Google’s just announced its latest generation of premium Pixel 10 phones. Here’s my early thoughts on the range, plus Australian pricing and availability details.
It was in no way a surprise that what Google was going to announce at its Made By Google event overnight (relative to Australian time) was going to be the Pixel 10 family. Google itself leaked a whole host of detail about the new range ahead of its formal reveal.
Ahead of the Made By Google event, I had the opportunity to travel to Google’s Australian HQ in Sydney for some hands-on time with Google’s new flagship phones.
Before I get into my very quick thoughts, let’s cover off the basics.
How much do the new Pixel 10 phones, Pixel Buds 2a and Pixel Watch 4 cost in Australia?
When I said I had limited hands-on time, I meant REALLY limited… and locked down too.
When can I get the Pixel 10 / Pixel 10 Pro / Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Pixel Watch 4 in Australia?
Pre-orders for the entire range start from the 21st of August 2025. Hey, that’s today!
However, that doesn’t mean you can actually have a shiny new Pixel 10 or Pixel Watch or Pixel Buds 2a to play with before the sun goes down.
The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and the new colour for the Pixel Buds Pro 2 (in Moonstone) will be available from the 28th of August.
The Pixel Buds 2a, Pixel Watch 4 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be available in Australia from the 9th of October.
Yeah, that’s quite the gap.
What are the specifications for… all of those devices?
Enough with the specifications! What did you think of Google’s shiny new devices, Alex?
My hands-on time was (like so many of these events) not really a chance to get proper testing in, even preliminary testing; that will come later, so stay tuned for my full reviews.
But of course, I do have thoughts. Here’s my early pros and cons across the entire range in no particular order.
The Good stuff
- No big price rises: Google could have followed trends in the wider premium market and bumped up their pricing, especially with the (cough) wild world of tumbling Trump tariffs we live in these days. It hasn’t done so.
- Qi2, FINALLY: I’ve only been waiting more than a year for this to come properly to a premium Android phone. I do like me some wireless charging, and the new Pixelsnap accessories look nice, too.
- Some very nice design choices: The rounded glass on the Pixel Watch 4 gives it a distinctly premium look that I like a lot, at least at first glance. Same story for the Indigo Pixel 10, but then I’m a noted sucker for blue phones.
- Camera Coach appears really neat: Camera coach is perhaps the most non-AI (though it’s AI really, but entirely on-device) new feature worth talking about with the Pixel 10 range, because it’s got the potential to not only help Pixel users take better photos by analysing scenes and then suggesting ways to take better photos, but it’s also non-subtly going to be prompting users to learn how to take better photos with any camera phone. That’s a big win, and one I’m surprised nobody’s pushed this hard before.
The Not-so-good stuff
- No mmWave for Australian models: Dammit, Google. You were the only company that bothered with a mmWave 5G phone down under, and now you’re abandoning that. It’s not 100% clear to me if that’s a worldwide matter, but still, it hurts.
- No Indigo for the Pixel 10 Pro or Fold: Dammit Google, give me my blue phone!
- Pro 10 XL gets the best goodies: Want the biggest battery, the fastest Qi2 charging and best cameras on a Pixel? That’s the Pixel 10 Pro XL only, where last year the Pixel 9 Pro gave consumers more choice while still keeping most premium goodies.
- AI is still a huge focus: Of course it is, this isn’t a surprise. But if you’re not heavily in the Google-specific AI space, there’s less of a compelling story to tell here for the new Pixel 10 range, because it all otherwise feels like rather obvious and incremental upgrades.
- Watch 4’s AI coach is (probably) tied into Fitbit Premium subscription: The big new feature for the Pixel Watch 4 – beyond its admittedly appealing looking rounded display, which is quite nice – is an AI-led coach. However, the way it’s been described to me by Google representatives, it’ll be using the hardware on the Watch 4, but tied to a paid Fitbit Premium subscription. I’m not a fan of gated experiences that use hardware I’ve already paid for, Google.
Also Read:
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review: Premium design that lacks premium power
About the Author
