Google Pixel 10 & Pixel 10 Pro XL Pixelated Promises

From cameras to clever software, the Pixel 10 aims high. Does it hit the mark?

- By Niraj Kakade

Once upon a time, the Android world was the wild west of phones. Apple had its walled garden, Microsoft was still fumbling, and everyone else was throwing ideas at the wall to see what stuck. Samsung had its flavour, HTC had another, LG swivelled its screens, and the rest were busy cooking up strange mutations of Android. What was missing was a “pure” Android phone until Google stepped in with the Nexus.

The Nexus line sold at mid-range prices but carried the aura of a premium device. It became a developer's playground, fuelling the ROMs, widgets, and custom features that would later define Android itself.

Then the landscape shifted. Microsoft quit, Google smelled opportunity, and the Nexus gave way to the Pixel. This time, it was not about community tinkering. It was Google showing the world what Android looked like at its best.

Now in its tenth iteration, Google no longer wants to be an option you consider. It wants to be the option. The question is, has it earned it?

THE SLABIFICATION

They look like they are carved from a single block of glass, broken only by the giant camera bar. They are sleek, they shine, but they also slip. You will need a case. The aluminium frame adds some heft but not enough to punish your wrist during long shoots.

If you liked the Pixel 9's design, you will like the Pixel 10, because it is essentially the same thing. Aluminium, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and polished edges on the Pro models look sharp but attract fingerprints. The camera bump has grown slightly, which keeps the phone steady on a table but kills compatibility with last year’s cases. Then again, every major flagship now feels like a remix of itself, so Google is far from alone here.

The real design upgrade is invisible.

The Pixel 10 supports full Qi2 charging, magnets included, so it plays nicely with MagSafe gear and Google's new PixelSnap accessories. Not groundbreaking but useful in daily life.