What you need to know
- Google has launched the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL in India.
- Thankfully, all three models are available in a single variant with 256GB of storage.
- The Pixel 9 and 9 Pro don't cost that much more than their predecessors.
- Google also introduced the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in the country, and that will set you back ₹1,72,999 ($2,061).
Google unveiled the Pixel 9 generation earlier than usual this year, and the brand also showcased the awkwardly-named Pixel 9 Pro Fold. There are a lot of differences this time around, and I'm not just talking about the accelerated launch — the Pixels have a new design language with flat sides that makes them look like an iPhone, and there are three models: the standard Pixel 9, a Pixel 9 Pro that has the same dimensions as the regular model but with a telephoto lens at the back, and a Pixel 9 Pro XL.
If you've used a Pro model in the Pixel series in the past, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is what you'll need to get. With the foldable, that makes four new devices. Outside of the differences with the design, Google is changing how it's selling phones in India; it just started assembling the Pixel 8 series locally, and it may do the same with the Pixel 9.
As a result, there isn't a noticeable increase in pricing from last year. The Pixel 9 is sold in a 12GB/256GB model and is available for ₹79,999 ($953), and that's actually less than the equivalent Pixel 8, which debuted at ₹82,999 ($989). The Pixel 9 Pro costs ₹1,09,999 ($1,310) for the 12GB/256GB model, and while it is marginally more than the ₹1,06,999 ($1,275) asking price of the Pixel 8 Pro last year, that phone was only sold in a 128GB model.
The Pixel 9 Pro XL, meanwhile, debuts at ₹1,24,999 ($1,489) for the 16GB/256GB model, and that's on par with what the Galaxy S24 Ultra costs in the country. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, meanwhile, is available at ₹1,72,999 ($2,061), making it the costliest foldable in the country — the Galaxy Z Fold 6 retails for ₹1,64,999 ($1,966).
What I like about Google's positioning is that all models come with 256GB of storage as standard. However, there are no other variants available, and if you want more storage, there isn't an alternative. I don't understand why Google does this year after year — surely, it isn't too hard to have all colors and storage variants of a phone available.
Anyway, if you're interested in a new Pixel, you should just get the Pixel 8 series; the standard Pixel 8 is currently discounted to ₹58,999 ($703), and that is a good value considering what's on offer. While I think the Pixel 9 is decent in its own right, it isn't worth an additional ₹21,000.
Pixels never sold well in India in the past, and I don't see that changing with the Pixel 9 generation. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is unlikely to find any takers; foldables are still a niche, and while Chinese manufacturers are making inroads in this category, I can't see anyone shelling out more than the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to pick up what Google is offering.
