The Pixel 10 is here, and it’s great. Google has built on the strengths of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 to release a fantastic lineup of phones that make the iPhone 17 look derivative and tired.
Still rocking a Pixel 8, I kept a close eye on the launch of the Pixel 10, especially after a slew of leaks indicated that it would be a substantial hardware and software upgrade over the Pixel 9.
What intrigued me most about the Pixel 10 before launch was the rumored Gemini-powered features.
I haven’t yet seen a Gemini feature that has made me want to buy the latest Pixel, but the Pixel 10 promised a substantial suite of AI features that caught my eye.
Unfortunately, after we had the devices in our hands, they turned out to be as underwhelming as ever.
What the Pixel 10 promised for Gemini
AI features you wouldn’t have to try to use
After years of dismissing most AI features touted by phone manufacturers, I found that Nothing piqued my interest with the subtly powerful tools on its Phone 3.
Nothing showed that AI can be a powerful tool in your everyday life, but the Nothing Phone 3’s success relied on its restrained approach to AI.
Compare this with the Samsung S25 launch, which attempted to blow our minds with two poorly thought-out and ill-executed AI tools: Now Brief and Now Bar.
Google was, therefore, in a perfect place to impress us with AI on the Pixel 10.
Armed with knowledge of Samsung’s failures and Nothing’s successes, Google had everything it needed to release AI features that would work for everyone, not just enthusiasts and power users.
The flagship AI feature on the Pixel 10 is Magic Cue. This always-on feature attempts to bring up relevant information for what’s on your screen.
AP’s Stephen Radochia noted in his Pixel 10 review that when a friend texted him to make plans, Magic Cue immediately brought up a shortcut to his calendar.
If someone asks you for photos from a trip, Magic Cue will provide a shortcut to the Photos app with relevant photos already selected.
Daily Hub was the answer to Samsung’s Now Brief. This tool would appear each morning and evening, drawing together reminders, weather reports, and important notifications.
Samsung’s version of this was mostly useless, so I was excited to see how Google would respond.
At this point, I should know better than to be optimistic about AI features. At least I didn’t preorder the Pixel 10.
Google is making inexcusable mistakes
Did Google miss the Galaxy S25?
Daily Hub lasted a few weeks before Google pulled it from public access.
Google issued a statement explaining that it was “working to enhance its performance and refine the personalized experience” to “ensure the best possible experience on Pixel.”
Somehow, Google managed to make this feature even worse than Samsung’s. There’s a lot that went wrong with it, but it’s the weather report that neatly summarised how useless it was.
In the morning, Daily Hub would tell you the temperature with no hourly forecasts or relevant news. It’s so underwhelming that it’s surprising Google thought it was ready for public release.
Magic Cue, on the other hand, works great, but only if you use a select few Google apps.
As AP’s Andy Boxall wrote in his Pixel 10 Pro XL review, if you use a third-party app like WhatsApp, and you don’t write your notes in Keep, the feature goes unused.
I’m sure this is due to Google requiring permission from developers to let Magic Cue monitor their apps, but the result goes against the core principles of Android.
How is AI going to revolutionize my phone when I can only work with a few Google-friendly apps?
It’s also worth pointing out Camera Coach. Did you know that it’s good to center your subject in your camera’s viewfinder? Well, Camera Coach can tell you, but only if you have a data connection.
It’s only capable of providing beginner-level photography advice, rendering it useless if you’ve ever handled a camera before.
The Pixel 10 proves again that Google still hasn’t learned
The Pixel 10 was Google’s best chance to impress us with AI on Android.
It doesn’t take much work to see what features are resonating with people online, so it’s baffling how Google managed to release a product as half-baked as Daily Hub.
I know Google can make a good AI product; NotebookLM is my favorite example of successful AI software. I know Google can make good hardware; the Pixel 10 is a premium device that rivals the latest iPhones. I know Google can make good software; Material 3 Expressive is my favorite update to Android in years.
So why can’t Google combine the three? Google is trapped in the AI arms race; it doesn’t matter if a feature is underbaked or simply doesn’t work; what matters is that progress appears to be made.
For now, I’ll sink back into my comfortable, warm bath of AI apathy. Don’t interrupt me with new AI products, Google. I know you don’t have anything to offer.
