I am a tech expert who tried out the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and here is the truth about Google’s flagship smartphone

I vividly remember a conversation on WhatsApp where fellow tech journalists highlighted how it has become a struggle to review smartphones beyond the standard features. Truth be told, most phones, regardless of brand or price tier, have more or less the same performance, leaving less scope for reviewers to critique them. Industry insiders with whom I have had conversations agree that innovation in the smartphone segment isn’t what it used to be. I definitely see a need for reviewers like us to look beyond traditional smartphone features and put pressure on brands to explore what’s possible on the software side.