Pixel 10 is here: a comprehensive analysis from "is it worth it" to "how to buy it" | Made by Google

Is it worth spending $800 on a Google Pixel phone? What about the $300? When this article is published, Google's latest Pixel 10 series phones will also be released, so I want to talk about this topic.

Personally, I don't like to simply compare devices based on hardware parameters such as appearance, screen, processor, memory, lens, battery, etc., and then discuss whether they are cost-effective. However, if you have already bought a phone and then waste its performance and value, I would find it a bit regrettable.

In the past year, I bought two Pixel 9s ($299), one Pixel 9a ($499), and one Pixel 9 Pro Fold, so I wrote a lot of overseas shopping tutorials and shared my experience. I also received a lot of inquiries and complaints from friends, so I wanted to talk about my personal purchasing and usage experience.

1. Can

This question is for those who don't know much about Pixel phones, which is: "Can Pixel phones be used in mainland China?"

The answer is: Yes, but you must know how to use the Internet scientifically.

Google services are not available in mainland China. If you don't have any VPNs and are just curious about this "niche" brand, be prepared to learn from scratch.

Of course, there are ways to get around the Great Firewall. Later, I'll be doing a special issue on free and scientific Internet access, gathering some brands and using their free registration trial periods to achieve the goal of scientific Internet access.

I once met a friend who was looking for a phone. He bought one from Xianyu simply out of curiosity about the brand. He had only a vague understanding of circumventing the Great Firewall and knew nothing about mobile phones. He didn't even know how to transfer APK files from his computer to his phone. I felt a little sorry for him: What was he trying to do? Fortunately, he enjoys tinkering with digital gadgets, and it's fun.

Then comes the second question: Is it easy to use?

Of course it doesn’t work!

Mainland China blocks Google's network, so how can it be used effectively? Even if you know how to use the internet properly or have international roaming data, it's impossible to achieve the same internet experience as a domestic phone. The same goes for mobile apps. When using a VPN, financial and government apps are usually completely unusable.

However, Pixel phones possess the greatest advantage of Android phones—openness. With a little learning, even locked phones can be easily fixed. Therefore, for those considering buying a Pixel phone, regardless of whether you know how to fix it, I recommend doing some research. Especially for those considering buying from a used platform, I recommend checking out the various identification videos by the social media influencer "冬尽了" (Dong Jin Le) on Bilibili. This will help you better understand the differences between the various Pixel versions.

2. Buy or Not

I don't really like giving people buying advice. Since I don't sell phones myself, there's no point trying to convince someone who has no interest in buying one. Plus, I personally believe that when people are asked whether or not to buy something, most people don't actually want to.

It seems like a question of whether to buy it or not, but it's actually a question of whether it's worth it. But whether it's worth it or not is a question that requires a lot of thought...

If you're more concerned with performance, camera, and video recording, then any generation of Pixel phones can be described as "high-priced, low-spec," arguably a sanctioned "Huawei" of foreign countries. The 2024-era Tensor G4 processor's performance is roughly between Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 2, and only about the 50% of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, meaning it's one to two generations behind its competitors. Other intuitive aspects like camera, memory, battery, and fast charging lack significant advantages.

But if you pursue the individual expression of appearance, the learning value of Gemini artificial intelligence and the seamless linkage of Google's product ecosystem, you can easily find that Pixel phones are irreplaceable.

Therefore, the value of the Pixel phone, or Google's hardware smart devices, represented by the phone, depends largely on whether users use it. If they don't use it, it's naturally not worth it. Of course, if they do use it, how well they use it also determines the degree of their "value" evaluation.

Therefore, whether the Pixel phone is "worth it" is indeed a matter of debate. If you want to know how to use it, you must first learn: learn Gemini, learn text to text, learn text to pictures, learn text and pictures to videos... learn how to apply artificial intelligence to all aspects of life, work, and study.

Furthermore, a heartbreaking fact is that many people living abroad can't afford to buy a Pixel phone. For example, if you trade in an iPhone 12/13 at Best Buy for a new one, you can get a $699 discount and a $100 gift card, effectively trading in an iPhone 12/13 for a Pixel 9.

【Promotional link】

So how much does an iPhone 12/13 cost? Last year, I remember getting an iPhone 13 contract for as little as $110 (not counting rebates). Whether waiting to unlock it or simply trading in a locked phone online, there are successful cases. Even if I bought a Pixel 9 for the "high price" of $299 on Black Friday, that wouldn't be considered a huge expense, right?

So, whether you look at it from a different angle or buy it in a different way, Pixel phones have their own unique features.

3. What is

I think that buying a personalized brand like Pixel phone requires a bit of self-strategy, that is, deceiving yourself and fooling yourself.

