Early Pixel 9 vs iPhone 15 samples prove Google continues to ignore serious camera problems

While we’re very close to getting our hands on some sweet Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL retail units, it seems like unsuspecting lucky users are already receiving their Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL’s. The rest of the lineup should start shipping in early September.

Before proceeding to tell you why I’m worried the Pixel 9’s cameras might not be the upgrade we’ve all been asking for, I’ll remind you that I’ve been using the Pixel 8 Pro since launch - alongside the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra.

I’ve taken hundreds of photos with Google, Samsung, and Apple’s flagship, so I know how their cameras tend to behave and perform.

With that in mind, my immediate observations, based on the samples you see here, are that Google hasn’t learned its lesson.

Early camera samples show Pixel 9 still takes lacklustre Portrait mode photos - just like Pixel 8, Pixel 7, and Pixel 6

Looking at the Portrait mode samples shared by the lucky YouTube user, Google’s new $800 flagship (once again) seems to be incapable of taking a flagship-worthy portrait photo.

Unfortunately, this has been the case with my Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and even the Pixel 6 Pro, which I bought and sold back in 2021. Portraits improved on Pixel 8 but they are still not on the level of the iPhone 15 or Galaxy S24, and Pixel 9 might not do enough to change that.

The Pixel’s issues with noisy video persist, show rear and selfie cam videos shot on Pixel 9 and iPhone 15

The other persistent Pixel camera issue that seems to be making a grand return is the crazy levels of noise in the low-light video.

Judging by the video sample in the comparison, it looks like the noisy videos my Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 6 Pro take, are still a thing with the Pixel 9. The screengrab you see above is from the selfie cameras.

My Pixel 8 Pro’s issues with capturing accurate colors indoors are back with Pixel 9?

And last but not least, I also noticed another familiar camera issue with these photos taken with Pixel 9. I’m talking about the sheer struggle to reproduce accurate colors in indoor lighting conditions, and more specifically, when there’s artificial lighting in the scene.



As noted by the user who took and shared the samples, the Pixel 9 takes a photo with inaccurate colors of the Coca Cola bottles hanging from the ceiling, while I’m noticing Google’s everlasting struggle to capture the color red - as seen in the “Taqado Mexican Kitchen” photo.

Early Pixel 9 camera samples prove Google continues to ignore annoying camera issues found in Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 6 Pro

The reason I’ve decided to share these early samples coming from someone who’s paid with his own money for a Pixel 9 is because I was genuinely shocked to see Google might’ve ignored camera problems I’ve experienced since using the Pixel 6 Pro, and most recently, with my Pixel 8 Pro.

Considering the “Pixel” is known for being “the camera phone to beat”, and that we’re talking about an $800 flagship, I’ll lie if I said I’m not disappointed.

For example, even a $200 Samsung phone can take a photo with more accurate colors (when shooting indoors) compared to my Pixel 8 Pro, and this simply shouldn’t be the case. I just can’t cut Google any slack here.



Apart from self-sabotaging, Google’s biggest problem, however, is that the competition isn’t slowing down.

As you can see, the Pixel 9 already struggles to compete with the iPhone 15 in certain aspects of the camera, and this is three weeks before the launch of the iPhone 16, which should be even better.

Either way, we’re looking forward to conducting our own Pixel 9 camera comparisons against the Pixel 8, Galaxy S24, and iPhone 15/16, to see exactly how hard Google has worked in the past year.