This year’s Made by Google 2025 devices, which just went up for preorder, are all about the little things. The new Pixel 10 phones, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a don’t look all that different from their predecessors at first glance, but once you pick them up, you might notice the latest tech products from Google doing some cool things that they couldn’t before. Maybe it’s the Pixel Watch 4’s bigger and brighter display or the Pixel Buds 2a’s long-awaited active noise cancellation. Or maybe it’s the fact that you can finally slap a magnetic battery pack on the back of a Pixel phone.
These changes might not be reason enough for existing Pixel owners to immediately upgrade all their devices, but these new models do look to improve on what have long been some of the best smartphones, best smartwatches and best true wireless earbuds around. Wondering if any of this hardware is worth a preorder? Here’s what we think after some hands-on time with the Pixel Watch 4, Pixel Buds 2a and the entire Google Pixel 10 range of phones.
We just tried all of Google's new Pixel devices
04:41 - Source: CNN
We just tried all of Google's new Pixel devices
04:41
The Pixel 10 finally brings a telephoto lens (for that extra-nice zoom) to the starting member of the Pixel lineup while packing a ton of handy software smarts.
The Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro feature Google's best cameras, complete with up to 100x Pro Res Zoom to make faraway objects look impressively crisp.
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold gives Google's foldable phone a bigger screen, a more durable design and handy new camera features that take full advantage of the extra real estate.
The Pixel Watch 4 boasts a bigger and brighter display than before, complete with a neat charging stand that allows it to double as a nightstand clock.
The Pixel Buds 2a bring active noise cancellation and a more ergonomic design to Google's most affordable earbuds.
How to preorder the new Google devices
Everything Google announced at Made by Google 2025 is available for preorder right now. The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL will ship on August 28, while the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel Buds 2a are coming a bit later on Oct. 9. You can preorder the new devices directly from Google’s website or via major retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.
The Google Pixel 10’s cameras and perks should push Android to do better
Just like last year, Google’s got three regular Pixel phones for 2025: the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and the 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL. And just like with most Pixel phones, the big changes to talk about here are all about the cameras. We’ve got a huge jump this year for the regular Pixel 10, as it features a 5x telephoto lens for better long distance photography. That Pixel 9 didn’t offer any optical zoom, instead relying on digital options that were branded with the term “optical quality” that companies throw around when they use their own tricks to mimic a physical zoom.
This 5x zoom also beats what the field is offering, as the Samsung Galaxy S25 only includes a 3x optical zoom and the iPhone 16 only includes a 2x “optical quality” zoom. We’ll need to put it to the test once we get our review units in hand for comparison testing, but we really hope to see this choice to put a 5x zoom in Google’s regular Pixel phone push Samsung (and Apple) to do the same. They can find other reasons to get people to pay for their bigger phones, right?
Next up, Google’s got a new trick that might wind up elevating the quality of photos we see posted to social media. In the camera app, we tapped on the icon for camera with flash in the top right corner to enable Camera Coach, which analyzed what was in our viewfinder to give us tips for how to better crop and zoom for more artistic shots. The space we were in wasn’t really conducive to great photos, so we need to test this out further before we put any sort of stamp of anticipation on it. Unfortunately, that feature also packs generative AI image editing suggestions, such as removing people from your images or making more changes to your actual photo, continuing a trend we don’t love in which phones produce inauthentic photos. Fortunately, Google is tagging those AI-edited images accordingly, so we may have the ability to tell what’s phony and what’s not in the future.
The other big camera feature in the Pixel 10 phones is Pro Res Zoom, a generative AI-enhanced photo mode that aims to give clear photos taken with up to 100x zoom. It’s exclusive to the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, and manages this trick by first offering a stabilization mode that lets you steady your shot and a viewfinder panel that lets you more easily pick the part of your subject you want to zoom in on. Then, after you take the photo, it transforms the grainy “before” version to a clearer “after” shot. We are very eager to put this to the test in our review of the Pixel 10 Pro phones, though it produced some convincing details of a fern from across the room upon our initial use.
