Google’s cheating Pixel 9 buyers by keeping this a Pro-exclusive perk

If you watched the Pixel 9 launch event earlier this week, you’ll know that Google’s newest hardware had to share the center stage with Google’s Gemini AI . A huge chunk of the event focused on Gemini’s upcoming upgrades and features, plus all the hardware improvements that will allow Pixel phones take full advantage of the tools — both on-device and off.

Google also announced that anyone buying any kind of Pixel 9 Pro , which includes the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold , will be able to claim a whole year of access to Gemini Advanced through Google One — something that would normally cost you at least $240. But what if you want to pick up the standard Pixel 9 instead?

Well you get absolutely nothing — as in, zero access to Gemini Advanced unless you’re going to pay for it yourself. Not even a reduced 6-month free trial to account for the fact the Pixel 9 costs $200 less than the Pixel 9 Pro. And that Gemini omission feels like a huge oversight to me.

Google should be pushing Gemini Advanced onto as many people as it can

While a bunch of previous Pixels all had some level of AI installed, it’s clear that Google is pushing the Pixel 9 series as the true “AI phones,” especially where localized on-device AI is concerned. Google's not the only phone maker attempting this, though it is in a very good position to bring Ai enthusiasts on board. Google has years of experience working on AI, custom AI-optimized Tensor chips, and a huge range of features on offer — most, if not all, of which have been developed in-house. There’s no farming out features to the likes of OpenAI or Meta here.

While a bunch of Gemini features are freely available, there are plenty of more powerful options that are not. If you want access to Gemini Advanced, which is the first place features like Gemini Live appear, you’ll have to pay for the privilege.

The problem is how do you convince people that those features are actually worth using and paying for? You give them free access, and the more freebies you get, the more likely people are to get accustomed to the perks and carry on their subscriptions. A year’s access is pretty generous, especially considering it also comes with 2TB of Google One cloud storage, but there do have to be some extra benefits of buying a Pixel.

But why is this perk only available if you buy a Pro model? If Google wants people to start using Gemini Advanced more frequently, it should be pushing those generous free trials on everyone it can, including the people who want a standard Pixel 9.

Pixel 9 is basically a Pro with one less camera

Our early impressions of the Pixel 9 have been very positive. In our Google Pixel 9 hands-on review we concluded that the phone was effectively a Pro Pixel in disguise. Tom’s Guide phones editor John Velasco even went so far as to declare the Pro and Pro XL models were “overrated.”

The simple fact is that the Pixel 9 has an awful lot of the same upgrades as the Pro models. Sure, it doesn’t have a telephoto camera lens, but it does still have the same speedy Tensor G4 chipset, the same main and ultrawide camera lenses, all the exact same AI features, and an extra 4GB of RAM compared to the Pixel 8.

While the 12GB on board the Pixel 9 may not be as impressive as the Pros’ 16GB, Google did say that the upgrade was purely so the Pixel 9 can better run on-device AI . And you’re saving yourself $200 compared to the cheapest Pro model.

And yet, despite the impressive hardware and that push toward on-device AI, Google is leaving Pixel 9 buyers out of pocket when more advanced features are concerned. I understand that giving that 12 month Gemini Advanced subscription to Pro buyers is an incentive to buy the Pro model, especially with prices now being what they are. But to completely ignore the standard Pixel 9 isn’t just insulting, it seems completely counterintuitive.

Even offering 6 months of Gemini Advanced to Pixel 9 buyers would be better than literally giving them nothing at all. Maybe someone has done the math and worked out Google’s better off giving all the best stuff to Pixel 9 Pro buyers. But if the company really wants to get people using its AI features and subscribing to Gemini Advanced, it has to actively pursue them as customers.

Bottom line

There's an old business adage that it’s a lot easier to retain customers than it is to actively pursue new ones. It’s been clear for a while that Google is going big on Gemini and AI on phones, but the success of that push hinges on people actually using the features that are available — doubly so for premium features that cost $20 a month.

Hooking them in with an extended free trial and letting them get accustomed to Premium features is a surefire way to get people who otherwise wouldn’t subscribe to stick around. There isn’t going to be a 100% conversion rate, but Google can at least try and show Pixel users the value in subscribing to Gemini Advanced without asking them to part with any money first.

It’s just rather bewildering that Google is completely ignoring the people who want to buy the Pixel 9. It’s a cheaper option, sure, but if anything, those are the people least likely to sign up for an expensive subscription service without some kind of push. And you’d think Google would want to do something about that.

More from Tom's Guide

• Exclusive: How the Tensor G4 chip inside the Pixel 9 could redefine the 'AI phone'
• I don't plan to upgrade to the new Google Pixel 9 Pro — here's why
• Google Pixel 9 could get better reception and battery life — all thanks to this hardware upgrade