Pixel 9 Pro’s New Fingerprint Reader, Modem Impress Us

We’ve made so many jokes over the years about the in-display fingerprint reader used in Google’s most recent Pixel phones, because the sensor has been so bad that with every update, folks take to comment sections and reddit to proclaim that the update has somehow magically improved them. The updates never do because the sensor is just bad and could only ever be so fast.

We’ve also taken plenty of shots at the cellular connectivity of the Pixel line over its switch to Tensor chips and Samsung modems because of their inability to hold a stable connection to cellular networks, the overheating that often accompanies non-WiFi activity, and the battery drain that follows. Past Google phones have had some major issues, if you can’t tell.

For the Pixel 9 Pro, we were curious if the new Samsung modem and new ultrasonic fingerprint reader could bring us joy after so much pain. As it turns out, they certainly can.

NEW PIXEL 9 FINGERPRINT READER IS FAST: In a write-up shortly after Google’s Pixel event last week, we talked about the new fingerprint reader, which Qualcomm confirmed is their 3D Sonic Gen 2 ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

This thing just reads to unlock and does it quickly every single time you scan your thumb. The misread or error rate on this Pixel 9 Pro fingerprint reader has got to be incredibly low. I can probably count on a single hand the number of times this thing has failed over the past week.

With both screen off or screen awake, you just need to gently touch your fingertip to the fingerprint spot, you’ll get a subtle vibration to acknowledge the scan, and then you are in. That’s it. There’s no wiggling of your finger or misreads that frustrate you into swiping your pattern or pin instead.

I hate to spend too much time on something as minor as a fingerprint reader, but man, those previous sensors were awful. Google provided a massive improvement in an area we weren’t sure they’d ever figure out.

NEW SAMSUNG MODEM IMPRESSES: The Pixel 9 series has a new Samsung modem, which wouldn’t normally get us excited. Samsung’s modems in previous Pixel phones have been disasters at times. Just a few months ago, we were talking about a botched update for the Pixel 7 series that left people without stable texting or calling abilities. The dropped cellular connections and airplane toggling actions to restore them have become everyday tasks for many Pixel owners. Even with last year’s Pixel 8 Pro, Tim ran into so many cellular issues that he tested out several networks because he found it hard to believe that a phone (a phone) could be the problem (it was).

Over the past 8 days of testing, I’ve spent a lot of time out of my house on cellular connections with both the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL and have not had any cellular drops. None. Zero. I’ve also experienced no overheating, a phone that remains at what I’d call “normal operating temperatures,” and no battery drain when off of WiFi and putting in work on either T-Mobile or Verizon’s networks.

You know this if you read about how impressive battery life has been, but I took both phones out for a 2 hour Pokemon Go session this past weekend in 80-degree heat with screens on the entire time and data-only connections and had no issues. The phones worked, they lasted, and the connections remained stable throughout.

We’ll continue testing to see if Google has finally solved one of the Pixel line’s worst ongoing issues, but so far things are looking good in the modem and fingerprint departments.