: the Pixel sequence is actually beginning to appear like a hit.

Comparatively talking, that’s. To not pour an excessive amount of chilly water on this information, nevertheless it’s value reiterating simply how far behind Google is in comparison with giants like Samsung and Apple. The Pixel nonetheless finds itself within the “different” class of most third-party smartphone analyst stories, and nevertheless the ultimate 2024 numbers land, it will virtually definitely be peanuts in comparison with the competitors.

Apple is likely to be down 2 % year-over-year in smartphone shipments, nevertheless it’s nonetheless locked in with 54 % of the US market. In the meantime, StatCounter’s reporting must be taken with a grain of salt till we see these numbers repeated quarter after quarter — it is just too massive of a bounce to not be a bit skeptical in direction of.

It is also value remembering that this market is much totally different than a decade in the past. US buyers upgrading their smartphones in the present day solely have just a few manufacturers to pick out from, particularly in the event that they’re procuring in a provider retailer. Not solely have LG and HTC left (or all however left) the trade, however smaller upstarts like OnePlus steadily go unstocked on cabinets inside Verizon or AT&T shops. For those who aren’t shopping for an iPhone, most of your premium choices actually do boil all the way down to Samsung and Google.

This is not simply excellent news for Google — it is excellent news for Android

This is why these numbers matter

Okay, with that pessimism out of the best way, I do suppose the previous few weeks level to a very shiny future for cellular — not only for Google’s {hardware} division, however for Android as an entire. If we take that StatCounter report at face worth, the Pixel’s large bounce in adoption appears to be pulling most of its development from Apple, which is precisely the corporate Google has been chasing as of late. That makes loads of sense — out of the entire wonderful Android telephones you should buy proper now, the Pixel 9 feels probably the most like an iPhone, each aesthetically and from an general software program expertise.

Tackling the iPhone’s dominance in North America is not any small feat. As I’ve beforehand lined, Apple’s lock-in technique with iOS has been a hit by any measure, and contemplating the recognition it holds with youngsters and younger adults particularly, Android’s future within the US has appeared fairly bleak for fairly a while. Whereas I do not suppose this sudden spherical of fine information for the Pixel proves that iOS is on observe to fall backwards into second place any time quickly, I do suppose having a 3rd choice to compete alongside Apple and Samsung is precisely what the physician ordered for the trade’s lack of innovation.

If Google does need to persuade iPhone house owners to modify, now can be the time. Android 15 may’ve been a boring improve for finish customers, nevertheless it reveals simply how secure and refined Android actually is as a platform. I have been fairly chilly personally in direction of Google’s suite of AI purposes, however they’re leaps and bounds forward of the remainder of the cellular competitors. The truth is, iOS 18 and “Apple Intelligence” is an absolute bug-filled mess of an improve, one which — I feel — actually upsets Apple’s fame of reliability above all else. (Think about {that a} teaser for my upcoming iPhone 16 Professional Max evaluate.)

If there’s one factor Google must not do right here, it is take its foot off the gasoline. The Pixel 9a’s rumored early launch ought to present a pleasant increase to gross sales early subsequent yr, particularly if it holds onto that $500 worth level. And if the Pixel 10 can comply with its predecessor’s lead in launching weeks forward of the iPhone, relatively than weeks behind, Google’s typical continuous promoting blitz might assist persuade much more disillusioned iOS followers to probably make the swap. A late launch — or, even worse, a buggy launch — might cease the corporate’s rise in its tracks.

It will be attention-grabbing to see how the Pixel 9 sequence fares by way of the top of the yr, numbers we’ll possible see within the first few weeks of 2025. Whereas I do not anticipate the Pixel 9 Professional to make a noticeable dent in iPhone gross sales this time round, this form of ahead momentum is precisely what Google must cement itself because the “third choice” alongside Samsung and Apple. After all, that makes it all of the extra essential to make sure that the Pixel expertise is rock strong. On that entrance, solely time will inform.