Three Pixel 10 Pro features that could make me switch back to Google in 2025

There's a fine, almost invisible line between theorizing and daydreaming – and today, I plan to exploit the former without dipping my all ten fingers into the latter. Maybe just the thumbs.

The Pixel 10 Pro (and its siblings, the vanilla flagship Pixel 10, the exotic Pixel 10 Pro Fold and the same-but-larger Pixel 10 Pro XL) are all expected to drop on August 20. Their imminent launch is not the only reason I'm drawing Google's latest and greatest to your eyeballs.

I find three important reasons to pay extra attention to the approaching Pixel 10 Pro:

• I'm also on the search for the next best thing
• I haven't bent the knee to a particular brand or device
• I have extensive experience with a particular Pixel phone

And, of course, I feel like checking them out because I'm curious if they'll live up to people's expectations: Google's Pixels are getting more and more popular (even in Japan, as it turns out) and many US customers ditch both Apple and Samsung for the Big G experience.

So, if I was on the lookout for a new smartphone in 2025, these would be my top three points of consideration.

Camera setup needs to be top-shelf

When it comes to smartphones, cameras are of paramount importance to me. No amount of flashy design or cool software features can compensate for a mediocre shooter. The Pixel 10 Pro is rumored to pack the same 50 MP Samsung GNV primary sensor along with Google's signature computational photography prowess. This is the thing that has historically allowed even Pixels with modest hardware to punch far above their weight.

Google's strength has always been in the software: HDR+, Super Res Zoom, Night Sight, and Magic Eraser – tools that make even quick snaps look polished.

While the Pixel 10 Pro may not feature the biggest or most bleeding-edge camera sensors, it's almost certain to deliver class-leading results through clever engineering and AI smarts.

However, the rumored lack of a secondary dedicated telephoto lens is a slight letdown. Zoom quality matters, especially when you don't want to rely on digital cropping.

Fortunately, the Pixel 10 Pro is expected to retain a solid, practical zoom lens with a useful focal length that should meet the needs of most users without compromising quality. For me, unless the Pixel 10 Pro continues Google's legacy of top-tier photography, it's a non-starter.

Tensor G5: will it be good?

It's the talk of the town: the Pixel 10 Pro is widely expected to debut the brand-new Tensor G5 chipset, rumored to be Google's first fully in-house design, possibly manufactured by TSMC. This marks a major shift from the previous Tensor G4 and G3 chips, which, while innovative in AI and machine learning features, lagged behind Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Gen 3 in raw performance and efficiency.

The first-generation label on the G5 has so far not made me clap my hands in euphoria – after all, new silicon often means growing pains. But first-gen doesn't always spell disaster: if done right, it could deliver optimized AI, better battery life, and smoother performance than ever. The key will be whether Google can finally bridge the gap between its ambitious AI features and the kind of everyday fluidity and battery efficiency that Snapdragon-powered rivals deliver.

AI that doesn't get in the way

AI is everywhere now, but not all AI is useful – or, let's be frank about it – wanted at all.

What could make or break the Pixel 10 Pro's experience for me is whether Google can bake in practical, helpful AI that enhances daily life without becoming intrusive, gimmicky, or privacy-invasive. Google's Gemini AI will surely take center stage, potentially transforming everything from voice commands to real-time translation, photo editing, and on-device assistance.

But these tools need to be seamless: I want features that work when I need them and disappear when I don't. I don't want my phone second-guessing me, suggesting things I don't need, or feeding off personal data without consent.

Google has to find the right balance between smart and simple, powerful and private. If the Pixel 10 Pro delivers AI that genuinely improves productivity, saves time, and respects user privacy, it could become the go-to device for people who, like me, value control over their tech without sacrificing cutting-edge innovation.

Is the Pixel 10 Pro for me?

Years ago, I was the happiest Pixel 3a user out there: I got it on a great Black Friday deal and was blown away by what this little fella could do. It had a great battery life (particularly at the lower end: those 4% remaining capacity saved me on numerous occasions) until it got degraded (that's only natural), it took amazing photos with its single rear camera, it never stuttered or let me down.

So, will the Pixel 10 Pro be enough of a phone to make me convert back to Google (I'm currently rocking an Oppo camera-centric flagship) – or should I stay where I'm at? I'll be happy to test the Pixel 10 Pro and see for myself if the three things that I crave are present.

Even if it turns out that the Pixel 10 Pro is not the Pro I'm looking for, in some months time, I'll be extremely tempted by a non-Pro, non-Ultra phone once again: the upcoming Pixel 10a.

Old habits die hard.

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