I remember the old days when you got a new Android phone and, even before you finished the setup process, you were given the option to get free Google Photos backup. Really, who would pass up an offer like that? Alternatively, when I reviewed the Moto X, I was floored by its promotion offering 50GB of free Google Drive storage for two years.
Clearly, I got hooked on all of these free offers and didn’t think much about how dependent I’d ultimately become on cloud storage. So, when all of the promotions expired, I was forced to shell out for a subscription. And you know what? This same strategy is playing out all over again with the Pixel 11 launch.
While some people question why Google is still making phones, I think the hardware portfolio functions as a digital lure — pulling us into an ecosystem that we can’t live without. And that’s what I love and hate about Google AI Pro. Here’s why.
Pixel 11 Pro launch follows a similar strategy with Google AI Pro
Just a couple of years ago, when the Pixel 9 Pro launched, Google was offering a free one-year trial of Gemini Advanced with your purchase. That was my first real taste of Google’s new AI features, and it served as my introduction to Gemini Live.
I was skeptical about how AI could transform my daily life, but as I spent more time exploring Gemini Live and the other features on the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL — like Reimagine, Pixel Studio, and Pixel Screenshots — I became increasingly reliant on them.
Naturally, there are a few impressive new capabilities unlocked with Google AI Pro on the Pixel 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold. For example, I got to try out one of Google’s latest models on the Pixel 11 Pro, Gemini Omni, which can create and edit videos for me. I’m not just talking about generating clips from text prompts because it can take existing videos I’ve shot and apply real edits — like adding effects, replacing backgrounds, and much more.
What’s truly impressive about this model is how intuitive it is. You simply launch Gemini, attach your video, and type out your requests. After a couple of minutes, it pulls off edits that would be nearly impossible for me to execute manually in my professional video editing software.
Having worked in retail past, I know that services and subscriptions are high-margin revenue drivers. That's part of the reason why Google continues to make phones. If you’re like me and these AI tools become indispensable to your workflow, you’re far more likely to pony up down the road just to keep them.
Proof that software is more critical than hardware
Google’s long-term play has always been about software. Even now, the company’s hardware lacks the design innovation I see from its rivals — specifically, the ultra-thin build of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the durable construction of Motorola’s Razr foldables, or the built-in Privacy Display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Honestly, it gets confusing keeping track of all the subscriptions and services I’ve been locked into over the past few years. I eventually moved up from a simple Google Photos backup tier to a larger Google One plan for expanded Google Drive storage—and even that wasn’t enough.
Late last year, I finally caved and consolidated my Google subscriptions into a single Google AI Pro plan, which costs $19.99 per month and includes 5TB of Google Drive storage. These days, I find myself leaning heavily on Gemini Live for all sorts of tasks.
For example, I use it to quickly pull the best sequences from client video shoots by feeding it the transcript alongside timestamps of the spoken dialogue. Rather than scrubbing through hours of raw footage, Gemini analyzes the text and serves up the exact clips I need. It’s an undeniable timesaver and something I’ve come to deeply appreciate.
I think Google realizes it doesn't need to win the hardware volume war against Apple or Samsung to succeed. By prioritizing AI-first features that quietly become critical to our daily workflows, Google is banking on its software and services to move the needle. Quite frankly, it's effectively selling a subscription service that just happens to come wrapped inside a phone.
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