7 Things At 7 (Aug 25): Pixel 9 series, Pixel Watch, AI, IFA 2024, Telegram and more

Welcome to Sunday 7, a weekly newsletter with seven hot stories about technology. Be the techie in your group without needing to follow the industry closely. This week is all about Google, AI, Apple and more.

Techtober has become TechTember, and this year, there is a constant deluge of new devices. We're in a cycle of intense competition in all mobile devices, and for those who live for new gadgets, there's always something to talk about. With that in mind, let’s kick off the first edition of this newsletter!

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🔥 Hot Corner

The top tech that we’re talking about. If it matters to us and you should know about it, you’ll find it here!

1️⃣ Let's talk about the Google Pixel 9

For years, I've hated the Google Pixel series. Then Google made the Pixel 9. There's no understating how good this phone is. My full review is due soon, but I need to test the camera again after a major camera update landed just before the embargo.

Frankly, the delay is also because I don't want to switch to something else, at least not until my Pixel 9 Pro arrives. The Pixel 9 is a phenomenal phone, and I don't miss the telephoto lens too much, except for the higher zoom lengths. It's limited to 8x, and the Pixel 9 Pro isn't as limited.

That's not to diminish what Google can do with somewhat more limited hardware. Google has followed the Gunpei Yukoi philosophy that made Nintendo a force in video games: lateral thinking with withered technology. Google proves time and time again that the hardware doesn't matter as much as the algorithms and software, and the Pixel 9 is no different.

Many people find the Tensor G4 a weakness, but there's been nothing to complain about. The new vapor chamber ensures everything runs smoothly, and the increase to 12GB in the regular 9 (vs. 16GB in the others) ensures no performance qualms.

The Pixel 9 is the best regular-sized phone I’ve ever used. The regular Pixel 9 adds all the Pro features but keeps the compact size and could be the phone of the year.

Battery life is also phenomenal, and I charge the Pixel 9 every day and a half. That's with fairly heavy usage, and a full charge takes about 85 minutes. It's not the fastest – especially as it's limited to 27W even when using Google's 45W charger – but it's perfectly good enough. This is a classic example of a product being more than the sum of its parts, and the Pixel 9 does this in buckets.

There's a reason I'm incredibly excited about the Pixel 9 Pro: it offers the best of the big screen Pixel 9 Pro XL with the size and form factor of the smaller Pixel 9. It is the best of both worlds, with little to no trade-offs. The compact 6.3-inch Super Actua display (albeit with a slightly higher resolution) and 4,700mAh battery of the Pixel 9, combined with the larger RAM, better selfie camera, faster charging, and the 9 Pro XL telephoto lens. I can't think of any other regular-sized phone with the same level of balance.

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If you want a new phone, the Pixel 9 series has to be on your list. One company rarely receives near-universal praise, and even the critics resort to clickbait in search of balanced coverage. I won't link to the egregious example, but sometimes, you must accept that a great phone is great.

That wasn't all that Google announced last week, though.

2️⃣ I'm excited for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Watch 3

It's been a week since I saw the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and I can't wait for mine to arrive. The official release is September 4th, but I won't get it in my hands until a few days later, thanks to IFA 2024 (more on that later).

The Pixel 9 has been such a pleasure to use that I think Google's second-generation foldable could replace the Galaxy Z Fold 6 as my go-to foldable. It's smooth, useful, and a pleasure to use, and that's exactly what it needs. I'd miss the S-Pen, so the Z Fold 6 won't be completely relegated to a drawer, but the Pixel 9 Pro Fold camera is better, and it's a smoother overall experience.

Check out MrMobile’s amazing Pixel 9 Pro Fold / Watch 3 preview above, which includes interviews with the people who made it.

Google has finally nailed the Pixel experience. I love products made for usability, which was the theme of all of Google's announcements.

Features like Cardio Load, Target Load, and Loss of Pulse Detection are the most usable features Google has ever released. Once the embargo lifts in a couple of weeks, I will have much testing and thoughts to come, but these features are designed to improve lives in unique ways. They could be Google's most impactful health features yet.

🗞️ News Corner

The top stories from the news that will make you the smartest person at the water cooler.

