Tech giant Google introduces newest Pixel smartphones boasting artificial intelligence
In a star-studded launch event held in Brooklyn, comedian Jimmy Fallon played host to Google's unveiling of its latest products. The event, which blended Google product pitches with appearances from celebrities such as The Jonas Brothers and Stephen Curry, marked a significant milestone for the tech giant.
The centrepiece of the event was the Google Pixel Watch 4, a smartwatch that allows users to command the Gemini AI assistant from their wrist. The Pixel Watch 4 also includes smartwatch fitness tracking, capable of distinguishing between activities such as walking, bicycling, or tennis.
Google is using custom hardware to highlight what is possible with its Android mobile operating system and the Gemini AI assistant. The Pixel Watch 4 offers a redesigned experience and represents the biggest update to the line since its inception.
The Pixel smartphone line, often referred to as a "laboratory of innovation," also saw new additions. The Pixel 10 starts at $799, while the Pixel Pro Fold model, a foldable phone, starts at $1,799. One of the most intriguing features of the new Pixel smartphones is the use of AI to add a 100x telephoto lens capability to the camera.
The Gemini AI assistant, a key component of Google's strategy, is designed to adapt to the user's mood and offer personalised photo suggestions by "looking" through the phone camera. All the new products are synced to work with AI and each other, creating an integrated ecosystem.
Google is positioning itself as a leader in the AI race, competing with tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. The strategic challenge for Google, ten years after entering the smartphone market, is to demonstrate the value of this integrated ecosystem.
The event also promised to promote the use of Google's platform by handset makers in a way similar to Apple's integration of its iPhones and other devices with its software. Despite Google's efforts, Pixel phones remain a scant portion of the high-end smartphone market. Samsung, the world's top smartphone seller, routinely ranks at the top, but its products run on Android software.
Google is using the Pixel smartphone line to counter Apple's integrated hardware-software-services strategy while remaining a strategic partner for Samsung and the Android ecosystem. The new line-up of products, including the foldable phone, improved Pixel smartwatch, and ear buds, promises to continue Google's mission of limiting Android fragmentation and accelerating innovation.
