Google launches new AI-powered phones and other gadgets

By Kenrick Cai

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Alphabet Inc’s Google on Tuesday unveiled a lineup of new Pixel smartphones with deeper integrations of its artificial intelligence technology as it races to incorporate AI into its hardware.

The event at Alphabet’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, goes against a tradition that Google has maintained with each iteration of the Pixel – its flagship smartphone released in October 2016 – to announce the new version in the fall.

The earlier moment is Google’s latest attempt to keep up with rivals in injecting AI capabilities into its consumer-facing products, and comes ahead of Apple’s planned launch of a new iPhone in September.

In June, Apple announced that devices, including its latest version of iPhones, would receive updates that include “Apple Intelligence,” a series of AI-powered generative features in native apps, and an integration with ChatGPT, the chatbot developed by OpenAI-backed by Microsoft.

“We have seen a lot of AI announcements in a short space of time lately. I don’t think you want to sit still for a long time if you’re Google,” said Linn Huang, an analyst at IDC.

The new AI integrations announced Tuesday include a Pixel-exclusive feature that allows users to search for information stored in screenshots. Android users can also now use Gemini, Google’s chatbot, as an overlay on another app to answer questions or generate content.

The Pixel 9, the base model with a 6.3-inch screen, will sell for a starting price of $799, $100 more than the previous model. This and the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL will begin shipping in late August, a company spokesperson said. The Pixel 9 Pro, which comes with additional features like a better camera, and the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold will launch in September.

The new gadgets are available to order on Tuesday.

Google holds less than 1% market share in global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2024, according to IDC. It is far behind Samsung’s market share of 18.9% and Apple’s market share of 15.8%, according to IDC. This is partly 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 largest smartphone manufacturer, according to IDC.

But the Pixel line also allowed Google to showcase advances and stimulate the developer ecosystem around its Android operating system, used by device makers like Samsung.

Android represents one of several front lines where Google is fighting competitors to incorporate AI in ways that consumers will use. In May, it rolled out a series of updates to core products like its search engine.

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The company’s engineers redesigned the Pixel’s exterior and included camera upgrades, as well as Google’s new Tensor G4 chip.

Google also announced new versions of its smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, and Pixel Buds Pro 2 wireless earbuds on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Kenrick Cai in Mountain View, Calif., and Max A. Cherney in San Francisco; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis)