Alphabet Inc.’s Google on Tuesday New Pixel smartphones The company is in a race to build AI into its hardware, further integrating artificial intelligence technology.
The event, held at Alphabet’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, broke with Google’s tradition of announcing new versions of its flagship Pixel smartphone, which was released in October 2016, in the fall.
The early announcement is Google’s latest effort to keep up with competitors by incorporating AI capabilities into consumer products, and comes ahead of Apple’s planned September launch of new iPhones.
Apple announced in June that its devices, including the latest version of the iPhone, would receive an upgrade that includes “Apple Intelligence,” a set of AI-powered generative features within native applications, and integration with ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.
“There’s been a lot of AI-related announcements in a short space of time recently, so I don’t think Google needs to wait too long,” said Lin Huang, an analyst at IDC.
The new AI integrations announced Tuesday include a Pixel-exclusive feature that lets users search for information stored in screenshots.
Android users can now also summon Gemini, Google’s chatbot, as an overlay on top of another app to answer questions or generate content.
The base Pixel 9 model with a 6.3-inch display will start at $799, $100 more than its predecessor.
The device, along with the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL, will start shipping in late August, a company spokesperson said.
The Pixel 9 Pro, which has better cameras and other extra features, and the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold are due to ship in September.
The new gadget will be available for pre-order starting Tuesday.
According to IDC, as of the second quarter of 2024, Google will have less than 1% of the global smartphone shipment market share.
According to IDC, the company’s market share is well below Samsung’s 18.9% and Apple’s 15.8%.
One reason for this is that Google operates in fewer markets and focuses on the higher price segment.
According to IDC, Google has a 4.5% market share in the United States, making it the fourth-largest smartphone maker.
But the Pixel series also allows Google to show off its progress and stimulate a developer ecosystem around its Android operating system, which is used by device makers such as Samsung.
Android is one of the front lines as Google battles competitors to incorporate AI in a consumer-friendly way.
In May, the company announced a series of upgrades to its core products, including its search engine.
The company’s engineers have redesigned the Pixel’s look, upgraded the camera, and added Google’s new Tensor G4 chip.
Google also announced a new version of its smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, and wireless earphones, the Pixel Buds Pro 2, on Tuesday.
