Google’s new phone is more about its AI than the device itself

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Google revealed a variety of new hardware products during its Made by Google event at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, on Tuesday.

The devices, which include its Pixel 9 lineup, complete with the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 3 (with new health and safety features), and Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds, arrive about a month before the company’s annual event. Apple iPhone.

Google (GOOG) almost certainly timed the show to get ahead of Apple’s (AAPL) annual train, ensuring its products will be top of mind for at least a few weeks. But, in some ways, selling hardware isn’t exactly the main point of the search giant’s newest devices.

Of course, Google won’t sneeze at any sales. That said, the big reason behind the company’s hardware push is to showcase its AI capabilities.

Google spent much of its event seemingly talking about its new phones and accessories, providing an in-depth overview of how its AI-powered Gemini generative platform will serve as a smart assistant that is, in fact, smart. We’re talking about doing everything from summarizing your calls to helping you plan a trip.

That’s not to say Google’s new hardware isn’t top-notch; On the contrary, this time its phones are not only sleeker, but also come with high-powered cameras, processors and screens that, on paper, make them formidable opponents to any Android competitor, let alone the iPhone of Apple. . And the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is shaping up to be one of the most interesting foldables to date.

But all of this takes a backseat to Google’s efforts to defeat Apple, Microsoft and any other competitors as it seeks to claim its crown as king of AI.

It’s all about the AI

Google’s Pixel product line has historically featured some of the most impressive smartphones and watches on the market. But Google isn’t looking to become the world’s biggest device retailer. It will leave that to its Android partners, including Samsung, Motorola, and Apple.

Instead, the company uses its hardware to showcase its software capabilities. It’s done this for years through its Pixel phones and, before that, its Nexus line of devices, giving consumers and other Android manufacturers a better understanding of how its various services and platforms come together to provide a unique Google experience. .

And now, with its Pixel 9 phones, Google is trying to prove that its AI software is second to none. To do this, put Gemini, your AI-powered generative virtual assistant, front and center. Now, when users say “Hey, Google” or press and hold their phone’s power buttons, they will open Gemini instead of the company’s old Google Assistant.

The story continues

Gemini promises a number of new and intriguing possibilities, including the ability to easily extract information from other apps through app extensions. Right now, the company is focusing on its first-party apps, including Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Calendar, and will integrate extensions into YouTube Music, Keeps, and Tasks in the future. The idea is that Gemini “talks” to your apps so you don’t have to.

For example, Google says you’ll be able to ask Gemini to check your Gmail for the time and location of your friend’s surprise birthday party. The wizard will then extract evite from your Gmail and provide you with all the relevant information without you needing to open the app. You can then ask Gemini to tell you how long it will take to get to the party, and it will get you an estimate along with the route to take via Google Maps.

Take a photo of a concert poster and you can ask Google if you can play the show when the artist is in town. Google will check your calendar to see if there are any conflicting events and let you know whether you can attend or not.

In another example, Google showed how a user could watch a clip of someone crocheting flowers on YouTube and then ask Gemini to teach them how to crochet the same type of flowers. Or, if you’re planning a trip to London and watching a travel vlog about the city’s restaurants to find the best places to visit, you can ask about all the places mentioned in the video and add them to Google Maps so you’re ready. a number of dining options when you land.

Talking to Gemini, for a price

Google is also rolling out its Gemini Live service to English-language iPhone and Android users with Gemini Advanced subscriptions in the coming weeks. The feature is built into Gemini and allows you to speak to the assistant in real time, as if you were talking to someone on the phone.

It’s difficult to say to what extent these options will please consumers. Sure, I can ask Gemini to get information from my Gmail or get directions on Maps, but I’m not sure I’ll talk to Gemini Live any more than I talk to Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri now, which is in moderation.

I generally use both assistants to do little more than check the score from last night’s Mets game or set a timer for whatever’s cooking in the oven. And to subscribe to Gemini Advanced, I would need to sign up for a Google One AI Premium account for $19.99 per month. Of course, this includes 2TB of cloud storage and Gemini for Gmail and Google Docs. But this is still an expensive proposition.

This all comes just weeks before Apple launches its iPhone 16 lineup, its first lineup of iPhones since it announced its Apple Intelligence service at its WWDC event in May.

Just like Gemini, Apple Intelligence is designed to work across multiple apps and services, providing AI writing tools, email and text message conversation summaries, and deep app integrations that can extract data from your emails. and calendar. Apple is also launching a smarter version of Siri, with a new look and less robotic voice.

There is still no guarantee that any of these generative AI features will be a hit with consumers or that they will work as advertised. After all, there are many cases of AI generation applications going wrong. But if Google gets its way and the Gemini lives up to expectations, its Pixel phones will act as a springboard to help turn it into the next big thing among Android users. And maybe it will win over some Apple fans too.

Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

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