Free AI functions, but there is a catch

In a surprise in April 2025 “Pixel Drop”, Google announced an important free AI upgrade for all Pixel 9 series owners, but not all pixel owners are happy.

Google April 2025 pixels fall at a glance

• Google makes its Premium-Gemini Live camera and screen release functions free of charge for all users of Pixel 9 series.
• Pixel 9 Pro Series owners already have the functions via Gemini Advanced
• Owners of pixel 8 and older are not included
• The step gives the upcoming budget -friendly pixel 9a a significant value

Google April 2025 Pixel drop – what is new?

Google officially announced On April 8, all smartphones of the Pixel 9 series now have free access to the new language and screen release from Gemini Live. I am more detailed with these functions previouslyBut essentially you can grant the Gemini app a live access to your screen or the view of your camera so that you can talk about what you see in real time.

As shown above in Google’s advertising video above, Gemini Live with Voice is a groundbreaking way to use your smartphone to get information about the world around you for which no tap is required. So far, this function was only available for those who have a paid Gemini Advanced subscription.

Therefore, these new Gemini live functions for most owners of the standard pixel 9 are a significant upgrade, but Pixel 9 Pro-Series owners already benefit from these functions via the included 2-month-adVanced subscription. This means that the unusual timing and the limited scope of Google’s surprise in April 2025 Pixel Drop are really around the upcoming Pixel 9a, which will be released on April 10th.

By expanding these powerful new functions to Pixel 9a, Google can present its best AI functions for its new lower price model without an expensive Google One Ai Premium subscription to bundle-the only way to buy Gemini Advanced.

A year from Google One Ai Premium currently costs almost half as much as the $ 499 entry-level 9a, and the base pixel 9 is already available without one. Regardless of the functions that Google gives Pixel 9a, there must also be the existing Pixel 9, so this feature drops are a nice way to deal with this problem.

The upcoming Pixel 9a start can also be part of the reason why Google does not expand this offer to Pixel 8 owners, some of whom are understandably dissatisfied (see comments on the YouTube video above) that they do not receive the new functions, although they have relatively current smartphones.

It is unusual that a pixel drop concentrates on a single, large characteristic and, above all, limited its availability to the latest Pixel series. However, this ensures a more convincing Pixel 9a start and will probably seduce more users for upgrade. On the other hand, it is one reason for Pixel 9 Pro users to pay more advanced for Gemini when their bundled 12-month subscriptions come to an end.

Will these free Gemini -Live updates be enough to cause them to upgrade to Pixel 9a?

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