The other big deal in the Pixel 10 phones is the arrival of Google’s Pixelsnap magnetic accessory support, which allows you to easily attach and detach accessories to the back of all the Pixel 10 phones. We got to see it easily snap onto Google’s neat $70 Pixelsnap Charger with Stand and the $30 Pixelsnap Ring Stand, which is just like the PopSocket Kick-Out that we love — an accessory that also attached just fine to the Pixel 10 phones.
This means that the Pixel 10 phones attach to (and can charge with) MagSafe accessories. We’re delighted to see this happen because it means MagSafe accessories won’t be exclusive to Apple devices anymore, so households that haven’t fully committed to one side of the Android or iPhone divide can start to share them. We expect to see more of this on other devices because Pixelsnap also supports the magnetic Qi2 charging standard (and the faster Qi2.2 on the Pixel 10 Pro XL), so you should expect Qi2 accessories that aren’t branded Pixelsnap to work with it and other Android phones arriving in the coming months. That Qi2.2 support is the only difference between the Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Pixel 10 Pro, aside from screen size and internal battery capacity.
Thankfully, the $799 Pixel 10 and $999 Pixel 10 Pro will be sold at the same price as their Pixel 9 counterparts. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a different story, getting $100 more expensive (now $1,199) but also getting twice as much internal storage, with 256GB instead of 128GB. That’s $100 less than the Galaxy Ultra S25 and the same price as the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold looks very familiar, and that might be a problem
For the folks where budgeting is less of a concern, Google offers the $1,799 Pixel 10 Pro Fold, its folding phone that opens up to show an 8-inch tablet-like screen. It’s still a little thicker than the shockingly thin Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but that doesn’t feel like a deal breaker just yet. The Pro Fold has a wider aspect ratio in both folded and unfolded modes, which might be better for your multitasking when you open it up.
Our favorite feature, though, is the new Instant View photography mode for when you’re snapping shots while the Pro Fold is opened up. This uses half of that large internal display to show you the photos you just took, so you can get a better sense of if you need to snap another photo or if you can move on. This felt really fun to use in person, and we feel like it’s one of the first great reasons to actually get a foldable phone.
For all those concerned with the durability of these folding screens, Google’s got a checklist of its work over the last year that led to a model that felt good in hand during our brief hands-on time. Its interior screen now features a more durable display, and Google’s also added dust protection and earned an IP68 durability rating, beating the IPX8 water-only resistance of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. There’s also a new hinge that Google claims is capable of more than 10 years of folding and unfolding.
The Google Pixel Watch 4 is bigger and brighter, and has a killer new perk
“Bigger and brighter” seems to be the theme of recent smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch 8 and Apple Watch Series 10, and the new Pixel Watch 4 is no exception. Available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, Google’s latest wearable sports a new domed display with 10% more screen space than before and a whopping 3,000 nits of brightness. That’s 50% brighter than before, and it should prove extra clutch for when you’re trying to glance at your notifications outside. We got to see the Pixel Watch 4 alongside the Watch 2 and 3, and the difference in size and brightness is noticeable.
As we’ve come to expect from a Google wearable, the Pixel Watch 4 comes loaded with a ton of Fitbit fitness features and Gemini AI tools. The new watch offers more than 40 exercise modes, and Fitbit Premium subscribers can get access to personalized AI workout recommendations (such as the ideal running workout to hit your goals faster). The Watch 4 offers the same Material 3 design language as the latest Pixel phones, resulting in an interface that looked slick and was snappy to navigate in our limited testing.
But the thing that excites us most about the Watch 4 is how it charges. Google’s new watch juices up via a base station that props up the watch face vertically, effectively turning it into a mini nightstand clock that you can glance at while it’s charging. The Apple Watch offers a similar Nightstand Mode that lets you use it as an alarm clock, but since the default Apple Watch charger lies flat, you’ll pretty much need a third-party stand to take full advantage of it.
