Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Teardown Shows Dual-Entry Design and Tricky Battery Removal
iFixit recently did a teardown of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. It has a dual-entry design that allows either front screen or back repairs to start off from the phone itself.
This is extremely useful in the case when the screen cracks. The screen is pretty much easier to pull off from this phone compared to phones that open from the back. However, according to a review of iFixit, one should very much be careful about its screen with Pixel. As one takes it off, its display layers might come apart, and that could decidedly shatter the screen beyond recovery.
But to replace the battery or other internal components, one has to work from the back. However, there is one gigantic problem in the Pixel 9 Pro XL where the battery is kept in place by some sliding pull tabs that are really fiddly to manipulate. Considering how easily the screen can be damaged, iFixit gave the Pixel 9 Pro XL a middle-of-the-road repairability score of 5 out of 10.
Google will launch the Pixel 9 Pro in the country on October 17; pre-bookings for the device will begin the same day from 12 PM but will be only available on Flipkart. Google launched the Pixel 9 series in India last month, which comprised the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro will be the latest smartphone from Google in the country, priced at INR 109,999. It sports the SoC Tensor G4 and arrives pre-installed with Android 14. The phone offers up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage space. A 6.3-inch 120Hz LTPO OLED 1,280p display is used.
The Pixel 9 Pro features a 4,700mAh battery that supports 27W wired charging. That is supported by an ultra-wide-angle camera system comprising the main camera at 50MP, an additional periscope telephoto lens at 48MP, an ultrawide camera at 48MP, and a 42MP front-facing selfie camera. This exclusive blend of features makes Pixel 9 Pro a robust contender in India’s premium smartphone market.
Google has raised the bar in the mobile industry with a new software support promise. The Pixel 8a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will receive software updates for seven years. Google deserves praise for this commitment since most people likely won’t even keep their phones for the entire seven years.
When it comes to smartwatches, Google is taking a different approach. The original Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2 have been promised only three years of guaranteed software support. The Pixel Watch 3 will also receive updates for just three years.
This means that after October 2027 (which is oddly the cutoff month even though the watch was announced in August) updates may stop. Google might decide to release some updates after that date but it’s not guaranteed. This creates an interesting difference in how Google treats its smartphones and smartwatches, even though they are both smart devices.
It seems like Google expects people to replace their smartwatches more often than their phones. This could also be because smartwatches are usually cheaper than smartphones. So if you’re thinking about getting a Pixel Watch remember that it won’t last as long as a Pixel phone when it comes to software updates.
After numerous developer previews and public beta versions, Android 15 is now fully stable and prepared for release on all smartphones. However, even though the final version is ready, it’s not yet available to the general public, including you and me. At this stage, only developers have access to the stable version so they can optimize their apps and services before it’s officially rolled out to everyone else.
Google has finally uploaded the Android 15 source code to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) but updates for phones are not yet ready. Even Google’s own Pixel smartphones are still running Android 14 with the September update that began rolling out yesterday.
Google also promised that Android 15 will arrive on Pixel devices very soon, including the newly launched Pixel 9 series. Smartphones from Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, and Xiaomi will receive the update in the coming months.
As of now, we have heard that the OnePlus 12 has received OxygenOS 15 first CBT update followed by Nothing’s Phone 2a which also received Nothing OS 3.0 CBT update based on Android 15.
According to the previous reports, Android 15 would reach Pixel devices in October. Although Google hasn’t confirmed this directly. For now, developers can explore the AOSP code and begin working with it.