Regarding smart devices like the Pixel, I hold similar views to the new Android 16 feature, Pixel VIPs. You can check out my painstakingly crafted article, "Pixel VIP Outlook: Technology for Good, Data for Privacy, Experience for Emotion: 'First-Party Data' and 'AI First' Driving the Flywheel Effect." If you believe in Google's "AI First" and "Ambient Computing" principles, you should pay more attention to the Pixel.

If you can convince yourself after reading it, then you have succeeded!

Once you're used to comparing phone brands based on hardware specs, consider a different perspective. The Pixel isn't about speed and specs, but rather as a vehicle for the continuous evolution of Google's AI system. It's like SaaS, or phone-as-a-service. What's valuable isn't the phone itself, but the AI capabilities within the software it powers.

Therefore, the value proposition of the PIxel phone is actually driven by the following three factors:

• Deeply bundled "Google AI Pro" services
• Commitment to seven years of continuous system service updates
• A hardware framework tailored to realize AI capabilities

I will discuss the first point in detail in the fourth part, and you can also check to see if you have missed any free benefits when purchasing the phone; if I expand on the second and third points, it will seem like a soft article for the Pixel phone.

My point is that the Pixel, and perhaps other brands as well, shouldn't be evaluated solely from the perspective of a one-time hardware sale. Google's hardware and software are designed to build long-term relationships with users, generating massive amounts of "first-party data." Data is what Google truly strives for. When evaluating a device's lifecycle and total cost of ownership (TOC) from a user's perspective, we shouldn't focus solely on hardware depreciation but also consider the added value of software, especially AI capabilities. Ideally, the Pixel's value should increase over time, not decrease.

The Pixel 9 series, for example, comes with a Gemini AI subscription ranging from 6 to 12 months. From September of last year to August of this year, Gemini has undergone numerous changes, including the introduction of Gemini Live, Deep Research, Canvas, Imagen, Veo3, and Guided Learning. It's foreseeable that the AI capabilities currently being experimented with by Google Labs will be gradually integrated into Gemini.

Therefore, in the fourth and fifth sections, I will answer the questions of "what is the value of Pixel" and "when to buy it", maximizing the value of software usage and minimizing the impact of hardware price drops.

4. Where is the value

Apple users are probably aware that new iPhones, Macs, Apple TVs, and other hardware devices often come with a three-month subscription to Apple Music and Apple TV+. Google Pixel phones also offer similar bonuses: Google AI Pro/Google One, YouTube Premium, and Fitbit.

Friends who have already purchased a new Pixel can check to see if they have missed anything.

1. Google AI Pro redemption

【Event Description】https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/13529884?hl=zh-Hans#zippy=

It should be noted that the free Google AI Pro feature when you purchase a Pixel is subject to different phone models, duration, time limits, and other restrictions. This article will use the Pixel 9 series phones released in 2024 as an example.

First of all, Pixel phones are divided into three categories: digital version (Pixel 9), Pro version (Pixel 9 Pro / Pixel 9 Pro XL / Pixel 9 Pro Fold) and letter version (Pixel 9a). The duration and time limit for receiving Google AI pro/Google one for the three types of phones are different.

Second, not all Pixel phones sold in all countries are eligible for the gift. Applicable countries and regions include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Common countries and regions have, butBe careful when buying the Pro version in Japan: Only 6 months of Google AI Pro are given away, which is half the time in other countries and regions.

There are two key points to understand when redeeming these memberships:

• What is redeemed is a trial membership, and there is no 3%/10% cashback benefit like Google one paid members in Google store.
• It is generally only applicable to accounts that have not subscribed, so if you have subscribed or have subscribed in the past, you may not be able to redeem it.

If you can't redeem it, just create a new account, join the family group and share the benefits.

2. Google AI Pro Benefits

【Rights Link】https://one.google.com/about/google-ai-plans/

Obviously, the benefits you get after purchasing a Pixel Pro series phone are the most appropriate. For example, I bought a Pixel 9 Pro Fold from a second-hand platform. It has been seven months since I activated it, but I haven't claimed its Google AI Pro benefits yet. So, I got it at a bargain price.

I will demonstrate the various rights and interests in detail in the video tutorial, so I will not go into details in the text version.

Whether it's the 2TB version of Google Drive, Gemini Pro, or Whisk and Flow for creating images and videos, they're all cutting-edge AI tools. I've also started integrating NotebookLM into my workflow and experiencing how Gemini empowers me to create documents and slideshows. It's like using the paid ChatGPT Plus and Microsoft 365 Copilot versions simultaneously.

Using AI for planning, in-depth research, generating images/videos from text, generating images from images, generating videos from images, and even coding is nothing new, and there are a variety of excellent tools to choose from. However, Google is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive platforms. With a Pixel phone, if you have AI-related needs, you can find something useful by browsing Google's products, and there are no speed or quantity restrictions on the free quota.