The Google Pixel Buds 2a make ANC more affordable
We really enjoyed our time with 2021’s Google Pixel Buds A earbuds, which took much of what made the Pixel Buds great and packed it into a comfy, sleek and affordable $99 package. That’s why we were very eager to get our hands (and ears) on the new Pixel Buds 2a, which introduces even more flagship-level features but at the expense of a bumped-up price.
Google’s new budget earbuds take plenty of cues from the excellent Pixel Buds Pro 2, with a lighter weight and twist-to-secure design that felt pretty comfortable in my short testing time. I loved how discreet the original Pixel Buds A were, and the 2a follow suit — except now they come in an even more attractive set of colors that includes Hazel and the gorgeous Iris blue I tried out.
Sleek looks aside, the Buds Pro 2’s biggest selling point is that they finally bring active noise cancellation to Google’s A-series earbuds. This isn’t as novel as it would be a few years ago — you can get a decent pair of ANC earbuds for $50 to $70 from budget brands, and Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 often go on sale for $150 to $160 — but it’s still a welcome upgrade over the original model. You’ll get many of the same software perks as the Pixel Buds Pro 2, including seamless pairing within your Pixel devices and hands-free Gemini support for making quick requests or even having full conversations with Google’s AI assistant. The Pixel Buds 2a also promise some decent battery life, with estimates of seven hours of continuous playback with ANC on (that’s better than what the AirPods Pro offer) and up to 20 hours of total playtime with the charging case. We’re looking forward to seeing how those numbers hold up to our heavy listening habits.
Bottom line
This year’s Pixel lineup is all about refinement over revolution, and for lots of folks, that’ll probably be just fine. As iPhone users who love our magnetic MagSafe accessories, we think the Pixel 10’s Pixelsnap feature is a welcome and long-overdue upgrade that finally brings Google fans the convenience of slapping a magnetic charger to the back of your phone. But magnets (and some better cameras and performance) aside, the most exciting things about the Pixel 10 lie in software features that’ll likely come to older Pixels down the line, such as the promising camera coaching tool that guides you toward taking better shots.
The Pixel Watch 4 is the kind of smartwatch upgrade we like to see (we’re always going to welcome bigger, brighter screens) and should be an especially nice pickup for those with a Watch 2 or older. The Pixel Buds 2a are likewise compelling, finally bringing active noise cancellation and a heavy helping of Gemini features to a pair of buds that are under $150. As always, we’ll be fully testing Google’s entire 2025 Pixel lineup to see if these big new drops are truly worth the upgrade, so stay tuned for our in-depth reviews.
FAQs
Everything Google announced today is available for preorder right now, though most products aren’t set to ship until Oct. 9.
The main differences between the Pixel 10 and the Pixel 10 Pro series are in the camera specs. The Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL have significantly higher-megapixel ultrawide and telephoto cameras, which should result in better panoramic and zoom shots. For example, the Pixel 10 can do Super Res Zoom up to 20x. The 10 Pro can do even sharper Pro Res Zoom up to 100x. The Pro phones also have sharper selfie cams. Other key differences include sharper screens on the Pro series, as well as more RAM and maximum storage for power users. The color options also differ by series; the Pixel 10 comes in Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass and Obsidian, while the 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL come in Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain and Obsidian.
All three phones are rated for 30-plus hours of battery, pack identical USB-C ports for charging and run the same operating system with most of the same key features. All Pixel 10 phones have OLED screens, but the Pro models have sharper resolutions. If size is a concern, note that the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 and 10 Pro have the same general dimensions, while the 10 Pro XL has a bigger 6.8-inch screen.
The Pixel 10 lineup launches with Android 16, which first started hitting phones earlier this year. The Pixel 9 lineup launched with Android 15 but can easily be upgraded to Android 16. That said, you can expect the same built-in Google apps and overall user experience as those of Pixel phones from the last few years.
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