Google has put four phones, two watches and a set of earbuds on stage at an event in California, and almost all of it leans on Gemini. The Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and the foldable 9 Pro Fold run an upgraded Google Assistant with the Gemini generative model behind it. Show it a photo of ingredients, Google says, and it can come back with a recipe.
What changed under the hood
All the new phones carry the Tensor G4, a chip Google designed in-house. The company claims it is about 20 percent faster at opening apps and loading web pages, and The Guardian described its AI processor as significantly quicker than before.
The headline feature is Gemini Live, which is meant to allow free-flowing, back-and-forth conversation with the assistant. The Guardian compared the idea to Jarvis in the Iron Man films. The new Pixel Buds Pro 2 will be the first earbuds to support it.
Smaller additions include Pixel Studio, an image generator, and “Add Me”, a camera feature that blends two shots taken in sequence to put the photographer into a group picture. There is also a weather app with AI summaries and a tool that records phone calls and summarizes them. Buyers get Gemini Nano models free, and both Pro phones come with a year of Gemini Advanced.
Sizes, prices and dates
The Pixel 9 has a 6.3-inch screen and two rear cameras. The Pro adds a 5x optical zoom telephoto lens, and the Pro XL has a 6.8-inch display. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold opens to an 8-inch inner screen and has a 6.3-inch outer one.
The standard Pixel 9 costs $799 and goes on sale August 22. The Pro is $999 and the Pro XL $1,099. The Fold starts at $1,799 and reaches stores September 4. Google says the new phones are twice as durable as the models they replace, and it has dropped the curved design the Pixel line used for several years.
The Pixel Watch 3 comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes and starts at $349. The larger cellular model costs up to $499, and the watch goes on sale September 10. It can detect when a wearer’s pulse stops and call for help. The Buds Pro 2, at $229, are 27 percent smaller and 24 percent lighter than the old pair and use a new A1 chip.
All of the phones include satellite emergency messaging, free for two years in the US.
The race with Apple and Samsung
The timing is odd. Google usually refreshes its flagship Pixels in October, and this year it has gone out weeks ahead of Apple’s September iPhone 16 launch. Rick Osterloh, Google’s devices chief, was put in charge of Android earlier this year, and the company is betting that tying hardware and software together can make its devices a driver of AI growth.
The sales numbers explain the urgency. IDC puts Pixel at 4.6 percent of the US market, up from 3.6 percent in 2022. Apple holds more than 50 percent.
Sources
- Google launches Pixel 9 phones with advanced AI
- Google launches Pixel 9 Phones, Pixel Watch 3 in renewed push to sell AI
- Video: Google launches Pixel 9 phones, Pixel Watch 3 in renewed push to sell AI
Sources
- Google launches Pixel 9 phones with advanced AI | The Guardian
- Google launches Pixel 9 Phones, Pixel Watch 3 in renewed push to…
