This week has been a pretty darn good one to be a Pixel fan. On Wednesday, Google announced a new pair of Pixel Buds, the Pixel Watch 4, and — most importantly — the Pixel 10 series. Even better is that if you like what you see, you can pre-order all of the new Pixel gadgets right now.
However, that begs an important question: Should you pre-order any of the new Pixel 10 phones?
My colleague Rita recently offered some advice about why she thinks you shouldn’t pre-order a Pixel 10, but I’m of a different mindset. Given what we’ve seen of the Pixel 10 series so far, I think Google has shown us enough that, if the Pixel 10 has your eye, pre-ordering one is the right call. Here are a few reasons why.
Are you pre-ordering a Pixel 10 phone? 3162 votes Yes — the Pixel 10 8 % Yes — the Pixel 10 Pro 20 % Yes — the Pixel 10 Pro XL 23 % Yes — the Pixel 10 Pro Fold 3 % No, I am not interested/not pre-ordering 25 % I'm still undecided 22 %
The entire Pixel 10 series has built-in magnets for Qi2 charging
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Let’s start with one of the new features I’m personally most excited about: Qi2 magnetic charging. We’ve been talking about Qi2 since it was announced at CES 2023, but up until now, no major Android manufacturer has released a phone that fully supports the standard — magnets and all.
That changes with the Pixel 10 series, as every model — including the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and even the Pixel 10 Pro Fold — supports Qi2 wireless charging with magnets built into the body of the phones. That means you can place the Pixel 10 on a magnetic charging stand or slap a magnetic battery pack on the back just as is, no special magnetic case required.
I’ve already written about my love for magnetic accessories, but it’s worth reiterating here just how convenient they really are. Whether it’s the assurance of knowing your wireless charger is perfectly aligned or being able to seamlessly attach a power bank or wallet to the back of your phone, magnets just make everything better.
Google is launching its own first-party “Pixelsnap” magnetic accessories alongside the Pixel 10 series, but you can also use any existing MagSafe products with the phones — meaning you have a lot of possible accessories to deck out your new phone with.
... continue reading