Google launches enhanced Pixel phones in bid to leverage AI tech
Adds analyst comments, background, paragraphs 2-6, 12 and 15
Pixel 9 starts at $799, which is $100 more than previous model
New AI features include screenshot search, Gemini chatbot overlay
Announcement comes two months ahead of Google's typical schedule
By Kenrick Cai, Max A. Cherney
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Aug 13 -Alphabet's GOOGL.O Google on Tuesday unveiled a lineup of new Pixel smartphones with deeper integrations of itsartificial intelligence technology as it races to incorporate AI into its hardware.
The upgrades include a Pixel-only feature that lets users search for information stored in screenshots. Android users can also now pull up Gemini, Google’s chatbot, as an overlay on top of another app to answer questions or generate content.
"There have been so many promises, so many coming-soons, and not enough real-world helpfulness when it comes to AI, which is why today we're getting real," said Rick Osterloh, Google's senior vice president of devices and services.
"We're fully in the Gemini era," he told engineers, executives, analysts and media attending the bigger-than-usual event at Alphabet's Bay View campus in Mountain View, California.
The event bucked another tradition: the latest versions of its Pixel smartphones were announced in the summer rather than in autumn as Google had done with every iteration of the device since its launch in 2016.
"I've been to a lot of Google events and not only was this one of the most elaborate, but it was one of the most complete," said Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential. He said Google demonstrated that it was at the forefront of AI.
The earlier timing of the event is Google’s latest bid to keep up with rivals in injecting AI features into its consumer-facing products and comes ahead of Apple's AAPL.O planned launch of a new iPhone in September.
In June, Apple announced that devices including its latest version of iPhones would get upgrades that include “Apple Intelligence,” a slew of generative AI-powered features within native applications, and an integration with ChatGPT, the chatbot developed by Microsoft-backed MSFT.O OpenAI.
Google employees showcased several live demos of new Gemini functions, such as a voice conversation feature, though an attempt to use Gemini to cross-reference a picture of a concert poster with the calendar app took three tries and two devices to run successfully.
Pixel 9, the base 6.3-inch display model, will retail at a starting price of $799, which is $100 more than the previous model. This and the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL will begin shipping later in August, a company spokesperson said. The Pixel 9 Pro, which comes with added features like a better camera, and the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold will ship in September.
The new gadgets are available to preorder on Tuesday.
'MANAGE MY LIFE BETTER'
"The two things that (consumers are) looking at AI to do right now is organization — and that's across communications, across calendaring, basically manage my life better than I can — and then the other thing is content creation," said IDC analyst Linn Huang. "I think Google nailed both."
Google holds less than 1% market share in global smartphone shipments as of the second quarter of 2024, according to IDC. It trails far behind Samsung’s 005930.KS market share of 18.9% and Apple's market share of 15.8%, in part because Google has entered fewer markets and is focused on higher-end price segments.
In the United States, Google's 4.5% share makes it the fourth-biggest smartphone maker.
The Pixel line has also enabled Google to show off advances and spur the developer ecosystem around its Android operating system, which is used by device manufacturers like Samsung. Android, globally, is installed on more than 80% of smartphones.
Android represents one of several frontlines where Google is battling competitors to embed AI in ways that consumers will use. In May, it debuted a swath of upgrades to core products like its search engine.
The company's engineers redesigned the Pixel's exterior and included camera upgrades as well as Google's new Tensor G4 chip.
Google announced new versions of its smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, and Pixel Buds Pro 2 wireless earbuds on Tuesday as well.
Google also added a “Loss of Pulse” feature to the new Pixel Watch. The feature uses algorithms to determine whether a user’s heart has stopped and can contact emergency services. The feature will be available in the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Also on Tuesday, Google and Peloton PTON.O, the fitness company known for its stationary bike, announced a content partnership in which subscribers to Google's Fitbit Premium service would gain access to a library of Peloton's training classes.
Reporting by Kenrick Cai and Max A. Cherney in Mountain View, California; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis
متعلقہ اثاثے
تازہ ترين خبريں
دستبرداری: XM Group کے ادارے ہماری آن لائن تجارت کی سہولت تک صرف عملدرآمد کی خدمت اور رسائی مہیا کرتے ہیں، کسی شخص کو ویب سائٹ پر یا اس کے ذریعے دستیاب کانٹینٹ کو دیکھنے اور/یا استعمال کرنے کی اجازت دیتا ہے، اس پر تبدیل یا توسیع کا ارادہ نہیں ہے ، اور نہ ہی یہ تبدیل ہوتا ہے یا اس پر وسعت کریں۔ اس طرح کی رسائی اور استعمال ہمیشہ مشروط ہوتا ہے: (i) شرائط و ضوابط؛ (ii) خطرہ انتباہات؛ اور (iii) مکمل دستبرداری۔ لہذا اس طرح کے مواد کو عام معلومات سے زیادہ کے طور پر فراہم کیا جاتا ہے۔ خاص طور پر، براہ کرم آگاہ رہیں کہ ہماری آن لائن تجارت کی سہولت کے مندرجات نہ تو کوئی درخواست ہے، اور نہ ہی فنانشل مارکیٹ میں کوئی لین دین داخل کرنے کی پیش کش ہے۔ کسی بھی فنانشل مارکیٹ میں تجارت میں آپ کے سرمائے کے لئے ایک خاص سطح کا خطرہ ہوتا ہے۔
ہماری آن لائن تجارتی سہولت پر شائع ہونے والے تمام مٹیریل کا مقصد صرف تعلیمی/معلوماتی مقاصد کے لئے ہے، اور اس میں شامل نہیں ہے — اور نہ ہی اسے فنانشل، سرمایہ کاری ٹیکس یا تجارتی مشورے اور سفارشات؛ یا ہماری تجارتی قیمتوں کا ریکارڈ؛ یا کسی بھی فنانشل انسٹرومنٹ میں لین دین کی پیشکش؛ یا اسکے لئے مانگ؛ یا غیر متنازعہ مالی تشہیرات پر مشتمل سمجھا جانا چاہئے۔
کوئی تھرڈ پارٹی کانٹینٹ، نیز XM کے ذریعہ تیار کردہ کانٹینٹ، جیسے: راۓ، خبریں، تحقیق، تجزیہ، قیمتیں اور دیگر معلومات یا اس ویب سائٹ پر مشتمل تھرڈ پارٹی کے سائٹس کے لنکس کو "جیسے ہے" کی بنیاد پر فراہم کیا جاتا ہے، عام مارکیٹ کی تفسیر کے طور پر، اور سرمایہ کاری کے مشورے کو تشکیل نہ دیں۔ اس حد تک کہ کسی بھی کانٹینٹ کو سرمایہ کاری کی تحقیقات کے طور پر سمجھا جاتا ہے، آپ کو نوٹ کرنا اور قبول کرنا ہوگا کہ یہ کانٹینٹ سرمایہ کاری کی تحقیق کی آزادی کو فروغ دینے کے لئے ڈیزائن کردہ قانونی تقاضوں کے مطابق نہیں ہے اور تیار نہیں کیا گیا ہے، اسی طرح، اس پر غور کیا جائے گا بطور متعلقہ قوانین اور ضوابط کے تحت مارکیٹنگ مواصلات۔ براہ کرم یقینی بنائیں کہ آپ غیر آزاد سرمایہ کاری سے متعلق ہماری اطلاع کو پڑھ اور سمجھ چکے ہیں۔ مذکورہ بالا معلومات کے بارے میں تحقیق اور رسک وارننگ ، جس تک رسائی یہاں حاصل کی جا سکتی ہے۔
