Google’s Pixel 9 series may come with a year of free Gemini Advanced

Summary

• Google may offer a free 1-year Gemini Advanced subscription for the Pixel 9 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold.
• The standard Pixel 9 model would still receive free access, but it would be limited to 6 months if strings of code found in the Google app are any indication.
• Google’s Pixel 9 series is expected to heavily market its AI capabilities, some of which may be potentially tied to Gemini Advanced.

We’re sure you’ve heard of Google’s upcoming Pixel 9 series. Even if you’re fascinated with rocks and potentially live under one, the constant stream of the upcoming Pixel flagship series leaks (there’s more Pixel 9 leaks we’ve reported on in July alone than fingers on both my hands combined) means you’ve likely heard of the upcoming devices.

Leaked European pricing has indicated that the Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel Fold 2/Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be roughly in-line with the Pixel 8 Pro and the Pixel Fold 1, while the base Pixel 9 could cost €100–€140 (roughly $108–$152 USD) more than its predecessor. We also know that Google will introduce an XL variant, which might start at roughly €100 more than the Pixel 9 Pro, and we’ve seen videos that back up the new variant’s existence.

While a majority of the leaks we’ve reported on have been hardware-based, a recent APK teardown has us excited about a potential Gemini-related Pixel 9 series perk.

As shared by code sleuth @AssembleDebug in a report for TheSpAndroid, Google might be bundling in a free one-year subscription to Gemini Advanced alongside the Pixel 9 series. For reference, Gemini Advanced first became available in February 2024, and costs roughly $20 per month. It gives users access to Gemini’s 1.5 Pro model with a one million token context window, priority access to new and exclusive features, an option to edit and run Python code directly in the tool, paired with 2TB of Google One storage, and more.

Your Pixel Pro gives you access to a 1-year subscription to Gemini Advanced, our most capable AI model with priority access to new features, at no cost to you.

Code for the free subscription was found in the Google App beta version 15.28.37.29. Some strings of code mentioned “P9,” referencing the Pixel 9, while others mentioned “Pixel Pro,” suggesting that the free Gemini Advanced perk might be series-wide. However, subsequent codes also suggest that the one-year free trial might be limited to the Pixel 9 Pro, while the base Pixel 9 might only get six months of free Gemini Advanced.

Potential AI overload incoming?

The leak isn’t the first of its kind; we’ve heard about Google’s AI ambitions with the Pixel 9 series, and even if we hadn’t, with Apple boasting its Apple Intelligence and Samsung showing off its Galaxy AI features at the recent Unpacked, Google overloading the Pixel 9 series with AI capabilities was already a given.

While exact details about the Gemini Advanced perk are still under wraps, it is likely that Google will market the Pixel 9 series with its AI features. It is currently unclear if Google might release some on-device AI features that are locked to Gemini Advanced, forcing users to purchase the advanced model’s subscription. If that’s the case, the tech giant’s whole campaign might be tied to the free Gemini Advanced promo. “Here are all the advanced AI-related features this phone is capable of, and you can try them out for free,” or something of that sort, prompting you to pay up once the free trial ends.