Google Pixel 10 series: 8 new AI features that make them Google’s smartest phones yet

The Pixel phones have never really played the brute-force hardware game. Google has long left the spec-sheet one-upmanship to its rivals, choosing instead to craft devices that feel enchanted in small, everyday ways. The magic has always been in the software. Those subtle, almost invisible touches that make the phone feel like it knows you better than you know yourself.

With the Google Pixel 10 series, that philosophy is in full bloom. There’s still no spec sheet shock factor (except for the IP68 rating on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold), but once you start using these phones, the story flips. AI isn’t just sprinkled on top; it’s woven into the very fabric of the experience. Here are the eight new AI features that make the Pixel 10 series feel like Google’s smartest and most intuitive phones yet.

Magic Cue: Your life on tap

Magic Cue turns the Pixel into something closer to a personal assistant. If someone texts about your flight, it fetches the details from Gmail. If dinner reservations come up, it finds the info in Calendar and prepares a reply. Even mid-phone call, it can surface a confirmation number directly in the dialer.

The idea isn’t just to save you from scrolling through apps, it’s to anticipate what you’ll need before you ask. That makes Magic Cue feel equal parts convenient and slightly uncanny, depending on how much you trust your phone to think ahead.

Camera Coach: A tutor for casual shooters

Smartphone cameras have reached the point where hardware is rarely the problem. Technique is. Camera Coach acknowledges this by guiding you as you line up a shot. It can suggest a better angle, prompt you to adjust lighting, or tell you when to switch modes. There’s also a “Get Inspired” button that AI generates example photos of the subject you’re pointing at, complete with step-by-step guidance to get the same result. Magical.

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For casual photographers, this feels less like a gimmick and more like a way to get more out of the camera you already carry. Add in Auto Best Take, which merges group shots so everyone’s looking their best, and the expanded Add Me feature for bigger group photos, and Google is essentially teaching users how to see differently, not just shoot differently.

Pro Res Zoom: 100x zoom boosted by AI

On the Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL, Google has extended zoom up to a staggering 100x. At that range, keeping a subject steady is nearly impossible, so the phone stabilises the view and provides a preview window to help frame the shot. Behind the scenes, more than a whopping 200 images are layered together, with generative AI filling in missing details.

The photos are tagged with C2PA content credentials to indicate that AI played a role. It’s clever engineering, but it also raises an age-old question. How much enhancement is too much before a photo stops being a record of reality?

Text-based editing: Just say it

This is one of my favourites. Inside Google Photos, editing no longer requires digging through tools. A new “Help me edit” box lets you type instructions in plain language. Tell it to “erase the plastic bag” or “brighten the sky”, and the software simply understands your request and applies the change.

The appeal is obvious. People who never touch editing tools might actually start cleaning up their shots if all it takes is typing a sentence. It also highlights Google’s broader push to make interfaces conversational instead of technical.

Take a Message: Voicemail without the voicemail

Google thinks it can level up Voicemails. Take a Message is a Pixel-exclusive feature that answers missed calls for you. It asks the caller to leave a message, records it, transcribes it on-device, and drops everything neatly into your call history.

It doesn’t stop there; if the message mentions making plans, the phone can suggest creating a reminder. It’s voicemail reimagined as something you might actually use again.

Voice Translate: Your voice, in another language

Real-time translation on phone calls isn’t new, but Pixel 10 adds a twist. The AI-translated words come through in a version of your own voice. The person on the other end hears your voice, tone and cadence included but in their language. While we haven’t tried this feature yet, we have a feeling it will be equal parts magical and equal parts eerie.

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It’s a striking attempt to make cross-language communication feel more personal. For travel or business, this could be the closest thing yet to a science-fiction translator in your pocket.

Journal app: AI as your reflection tool

Google’s new Journal app pushes into wellness territory. It prompts you with topics, then offers reflections on your entries using AI. It tags each one with emojis representing your tone, letting you look back at a month of moods.

The app can be locked behind a passcode or PIN, keeping it private. Whether users will treat it as a helpful guide or just another app they ignore is unclear, but it’s an interesting step toward blending phones with mental health habits.

Daily Hub: A quieter feed

Daily Hub isn’t designed to be loud or constant. Instead, it shows up in your At a Glance widget or Google Discover a few times per day. There, it lists calendar events, reminders pulled from Magic Cue, and even activity suggestions based on your search history.

The difference is in the tone. Where other feeds clamour for attention, Daily Hub is meant to feel like a gentle nudge; enough to keep you on track without flooding you with alerts.

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All in all, the new Pixel 10 series don’t necessarily reinvent the phone, but they do sharpen Google’s long-standing bet that the real magic of smartphones lies not in glass and silicon, but in the invisible software running beneath. With features that anticipate, translate, and even reflect, this year’s Pixel shows just how far that idea can go. Which new Pixel 10 AI feature caught your eye? Drop a comment to let us know, and stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma for regular tech updates.