3️⃣ The iPhone in Europe is so much more fun

I remember when the original iPhone launched. Apple’s vision for the iPhone fundamentally differed from everything else on the market, and the resulting wave of change revolutionized smartphones as we know them. If the EU gets its way, the iPhone in Europe could fundamentally change how we perceive the iPhone experience.

If you’re an iPhone user in the EU, there are many things you can do that fellow iPhone owners worldwide can’t. This includes installing a third-party app store, browsers running their own rendering engines, and the ability to replace third-party apps. The first third-party app store by Epic Games bought Fortnite back to the iPhone, but only in Europe (and globally on Android).

The EU’s mission is to break down the barriers to the iPhone and make it an Apple phone with the flexibility of Android. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s an endpoint and, crucially, whether Apple will remove the arbitrary software barriers preventing iPhone users in the US from accessing the same level of flexibility.

Continue reading at the CNET.

4️⃣ Is the Telegram bubble about to burst?

I'm a huge Telegram user, and over the past two years, I've noticed that it's become far more popular with regular people — not people in the tech space, but people outside; exactly the type of person who uses WhatsApp outside the US. Anecdotally, many of them stop using it fairly quickly, even though Telegram does a great job of telling you when your contacts join.

Telegram is by far the best overall messaging app. But it's yet to prove it can withstand the intense scrutiny that comes from being dominant like WhatsApp. The founder was just arrested in France on various charges, and Telegram will now undergo immense interest and scrutiny. With over half a billion users, it's unsurprising this hasn't happened sooner.

Telegram has come closer than anyone before to providing a credible threat to WhatsApp. The only concern some of my non-techie friends have is privacy, and the app’s viability depends on how Telegram appears in both the court of law and the court of public opinion.

Continue reading at the NPR.

5️⃣ Curiosity around the death of both HP Autonomy founders

You may not know the name Mike Lynch, but you may have heard it this past week. The death of one of the co-founders of Autonomy in suspicious circumstances on a luxury yacht in Italy has raised some questions. These are further complicated by the death of the other cofounder in a car accident just five days earlier.

These deaths come just as they were both acquitted after a 13-year legal battle. Autonomy was the first British software unicorn when it was acquired by HP for $11 billion in 2003, but it immediately fell into trouble. HP reported an $8.8 billion write-down, claiming fraud and the two co-founders countersued, claiming complete negligence on the part of HP in running the business. Expect more to come on this in the coming weeks and months.

Continue reading at The Washington Post.

📆 Upcoming Calendar

What’s upcoming in the tech world that you need to know about? We’re in many launches, including the Google Pixel 9, which just launched, and new rival foldables — at least for Europe — that are expected for IFA. The iPhone is just weeks away, and we’re about to enter an AI race like no other.

6️⃣ Coming up: The 100th IFA is a week away

There are three major consumer tech trade shows each year that appeal to most generalist tech publications: CES, MWC, and IFA. A Berlin staple, this year's IFA is a week away, and it will be a big one — or at least, the organizers hope it will be in honor of its 100th anniversary.

IFA is unique as it's the only big show that admits the general public. The media days are actual media preview days, and the place resembles a building site, but that's because it's geared toward selling to customers.

This year's show is particularly interesting. In recent years, IFA has become a place for launching new foldable phones. Companies like Tecno and Honor are expected to launch new ones this year, and I can't wait to see what's announced. Expect lots from Berlin in just a week!

7️⃣ Looking ahead: Apple iPhone launch expected September 10, Apple Watch turns 10

The Apple Watch turns ten on September 10 — at least, that’s the expectation. The latest reports suggest that Apple will unveil four new iPhones alongside the tenth-generation Apple Watch on September 10.

This promises to be a big launch for Apple and the industry, especially as the iPhone 16 series will be the first Apple hardware designed for Apple Intelligence. Expect AI and the new Siri to be a big theme for this launch and for other companies to respond with AI messaging.

👀 Carve-outs and other things

Just one carve-out this week with a distinctly non-techie feel!

I just learned about the Netflix documentary Dirty Pop. If you want to know about the drama, intrigue, and giant Ponzi scheme that led to the founding of iconic boybands such as Backstreet Boys and N-Sync, check it out on Netflix.

That’s all for this week, see you next week!

Impact by House of Tech is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.