Google officially launched its next generation of smartphones, the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL at its annual “Made by Google” hardware event on Wednesday. While the entire family is powered by the formidable new Tensor G5 processor, the most significant hardware leap comes to the standard Pixel 10, which for the first time adopts a versatile triple-camera setup, democratizing pro-level photography across the lineup. The Pro models, meanwhile, receive iterative but powerful upgrades to their processors and camera sensors, solidifying their position at the flagship tier.
A New Vision for Pixel Photography
The most noticeable hardware evolution this year is Google’s strategic shift for the base Pixel 10. Breaking from the dual-sensor configuration of its predecessor, the Pixel 9, which featured a pair of wide and ultra-wide cameras, the Pixel 10 now boasts a dedicated telephoto lens. This new addition enables a powerful 5× optical zoom and extends to a 20× digital zoom through the company’s acclaimed Super Res Zoom technology. The primary camera on the base model is a 48-megapixel wide sensor featuring Quad phase detection per pixel, promising significantly faster and more accurate focus, especially in challenging low-light conditions. This is complemented by a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor.
For the professional-grade Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, the updates are focused on refinement and pushing the boundaries of mobile imaging. These devices feature a new 50-megapixel primary wide sensor with enhanced optical image stabilization. They also introduce Super Res Zoom for video, allowing for up to 20× zoom while recording. The telephoto system on the Pro models is anchored by a 50-megapixel sensor with 5× optical zoom, but its digital capabilities have been dramatically increased to an astonishing 100× Super Res digital zoom, promising unprecedented detail from a distance.
Tensor G5 and Brighter Displays
At the heart of all three devices is Google’s next-generation custom silicon, the Tensor G5 chip. Paired with the Titan M2 security co-processor and a new, dedicated image processing unit, this chipset delivers substantial performance gains. Google claims the Tensor G5 provides a 34% boost in CPU performance and a massive 60% increase in the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) speed compared to the previous generation, unlocking faster on-device processing and enabling a new suite of advanced AI features.
While screen sizes remain consistent with the previous generation—6.3 inches for both the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and 6.8 inches for the Pixel 10 Pro XL—the display technology itself has seen a major upgrade. Google introduced a new “Actua” display across the lineup, which pushes screen brightness to new heights. The Pixel 10 can reach up to 3,000 nits, while the Pro models can achieve a dazzling 3,300 nits, ensuring exceptional clarity and vibrancy even in direct sunlight.
Gemini-Powered Intelligence Becomes More Proactive
Building on the foundation laid last year when Gemini was introduced as the default assistant on the Pixel 9, Google has debuted a range of more deeply integrated and context-aware AI features.
- Gemini Live with Visual Overlays: The assistant can now interact with what you see through your camera in real-time. While using video to ask questions, Gemini Live can provide visual overlays, highlighting signs, offering directions, or identifying objects directly on your screen.
- Magic Cue: This new proactive feature surfaces contextual information from across your phone’s apps when you need it most. For example, if you are on a customer service call with an airline, Magic Cue can automatically pull up your flight details from your email. Similarly, it can surface restaurant reservation information when you’re chatting with a friend about dinner plans.
- Gemini Camera Coach: To help users capture the perfect shot, a new AI-powered coach is built directly into the camera interface. It provides real-time suggestions on framing, composition, and lighting to improve your photography skills on the fly.
- Enhanced Productivity: Google is also rolling out several other AI-driven tools, including real-time translation for phone calls, automatic transcripts for missed or declined calls via Call Screening, and deeper integration of Notebook LM with the screenshot and recorder apps.
Pricing and Availability
Google is maintaining its competitive pricing structure for most of the lineup. The Pixel 10 will start at $799, and the Pixel 10 Pro will start at $999, both matching their predecessors’ launch prices. The top-tier Pixel 10 Pro XL will see a price increase to $1,199, up from $1,099. However, Google has justified this by doubling the base storage for the Pro XL model to 256GB.
