How to pre-order the new Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold

The Pixel 9 iterates on the Pixel 8 with a slightly heavier, taller and thinner frame featuring flat edges, rounded corners and a new pill-shaped camera module. The 120Hz OLED display is a smidge bigger at 6.3 inches, and Google says it can now get up to 35 percent brighter at its peak. The whole thing runs on a new Tensor G4 chip and 12GB of RAM (up from 8GB), which should help power the barrage of AI features Google is pushing across its hardware, for better or worse.

There’s still a dual-camera setup around the back, but the 50MP main shooter is now joined by a sharper 48MP ultrawide module. The 10.5MP selfie cam, meanwhile, can now autofocus. Google isn’t claiming any major improvements to battery life, and wired charging speeds still top out at 27W. There’s still no word on Qi2 wireless charging support, either. Like the Pixel 8, the device will receive a hefty seven years of OS and security updates. Each Pixel 9 phone supports satellite-based SOS calling for extreme emergencies as well.

The Pixel 9 is currently up for pre-order at Google’s online store, Amazon and Best Buy in four finishes: Obsidian, Porcelain, Wintergreen and Peony. Unfortunately, it costs $100 more than last year’s model, which was already $100 more than its predecessor. Here, the device costs $799 for a 128GB model or $899 for a 256GB version. 

Shipping will start on August 22, and you can get a $100 Google Store credit with your purchase through August 28. Per usual, you can trade in an older phone for a further discount. At Amazon and Best Buy, you can get a $100 gift card instead (though Amazon's offer seems to be limited to select colors as of this writing). 

The big news with the Pixel 9 Pro is that it comes in two display sizes: 6.3 inches, like the standard Pixel 9, or 6.8 inches, which is closer to last year’s Pixel 8 Pro. This means you no longer need to accept a bigger screen to get Google’s flagship handset. Google is calling the larger variant the Pixel 9 Pro XL, though the two are more or less the same.

Compared to the base model, these phones come with 16GB of RAM and storage options up to 1TB, plus higher peak brightness (3,000 nits instead of 2,700 nits) and a wider variable refresh rate range (1-120Hz versus 60-120Hz) on the display. They each have a matte glass finish, whereas the standard Pixel 9’s back is more glossy. Both include a third, 48MP telephoto camera with a 5x zoom around the back and a much sharper 42MP front cam with a wider field of view. They still feature an more extensive set of camera controls as well, while resolution geeks can now “Video Boost” their recordings to 8K. The effective battery life rating is the same as the standard Pixel 9, though the XL model supports faster 37W wired charging speeds.

The Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL are now up for preorder at the Google Store, Amazon and Best Buy for $999 and $1,099, respectively. The former will begin shipping on September 4, while the latter will start going out on August 22. (The 6.7-inch Pixel 8 Pro cost $999, so this is another $100 increase over last year.) You can get $200 in Google Store credit with these if you order through August 28, or a $200 gift card if you shop at Amazon or Best Buy instead.

Note that the prices above are for 128GB models. If you need more space, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB variants are also available. For the Pixel 9 Pro, those cost $1,099, $1,219 and $1,449. For the Pixel 9 Pro XL, add another $100. 

The phones themselves are available in Obsidian, Porcelain, Hazel or Rose Quartz. However, only the Obsidian model includes a 1TB option, while the Rose Quartz version only comes with 256GB of space. To entice you to use its Gemini chatbot, the company is also throwing in a year of its Google One AI Premium Plan subscription. 

There’s a new foldable phone, too. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as it’s called, has a taller, thinner and lighter design than last year's squatter Pixel Fold. The inner 120Hz OLED panel now measures 8 inches, up from 7.6 inches, while the outer display checks in at 6.3 inches instead of 5.8 inches. (The latter makes the device looks more like a standard Pixel 9 when it's folded up.) Both screens can reach up to 2,700 nits of peak brightness, which is a significant increase across the board. Google says the phone can lay fully flat when unfolded, with a stainless steel hinge and matte glass back. Durability is always the question with foldables, and only time will tell how this redesign holds up; for what it’s worth, we’ve found our Pixel Fold unit to be sufficiently sturdy. The camera bump on the back has been redesigned as well — it’s not as elongated as the one on the other Pixel 9s, but it’s still pronounced.

