The Pixel 9 is Google’s chance to prove Tensor bugs are a thing of the past

Look alive, folks. We’re on the precipice of Google’s biggest, most important hardware launch since, in my view, the Pixel 6. With four phones available at higher prices than ever before, complete with refined, premium designs that feel leagues ahead of previous efforts, this feels like Google’s most focused attempt to sway users away from Apple yet. And don’t just take my word for it — Rick Osterloh himself told Stratechery last week that Pixel users come from defunct Android OEMs and Apple, not, say, Samsung.

That said, this story will extend well past Google’s initial launch window. The Tensor era has seen its fair share of highs, but it’s also seen plenty of low points for Pixel. The first year of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro felt like the earliest days of Android, a buggy, inconsistent mess that faced plenty of delayed or pulled updates. The Pixel 7 series — really, every Tensor G2-powered phone — struggled with overheating and random battery drain, while the Pixel 8 proved just how inconsistent the Pixel experience can be.

Google has a lot to prove when it comes to reliability, and the first six months (give or take) of the Pixel 9 will prove just how far its fourth-gen Tensor hardware has come — or how much it still needs to grow.

Google’s Tensor era has been plagued by bugs and other issues

From the Pixel 6 to the Pixel 8 Pro, it’s been a rocky few years

Let’s take it back to the Pixel 8. Six months ago, spurred on by a particularly buggy security patch and the experience of seeing two identical Pixel 8 Pros on my desk — one fully functional, one completely bugged — I wrote about how frustrating it can be to recommend any of Google’s hardware. Just a few months after I’d delivered a glowing review to the company’s latest flagship, I was looking down at a brand-new device that arrived unusable out of the box, with the official advice telling me to push several ADB commands or to bide my time waiting for an official patch.

As I said at the time, it was a completely inexcusable situation, made only worse by the fact that it was nothing new for Pixel. After three years of waiting for issues updating Tensor devices to finally subside, it’s clear that — at least up until now — every generation has faced at least one major post-launch hurdle. I’ll admit that the Pixel 8 series has been Google’s most stable yet, that terrible January patch notwithstanding, but we’re going to need more than a few months of uninterrupted updates to convince me things are different.

Still, the Pixel 9 is coming in on the back of the fairly smooth Pixel 8a rollout. I’ve been using my review unit as a daily driver on and off for the past three months (basically, whenever I wasn’t reviewing another phone during this unexpectedly busy summer), and I have practically no complaints on the software side. Updates have, more or less, been on time and consistent, and I haven’t had any odd battery drain or other bugs popping up out of nowhere.

Digging through r/GooglePixel — the most criticism-heavy of the main Android subreddits, in my experience — most posts seem to echo my 8a thoughts. While you can find complaints, none of them seem to coalesce around the same general issues, suggesting Google is getting better at delivering a good baseline experience. But I’m not sure it’s enough to alleviate my Pixel 9 concerns just yet.

The Pixel 9 trio needs to set itself apart from its predecessors

And it starts with this week’s launch

The next six months or so are the true test for Google’s hardware division. The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL launch later this week, while the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be in consumer’s hands early next month. These devices represent the first real push into the market with a full premium lineup since, arguably, the Pixel 4 — even the cheaper Pixel 8 cut a few corners to find its $700 price tag. I think it’s a smart move for Google, and gives the A-series that much more breathing room as a budget-friendly alternative, but the experience will need to be as premium as this year’s prices promise.

That means a consistently bug-free experience. I don’t want to hear reports of random battery drain following a bad data transfer from an older Android device. I don’t want to wake up to news that another security patch has been delayed for Pixel while watching Samsung phones get their updates on time. And I really, really don’t want to install a monthly update, only to find my device bugged for weeks while waiting on a fix.

It’s not that Google’s smartphone can never face another problem again — that is, obviously, an impossible goal. But this company does need to prove that it can get through a launch without yet another report of problems for early adopters — or, for that matter, people picking up the phone in a few short months.

You have nothing to lose by waiting a few months to buy a Pixel 9

You might even save a few bucks in the long run

Reviews — even AP’s own — aren’t going to be able to tell the full story of the Pixel 9 series at launch. I’m as excited as anyone to start discussing these devices in greater detail, but as with any review period, testing doesn’t end after any of us have hit publish. And considering the reputation Google has built for itself, especially among Android enthusiasts, it’s especially important with these devices to look for any issues at launch, known or unknown.

My general advice for anyone interested in the Pixel 9 lineup is simple. Unless you’re a die-hard early adopter, the vast majority of shoppers should wait to upgrade until we’re a few months into this product cycle. Not only will that help you avoid any post-launch bugs — who knows, maybe the September patch makes it impossible to place phone calls — but you’ll also find a better, cheaper experience just a few months down the road.

Google’s Black Friday deals on Pixels have practically become a running gag at this point, but there’s a big benefit to waiting for the company’s first sale on new hardware. Being three months ahead of the holiday shopping season does slow down early deals, but you should still expect to find $100 discounts on the Pixel 9 trio come November, and that should help ease the sting of this year’s price hike.

You know what else you’ll find in November? Android 15, which isn’t launching on the Pixel 9 series out of the box. While I’d argue Android versions matter less than ever, waiting for this year’s annual enhancements from Google could work out in your favor. And again, the question of potential bugs circles this upgrade — what if jumping from Android 14 to Android 15 on the Pixel 9 causes problems? Only time will tell, but there’s no benefit to finding out firsthand.

Hell, even ignoring Android 15, waiting through the first few security patches should give us a good idea of any potential horror stories. If we see less bug reports than usual on the Pixel subreddit throughout the rest of 2024, you’ll know Google is off to a good start.

The Pixel 9 looks like Google’s finest phone experience yet

Let’s just hope it stays that way

I’m really hoping Google can prove itself capable of a steady, stable launch with the Pixel 9 lineup, if only because I walked away really impressed during my initial hands-on time a couple of weeks ago. Still, don’t be surprised if you hear about early adopter problems immediately following launch, especially on forums like Reddit and Threads.

As I promised six months ago, I’m not treating the Pixel’s software experience with kid gloves moving forward, especially when it comes to buggy launches. While I have high hopes for this lineup and its premium aspirations, I and every other reviewer at Android Police will be keeping a watchful eye out for problems with our respective devices. Whether or not Google nails this launch, look forward to follow-ups on the Pixel 9 series in the coming months, so you know whether or not these devices can hold up to their lofty expectations.

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  Google Pixel 9

  The Pixel 9 is Google’s most affordable 2024 flagship, making a few compromises when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL while retaining the Google smarts the lineup has become known for. An upgraded 48MP ultra-wide camera is paired with a 50MP main shooter, and the selfie cam added autofocus. All of this comes with new Gemini AI features and a 2,700-nit Actua display for exceptional value at its price point.

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  Google Pixel 9 Pro

  The Pixel 9 Pro is a new addition to Google’s lineup, slotting in as a smaller premium flagship to pair with the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The latter is the direct successor to 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro despite its new XL moniker, whereas the Pixel 9 Pro brings a new form-factor to Google’s high-end offerings, sporting the same dimensions as the standard Pixel 9 model while packing all the AI and camera prowess we’ve grown accustomed to from Google’s Pro lineup.

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  Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

  The Pixel 9 Pro XL has a new name, but it fills the same slot as 2023’s Pixel 8 Pro, having similar specs with roughly the same footprint. The non-XL Pixel 9 Pro is new to the lineup as a smaller premium flagship offering. With the 9 Pro XL, however, you get Google’s fastest charging, a bigger screen and battery, and all of the camera and Gemini AI smarts you’d get in the smaller 9 Pro.