Google is now taking pre-orders for the standard-sized Pixel 9 Pro nearly two months after it was announced.
New purchases should arrive late October. Prices start at $999 for a 128GB model, though you’ll have to buy the 256GB version if you want a model in Rose Quartz (pink). You’ll also have to buy either Hazel (gray) or Obsidian (black) if you want 512GB of storage.
Google announced the Pixel 9 Pro alongside other Pixels at its Made by Google event in August. At the time, though, only the regular Pixel 9 and the bigger 9 Pro XL were shipping soon. The smaller Pro was slated to arrive sometime this fall.
It’s not known what prompted the longer wait, although companies have historically staggered releases like this to make sure they have enough production capacity for the likely most popular device.
Regardless, this may be the most important phone of the Pixel 9 lineup. Before this, Google typically reserved Pro features for its larger Pixels, such as the telephoto camera, higher-quality displays, and the temperature sensor. Now, you can get all that functionality with the same 6.3-inch screen size as the base model.
The launch also helps Google more directly compete against Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro, which has a similar display and camera performance. You now have what’s arguably the closest Android equivalent. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 range doesn’t fit neatly; the entry S24 is smaller and limited to 3X camera zoom, while the S24+ is larger and still doesn’t offer the same camera options.