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Google unveiled a range of new hardware products on Tuesday at its Made by Google event at its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
The devices, which include the Pixel 9 series complete with the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 3 (with new health and safety features) and Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds, arrive roughly a month ahead of Apple’s annual iPhone event.
Google ( GOOG ) almost certainly scheduled the show to arrive ahead of Apple’s ( AAPL ) annual hype train, ensuring that its products are 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 latest devices.
Of course, Google isn’t going to ignore any sales. That said, the big reason behind the company’s hardware push is to show off its AI prowess.
Google spent a good chunk of its event ostensibly talking about its new phones and accessories, giving an in-depth look at how its generative AI-powered Gemini platform will serve as a smart assistant that’s actually, well, smart. We’re talking everything from summarizing your phone calls to helping you plan a trip.
That’s not to say Google’s new hardware isn’t top-notch; on the contrary, the phones aren’t just slimmer this time around, they’re also packed with the kind of powerful cameras, processors and displays that on paper make them formidable rivals for any Android competitor, let alone Apple’s iPhone. And the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is shaping up to be one of the most interesting foldable phones yet.
But all of that pales in comparison to Google’s efforts to take on Apple, Microsoft and other competitors in its quest for the title of AI king.
It’s all about the AI
Google’s Pixel product line has historically included some of the most impressive smartphones and watches on the market. But Google isn’t looking to become the world’s top device seller. It’s leaving that to its Android partners, including Samsung and Motorola, and Apple.
Instead, the company is using its hardware to showcase its software capabilities. It has done this for years through its Pixel phones and before that through its Nexus line of devices, helping consumers and other Android manufacturers better understand how its various services and platforms come together to deliver a uniquely Google experience.
And now, with its Pixel 9 phones, Google is trying to prove that its AI software is unmatched. It’s doing this by putting Gemini, its generative AI-powered virtual assistant, front and center. Now, when users say, “Hey Google,” or long-press their phone’s power buttons, they’ll summon Gemini instead of the company’s old Google Assistant.
Gemini promises some intriguing new capabilities, including the ability to easily pull in information from other apps via app extensions. For 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 can “talk” to your apps so you don’t have to.
For example, Google says you can ask Gemini to check your Gmail for the time and location of your friend’s surprise party. The assistant will then pull the email from your Gmail and give you all the relevant information without you having 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 pull an estimate and directions from Google Maps.
Take a picture of a concert poster and you can ask Google if you can go to the show when the artist is in town. Google will then check your calendar for conflicting events and let you know whether or not you can make it.
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 watch a travel vlog about the city’s restaurants to find the best ones to visit, you can ask for all the places mentioned in the video and have them added to Google Maps so you’re ready with a variety of dining options when you land.
Chat with Gemini, for a price
Google is also rolling out the Gemini Live service to iPhone and English Android users with Gemini Advanced subscriptions in the coming weeks. The feature is built into Gemini and lets you talk to the assistant in real time as if you were having a conversation with someone on the phone.
It’s hard to say how well these options will resonate with consumers. Sure, I can imagine asking Gemini to pull information from my Gmail or get directions in Maps, but I’m not sure I’ll find myself talking to Gemini Live more often than I do the Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri, which is sparingly speaking.
I mostly use both assistants to do little more than check the score of last night’s Mets game or set a timer for whatever I’m cooking in the oven. And to subscribe to Gemini Advanced, I have to sign up for a Google One AI Premium account for $19.99 per month. Sure, that includes 2TB of cloud storage and Gemini for Gmail and Google Docs. But that’s still a pricey proposition.
All of this comes just weeks before Apple introduces its iPhone 16 lineup, the first series of iPhones since the announcement of its Apple Intelligence service at its WWDC event in May.
Like Gemini, Apple Intelligence is meant to work with all your apps and services, giving you AI writing tools, summaries of email and text message threads, and deep app integrations that can pull data from your emails and calendar. Apple is also launching a smarter version of Siri with a new look and a less robotic voice.
There’s still no guarantee that any of these generative AI features will be a hit with consumers, or that they’ll work as advertised. After all, there are plenty of examples of generative AI apps failing. But if Google has its way and Gemini lives up to expectations, the Pixel phones will serve as a springboard to help it turn into the next big hit with Android users. And maybe win over some Apple fans, too.
Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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