On the inside, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold uses the same Tensor G4 chip and 16GB of RAM as the other new Pro-series devices. Battery life is still rated at “24+ hours,” though the actual battery capacity is marginally smaller than it was with the last Fold. 

The rear triple-camera system doesn’t look drastically different from last year's model on paper: There’s a 48MP main camera, a 10.8MP telephoto shooter and a 10.5MP ultrawide camera that’s a little less sharp than before but has a slightly wider FOV. That isn’t the worst thing given the last Fold's general photo quality, but the setup here looks to be a step down from the ones on the other Pixel 9 Pros, particularly when it comes to the telephoto and ultrawide modules. Both the front and inner cameras have been slightly bumped to 10MP, though again the selfie cams on the non-foldables should be better. You still get Google’s suite of “pro” camera controls, however. And like its siblings, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold will receive seven years of software updates and satellite SOS calling support. The bundled Google One AI Premium offer noted above also applies here.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold costs $1,799 for a 256GB unit, which is the same price as the last Pixel Fold but leaves the phone in a higher-priced niche than the standard Pixel 9s. A 512GB model is also available for $1,919. 

The device is up for pre-order now at Google’s online store, Amazon and Best Buy in either an Obsidian or Porcelain finish. Shipping will begin on September 4. Similar to the offers above, Google will give you $350 in online store credit if you order through September 7, or you can get a $350 Amazon or Best Buy gift card at those respective stores.

Similar to the Pixel 9 Pro phones, the most obvious change with the new Pixel Watch 3 is that it’s available in two case sizes. The prior 41mm option is now joined by a larger 45mm model for those who want more display real estate. Both have a similarly circular shape as the Pixel Watch 2, but Google says it’s chopped the bezels down by 16 percent on the smaller version. Each watch’s display can now reach up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, which is a 2x increase. Battery life is still rated at up to 24 hours with standard use, though the company says an improved low-power mode can help extend that when you get below a 15 percent charge. The chip, RAM and storage are also the same as before, and the hardware still has an IP68 water-resistance rating.

There are some new software features, naturally. A “Morning Brief” gives a summary of your primary health and fitness metrics each morning alongside a weather report, while a “cardio load tracking” tool shows how hard you’re pushing your heart during the day and gives you a target exertion level. You can design and launch specific running workouts from your wrist, and a new emergency feature called "loss of pulse detection" can phone for help if the watch detects that your heart has stopped beating. (Here's hoping we never have to "test" that one.) On a less serious note, you can also view a Nest Cam’s live feed and start a voice recording from the watch. You’ll still get the most out of the device with a Fitbit Premium subscription — Google owns Fitbit, in case you forgot — but that service’s “daily readiness” score, which gives personalized workout and recovery recommendations, is no longer paywalled.

The Pixel Watch 3 is up for pre-order now from the Google Store, Amazon and Best Buy. It'll start shipping on September 10. Prices start at $350 for the 41mm model (the same as the Pixel Watch 2) and $400 for the 45mm unit. Tack on another $100 if you want LTE support. 

Both versions come with black or silver aluminum cases and Obsidian, Porcelain or Hazel bands. The 45mm model can also be had with a matte Hazel case, while the smaller model’s options include a Champagne Gold case and a Rose Quartz band. Neither Google nor the other retailers are advertising any special gift credit offers with this one.

Lastly, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are Google’s latest stab at the true wireless earbuds market. They look similar to their predecessor from afar, but the company says they’re now 27 percent smaller and 1.5 grams lighter. There’s a new Tensor A1 chip built in, which Google claims will help improve active noise cancellation, call quality and audio processing regardless of your environment. If all of this sounds similar to the H-series chips Apple uses with AirPods, that seems to be the idea. A Sony-style “conversation detection” mode, wireless charging, support for Google’s Find My Device network, 8-12 hours of battery life (depending on if ANC is active) and IP54-rated water resistance are all here, too. Like other Pixel earbuds, the Buds Pro 2 should integrate particularly neatly with Android devices. We’ll need to give them a listen in order to say how good they are at actually playing music, however.

Like everything else announced today, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are available for pre-order today from Google’s online store, Amazon and Best Buy. They cost $229, which is a $29 increase over the last model and certainly not cheap. You can at least get a $30 Google Store credit if you order through September 28, though. You can also get a $30 gift card at Amazon or Best Buy. Available colors include Porcelain, Hazel, Wintergreen and Peony, and shipping will start on September 26.