Pixel 9 Pro, 2 Months Later: Android 15 and Forgettable AI

I really liked the Pixel 9 Pro XL when I reviewed it back in August. Its combination of slick design, solid cameras and the flurry of new AI skills made it a compelling alternative to Apple or Samsung’s flagships. I’ve spent more time with the phone in the couple of months since, and it’s received a major software version update to Android 15. So is it still worth considering? 

In short: yes. After deeper camera testing — including pitting it against its main rivals — I’m genuinely impressed with what it can do. The new Android 15 software brings some neat additions around security and privacy, and it’s still just a generally pleasant and straightforward phone to use. But the phone’s AI skills were a big part of its launch and in all honesty they’ve not left much of an impact on me and they might not for you either. 

Here’s what I’ve found in my two months using the phone. 

Still impressive cameras

One of the areas I wanted to spend more time with following the initial review was the camera. I found some issues with the Pixel 8 Pro when it launched, so I wanted to be extremely thorough in my Pixel 9 Pro camera testing to ensure that there were no similar issues. Thankfully, I found no such flaw when I tested the Pixel 9 Pro for my initial review. In recent weeks, I’ve also put the Pixel 9 Pro through some grueling tests against the iPhone 16 Pro and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra — both powerhouse phone cameras — and the Pixel was comfortably able to hold its own. 

Outdoor shots remain bright, vibrant and sharp, with the 5x optical zoom often producing better-looking results than its rivals. Its low-light quality remains superb, but it’s still not a perfect camera. The Pixel 9 Pro’s images often suffer from too much software processing, while its raw images look poor compared with raw files from the iPhone 16 Pro. It remains a great camera for the majority of everyday snappers, but those of you wanting more professional results may want to look elsewhere.

Android 15 and Private Space

The Pixel 9 series received an update to Android 15 earlier this month. While it brings a few new interesting features, it doesn’t really bring much to the overall experience. There are no alterations to the interface or the aesthetic, so it’s quite possible you may automatically receive the update and not even realize it. 

Watch this: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review: AI Dominates This Phone

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There are a couple of new features of note, though. First, there’s the new Private Space, which allows you to create a password-protected area within the phone for any apps or documents you might want to keep hidden. It’s a potentially helpful feature, but so far I haven’t found it super user-friendly. You need to sign in separately and re-download any apps you’ve got installed in the “public” part of your phone, and it’s not always clear how to hide certain files. I’d like to see Google make Private Space much easier to use. 

Android 15 also brought a Theft Detection feature to the Pixel that aims to recognize if your phone is snatched from your hand and instantly lock your screen to stop the thief from accessing your personal information. I haven’t been able to test this, but any tools that enhance security are welcome in my view. 

Gemini Live and Pixel AI

I was fairly impressed with the Pixel’s new AI skills when I reviewed the phone, especially the Pixel Studio generative image maker and the various tools for photo editing. They worked well, but I suspected they may be something of a novelty, and I still feel that’s the case. I’ve barely touched them since writing the review. Not necessarily because I’m not interested, but more because I simply forget that they’re there. 

Maybe it’s me, but I simply don’t see AI features like these as a crucial part of my daily life, and certainly not part of my photography workflow as a professional photographer. I even forget to use Gemini Advanced and the more conversational Gemini Live. Instead, I just type my questions in a Google search as I’ve done for years. 

Perhaps I’m still in this transitional phase of welcoming AI assistants into my life (I only ever ask Siri to set timers when I’m cooking, but I otherwise don’t use it). But I also think AI tools simply don’t offer enough to draw me in yet. The fact remains that I can do any of the things I’d use the Pixel’s AI tools for in the same “manual” way I always have, so I’ve not been wowed yet by any wild new functionality. Maybe I’ll feel differently this time next year — or in several years. 

Is the Pixel 9 Pro still worth buying?

I’m more convinced than ever that the Pixel 9 Pro is a great all-round phone. It’s mostly a pleasure to use, and the camera has really impressed me now that I’ve been able to do deeper testing. It’s definitely not as powerful as its rivals, with benchmark tests putting it a step below even last year’s iPhone 15 Pro. But it feels swift in everyday use, and I find even demanding games like Genshin Impact play perfectly well.

But it’s certainly notable that I’ve simply had zero desire to continue using the AI tools since I experimented with them for the initial review. If, like me, you’re on the fence about AI on your phone, then I don’t think the Pixel will necessarily sway you one way or the other. But the tools certainly don’t detract from what is an otherwise excellent phone.