This is the AI-enabled value brought by Pixel phones. The more data we accumulate in the system, the greater the value will be. For example, I used Gemini to trainSpeech-Subtitle Correction and Generation-YouTube Structure-Blog Structure ", has increasingly satisfied my needs. The only trouble is that I split the process into two accounts, and every time I want to merge them, I can't get the ideal result of the other account.

So, use Gemini as early as possible.

In addition to Gemini, you can also take a look at Google Lab and Google AI Studio.

3. YouTube Premium

Buy a Pixel phone and get three months of YouTube Premium for free. This benefit used to be a bit of a gimmick; I'd seen it but never used it. But now that family groups for low-priced accounts are either increasing in price or discontinuing, this benefit has become a bit more prominent.

Besides watching tutorials on YouTube, I often download promotional videos from official channels of overseas companies to use as production materials, and watch variety shows on iQiyi, Youku, and Tencent Video. One channel, all your needs met.

A few days ago, the children’s class group suggested watching the CCTV documentary "Glorious Figures Through the Ages". There is also a collection on YouTube, which saves the operation of casting the mobile phone screen.

Therefore, I personally recommend that you explore more uses for YouTube. After three months, if you think it's good, you can find someone to share a ride with.

4. Fitbit

If you have a smart wearable device to use with the Pixel, then the Fitbit Premium that comes with the Pixel phone is also very useful. From the promotional materials I found and my actual gift situation, I know that buying the Pixel digital version and Pro both give you 6 months of free time.

If you buy a Pixel Watch, you'll also get six months for free.

The picture above is a screenshot of the new Pixel watch 2 I bought as a gift after the gift period of Pixel 9 expired.

It feels like too many people don’t take advantage of the software benefits that come with Pixel phones.

Of course, if you don’t need it, don’t take it and leave it to a friend who needs it more.

Of all the free software, the most valuable is Google AI Pro. I believe many people are using Gemini, but products like Flow (from Google Lab), Whisk, NotebookLM, and Gemini-powered Google Docs also have considerable practical value.

Therefore, the value of Pixel phones is gained through use, not purchase.

5. When to buy

On Pixel phones, there are two most obvious labels: "high price and low configuration" and "king of price reduction".

If you buy at full price, the Pixel is truly worthy of these two reviews. However, if you use the right method, the actual purchase price of the Pixel is not that high. The key idea is to trade in your old phone, buy an unlocked phone with a contract, and wait for it.

1. Trade in your old phone for a new one

This method is only suitable for those who are in the United States and can trade in their phone offline, such as at Best Buy or the Google Store, usually when the new phone is released. At this time, the old phone (mostly iPhones or previous-generation Pixels) will have a high price for a limited time to trade in the old phone.

Since Best Buy and Google stores only look at the serial number when buying old phones, and don't check whether the phone is locked or not, if you don't have an old phone, you can temporarily buy one from a carrier or eBay.

The above picture is a screenshot of a purchase made by a user on Best Buy on August 18, 2024. The iPhone 12 was discounted by $699. It seems a $100 gift card was also included. This is equivalent to exchanging an iPhone 12 for a Pixel 9.

If you buy an iPhone 12 with a contract, it should be around $100. I remember that if you buy an iPhone 13 with a contract and unlock it for two months, the lowest price seems to be $110. In short, it will not exceed $150.

The same thing happens on the Google Store, but usually only the previous generation Pixels have good high prices.

2. Contract phone

This is irregular and needs attention. In terms of time, it is usually after the Black Friday sale.

Since I have already written "Buy Pixel 9 for $299" and "Buy Pixel 9a for $199", which are my personal experiences, I won’t say more.

If you want to know more, go to those two tutorials.

The only problem with this method is that time is limited, and the mobile phone inventory is limited. If you are slow, you may miss out. It requires a certain amount of attention.

Furthermore, there are certain requirements for overseas shopping skills, such as ordering environment, payment method, mailing address, and shipping back to China. However, I've written similar tutorials before. As long as you're willing to learn and put in some effort, it shouldn't be difficult.

3. Xianyu Secondhand

This is a common channel for domestic friends to buy Pixel phones. The best time to buy is six months later, preferably one month after the Spring Festival. Taking the 9 series as an example, the more suitable price range at that time was as follows:

Among similar prices, locked ones are the cheapest, unlocked OEM ones are in the middle, and unlocked OEM ones are the most expensive. Each price range has a price difference of 100 to 200 yuan.

However, as we all know, second-hand platforms are full of mixed bag, and Pixel product descriptions are often full of mysteries. If you're interested in buying one, you might want to check out the various Pixel identification videos posted by the B station UP "Dong Jin Le" to gain a better understanding before shopping.

Regardless, the Pixel phone is a product that is not well-suited to the Chinese market. To use it effectively, you must first become a "gardener" and create a suitable environment for it. Only then can you appreciate the unique value of the Pixel phone.

Okay, that’s all. If you find it useful, please follow it.