I’ve been using the Pixel 10 Pro for just over a week, and after publishing our Pixel 10 Pro review, one thing has become clear: the Pixel 10 Pro is a great phone, even though it’s somewhat forgettable because last year’s model was so good.
As you might expect, the Pixel 10 Pro comes with Gboard installed by default; however, the first thing I did after setting up the Pixel 10 Pro was to install SwiftKey. I’ve used SwiftKey for over a decade since its launch in 2010, and have remained a user even after Microsoft purchased it nine years ago for $250 million.
How is it that Microsoft owns my dictionary when I prefer and use Google services for virtually everything else? The answer is simple: there’s one SwiftKey feature that I can’t live without, and it’s the primary reason I struggle with Gboard. Here’s why Google needs to copy it immediately.
Gboard fails where SwiftKey works, even on iOS.
Imagine using a phone for years, and building up a personal dictionary, only to have to start again on a new phone. This is the key problem with Gboard: the lack of cloud backup and the inability to transfer your dictionary during the setup process.
This is a straightforward problem to use, but whether it’s a privacy concern or a simple oversight, Google has shown no inclination to address this issue. Instead, the only way to transfer your dictionary is manually, and if you have multiple phones or devices — say your phone, tablet, and PC — there’s no way to keep a dictionary in sync across all these devices.
Samsung has addressed this issue with the Samsung Keyboard, but it has its own problems. In contrast, Apple keeps your dictionary synchronized across all your devices using iCloud. SwiftKey has the best implementation of all: sign in with your Microsoft or Google account on every device — yes, even on iOS — and your dictionary will stay up to date on all your devices. It’s not always the fastest, and not everything syncs, but SwiftKey is miles ahead of Gboard in this feature.
Google should address this for the benefit of Android
There’s no denying that more phone makers prefer to ship a phone with Gboard as the default keyboard than SwiftKey. It’s included with Google’s mobile suite, and most customers won’t be inclined to change this for one of the best smartphone on-screen keyboards.
It’s not just the best phones, but also for the benefit of the best folding phones. Book-style folding phones such as the Honor Magic V5 and Oppo Find N5 come with Gboard installed by default. It’s also the only supported keyboard on the front screen of the best flip phones, such as the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025.
Google’s business model relies on organizing the world’s information, yet the company has failed to deliver a crucial cloud-based feature. Yes, the inevitable privacy concerns are valid and should encourage discourse on the best compromise between convenience and privacy. However, if Microsoft and others can find the right balance, the choice is obvious for Google.
Beyond Gboard, this is the rest of the Pixel 10 Pro
Looking beyond Gboard, the Pixel 10 Pro is a fantastic phone, but one that is firmly iterative, and therefore somewhat forgettable. A few iterative changes to last year’s Pixel 9 Pro have yielded yet another fantastic phone, but one that lacks the wow factor of key rivals.
The Pixel 10 Pro is heavier than the Pixel 9 Pro, and just eight grams lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung’s folding phone, launched last month, is also just 0.4mm thicker than the Pixel 10 Pro. That said, the Pixel 10 Pro comes with two key standout features: the new camera zoom and the Pixelsnap magnetic charging feature.
Google has three key use cases for AI on the Pixel 10 Pro. Daily Hub provides a summary of your events, suggested news articles, weather, and other relevant information on a single screen that appears in Google Discover in the morning or evening. Magic Cue can provide suggestive replies, such as flight details, when someone asks for them in a text message.
However, the most effective use of AI currently is the ProRes Zoom feature. This is also a key reason to buy the Pixel 10 Pro. After years of waiting, Google finally offers 100x zoom in its smartphone cameras thanks to a healthy dose of AI interpretation. It’s extremely effective, as I found in our Pixel 10 Pro review, and beats Samsung’s camera powerhouse, the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Then there’s Pixelsnap, Google’s new magnetic-charging solution based on the Qi 2 standard. The Pixel 10 Pro now offers 15W magnetic wireless charging and is compatible with the best iPhone MagSafe accessories. It doesn’t have the faster 25W version like the Pixel 10 Pro Xl, but it’s nonetheless the first Android phone to support Qi 2 magnetic charging.
Then there’s the Tensor G5, and Google’s new 3nm processor seems to struggle compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite in rival phones like the iPhone 16 Pro, OnePlus 13, and Galaxy S25 series. The 4,870 mAh battery life varies considerably, but it ultimately feels like a step back compared to the Pixel 9 Pro.
