Google’s Pixel 9 has just gone on sale, and the smartphone is already receiving a substantial update that improves the data transfer experience. Paul Dunlop, the Product Lead for Onboarding and Switching on Android, made a thread on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) about all of the major changes. He goes so far as to refer to it as their “biggest release ever.”
Dunlop first shows off a new entry within the device’s settings menu called Back Up or Copy Data. We’ve known about it for a while now, as the section's name leaked online ahead of its reveal. Initial reports stated users could “copy photos, contacts, messages, and more” from an old Pixel to the Pixel 9.
All that remains true, but what we didn’t know is that you can perform this process “as many times as you” want, either through a USB cable, WiFi connection, or cloud servers. It’s no longer necessary to factory reset devices.
Better data transfer
Data transfer can take a while, especially if you have a lot of files. So, if you've been wishing for a faster method, the Pixel 9 now features the Express tool. Dunlop claims this “massively [reduces] the time it takes” to move data over. According to a screenshot, the feature only copies files that are not present on your Google account.
It is reportedly “cloud aware,” meaning Express knows what you have saved and ignores the backups to speed up the process. What’s more, images sent through the tool will retain their original quality. You do have the option to select which files to move or not move via Customize.
Beyond files, the Pixel 9’s revamped data transfer also moves over “more system settings, permissions, and notification preferences.” This can help establish your preferred smartphone setup on the newer device without needing to redo everything from the start. It’ll be similar to your old phone.
Quality of life upgrades
The patch even introduces several quality-of-life upgrades. Google worked with top developers worldwide, ensuring apps “stay logged in and working” before data migration began. Then there’s the rather interesting Transport Multiplexing.
Say you’re transferring files over Wi-Fi, but the process is taking forever. Dunlop states you can connect to a USB cable mid-transfer to help out. The feature utilizes both methods to quickly send media over. The Pixel 9 will even recommend you do this through an on-screen notification.
Other notable changes include more reliable Wi-Fi migration, “Quick Share & Car Crash detection can [now] be activated during setup,” and eSIM transfers are supported for select carriers. The thread doesn’t say which ones exactly, but it does say support will expand to other carriers in the future.
Be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best Pixel phones for 2024 .
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