128GB baseline storage for the Pixel 9 Pro XL feels stingy, huh?

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: 128GB is not enough storage for a top-of-the-line flagship smartphone anymore. Especially one touting advanced multimedia, such as the renowned photography and new 8K video upscaling capabilities of the new Pixel 9 series.

When investing in a new handset that can last up to seven years, especially one that costs $999 or more, I don’t want to run out of space part way through the phone’s expected lifecycle.

Admittedly, I’ve not filled up my Pixel 8 Pro’s 128GB storage yet, but changing phones regularly means I’m not porting around years of memories on one device like my family members are. Even so, I’m feeling the pinch at 90GB used. With a growing library of family photos and videos, I expect I’ll hit the wall in the next year (and I’m not even using 4K).

Android Authority readers agree, and the feeling is almost unanimous at the office, too: The Pixel 9 Pro — particularly the XL model — should come with 256GB as standard, not the paltry 128GB entry point Google is offering for flagships that cost $999 and $1,099 respectively. Google’s highest-end offering looks anemic next to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which starts at 256GB, as well as its own ultra-premium Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Of course, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is cheaper than a Galaxy S24 Ultra by about $200, though that gap narrows once you fit Google’s option with equivalent storage. With a $100 price hike already factored in for the latest hardware upgrades, it’s not like Pixels are that much cheaper than the competition anymore.

Perhaps Google thought it best to continue with 128GB storage options to keep its latest phones looking somewhat affordable. Having a choice is always good, of course, but as 128GB has been the default for years, smaller memory configurations should be getting cheaper, or the baseline should grow.

128GB on the entry-level Pixel 9 is fair enough where affordability matters most. But it’s not like storage chips cost an arm and a leg — bulk order manufacturers can expect to pay $10 to $30 to move from 128GB to 256GB, depending on the chip’s specs. Would anyone mind if the Pixel 9 Pro XL started at $1,129 instead of $1,099? Probably not. But to be honest, Google should swallow the ~$20 memory chip upgrade cost on its most expensive models, where the profit margins are already higher.

Instead, the cost of upgrading to larger storage spirals astronomically. Consumers pay slightly over the odds for the jump to 256GB, but 512GB and 1TB options cost hundreds of dollars more than the sticker price. Google is unlikely to ever bring back the microSD slot, leaving such luxurious amounts of storage out of the reach of most consumers, especially on the already expensive XL model.

A larger pool of storage isn’t just necessary for media collectors; apps and the OS take up just as much of my phone’s storage. With seven years of Android updates to come, just owning a phone for its full lifespan requires plenty of spare space to grow with.

Android is an increasingly large OS, the essential Google app and Play Store continue to grow, and AI models like Gemini Nano are only likely to consume more space as they become more advanced. That’s before looking at apps outside of the core OS — mobile games are only becoming larger, too, as higher-quality assets and models become more common.

Once again, Google appears to be saying one thing with software and another with its hardware. If you’re planning to keep your new Pixel 9 for the full seven years, it’s probably worth breaking out the checkbook and springing for a larger storage model than Google’s barebones 128GB option. Hopefully, I won’t have the same complaint next year.