When Google launched the Pixel 6 Pro in late 2021, it was a major break with previous generations of Pixel. A new look, in both hardware and software. New Google silicon under the hood. And the first big camera tech upgrade in years.

The company typically launches a promotion on the September 27th to mark its birthday as a company. The difference this year is that its latest flagship devices have landed earlier than normal. That means the Pixel 9 range has been included in the sale with enhanced trade-in prices that match its pre-order deals last month, topping out at $720.

This time around we’re comparing the very best smartphones Google and Apple have to offer, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max. Both of these smartphones were launched rather recently.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a vast improvement over its predecessor which shows that Google is listening to users and keeping up with the competition.

While the Pixel 9 series has some of Google's fastest charging speeds to date, you shouldn't count the Pixel 9 Pro Fold among them

I pitted the iPhone 16 Pro Max against the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL to determine which one takes the best moon pictures.

Google's Pixel 9 Pro delivers a top-shelf experience in a reasonable size, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL remains a big-screen star. So which is better?