Thought Leadership
Google is focusing on artificial intelligence with its new Pixel smartphones. The internet company is in a race with Samsung and Apple when it comes to AI.
Google is relying on AI functions for new smartphones from its own Pixel brand. For example, the software is supposed to summarize the content of emails and phone calls or make text suggestions. Google’s AI software is designed to run particularly smoothly and securely on the company’s own devices. The internet company is mobilizing its decades of investment in artificial intelligence for this purpose, said Head of Devices Rick Osterloh at the presentation of the Pixel 9 smartphone model at the headquarters in Mountain View.
Some of the new AI functions are reserved for Pixel devices – such as the ability to capture and process information from screenshots. Other innovations are also coming to Android smartphones from other manufacturers. These include, for example, the Gemini Live voice assistant, which can hold a conversation with users.
Google is launching the Pixel 9 in four versions: a standard model, an upgraded Pro version with two display sizes and the Pro Fold, where the screen can be unfolded. Purchasing the Pro models comes with a one-year subscription to Gemini Live.
“What can AI do for me?”
Osterloh emphasized that Google wanted to answer the most important question about artificial intelligence: “What can AI do for me?” With its smartphones, the internet company competes primarily with Samsung and Apple. The iPhone company also recently announced advanced AI functions, which are to be gradually introduced from the fall.
However, Apple is taking a slightly different approach to Google: its in-house AI software is intended to focus on personal information, while users can call on the chatbot ChatGPT from OpenAI for help with other questions. Google’s Gemini, on the other hand, is intended as AI software for all situations in life.
Google also develops the Android mobile operating system, which is used to run Samsung smartphones and devices from Chinese rivals as well as the Pixel. The operating system and AI are becoming increasingly intertwined, said Osterloh. Google is thus supplying Android partners such as Samsung with AI functions and at the same time competing with them if they remain exclusive to its own devices.
Personalized AI functions
One of these new functions of the Pixel phones is that they can save the content of phone calls as text. The data is secure and only remains on the devices, Google emphasized. Microsoft recently postponed an AI function that was supposed to take and analyze screen recordings on Windows computers every few seconds because there were doubts about the protection of the data.
Numerous new AI functions from Google are initially launching in English in the USA, but will also be available in other countries over time. While the Facebook group Meta and Apple postponed the EU launch of AI functions with reference to the DMA digital law, Google emphasizes that it has no problems with this.
Google also promises a significantly improved camera for the Pixel 9. It should deliver higher resolution images and better results in low light conditions. A new model of the company’s own computer watch was also presented together with the smartphones.
New Google computer glasses?
Google has also never stopped working on computer glasses, said Osterloh and promised news on this later. Meta, for example, is currently experimenting with camera glasses. They can provide the AI with important context about where a user is and what they are looking at.
dpa
