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Smartphones without AI features are an oddity these days. And the Google Pixel 9 lineup is far from being one of those. I’ve been using Google’s 2024 flagship phone since its launch, and here are my favorite AI features.
1 Pixel Screenshots
A gallery full of screenshots is more common than you may think. And for me, despite the inefficiency, it’s one of the popular places to store 2FA recovery codes—though there are much better options. But if I think hard, they haven’t been useful beyond this, though the Google Pixel 9 we reviewed solves this with its AI-powered Pixel Screenshots app.
This new one-stop shop for your captured screenshots uses on-device AI models to process the information and allows you to search for details or perform quick actions, making things easy as pie. For example, you can capture a screenshot of appointment confirmation to create a calendar entry. I tried it, and it works great.
2 Pixel Weather
I often commute to places on a motorcycle, so knowing when it might rain is a must for me. It’s why I check the weather forecast frequently, and Pixel Weather makes this a lot simpler. The app integrates AI to summarize weather reports into simple text blocks. Cheers to no longer having to read through a chart with tiny numbers.
Can we also please take a second to appreciate the fun-looking design of the Pixel Weather app? There’s something about these little bubbly elements that make it seem friendly.
3 Pixel Studio
Now, let’s move on to my next favorite addition to the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro models: the Pixel Studio app. It comes pre-installed and is similar to one of the many Apple Intelligence features called Image Playground.
Pixel Studio is an image generation tool that creates artwork based on your text prompts. You can edit your prompt after the fact, which makes it possible to stitch together a story—it’s fun. However, it’s a bummer that you can’t download all your generated images at once; you’ll have to save each one individually.
4 “Add Me” in Camera
Next up is Add Me. This AI-powered Pixel feature lets you stitch together two photos into one. The use case Google showcased involved group photos, where two people could alternate places behind the camera, and you’d have a final image with everybody included.
However, if you think about it, Add Me is a really fun way to create unique memories. With a timer and a tripod (to ensure your phone remains safe), you can put together some funky-looking images.
5 Reimagine in Magic Editor
Last on this list is Reimagine in Magic Editor. Google’s AI-powered camera features have continually evolved into more effective tools. And with Reimagine, Google has taken things up a notch.
You basically select a portion from a photo, provide a text prompt to recreate that bit into something new, and finally pick and choose from the options you’re presented. The generating process isn’t the quickest, but during my testing, the results have been more impressive than not.
Till now, the introduction of AI features on smartphones has heavily revolved around image editing and generation. While the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro do have some of those, add-ons like Pixel Screenshots and Pixel Weather piqued my interest. I can’t wait to experience what comes next.
