Google says it’s putting its Gemini AI into more than just its latest flagship devices.
The company repeatedly dealt subtle knocks to Apple during its hour-and-a-half presentation at its fancy new Bay View campus Tuesday.
“We’re using Google AI to transform the user experience from the devices to the OS to the apps and services you use every day,” said Google mobile head Rick Osterloh.
The company unveiled three new models of its Pixel smartphones.
A Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and a Pixel 9 Pro Fold. While the phones do have improved hardware features like improved screens, better cameras and faster processing power, Google emphasized their helpful AI features, which continue to grow.
“We think about, OK, what are the problems the Pixel is going to help you solve… to lead a happier, more fruitful, more productive life. That’s how we think about it,” Shenaz Zack, who runs Pixel, told me.
The phones are also twice as durable and with more memory to handle AI-intensive tasks.
The design has a much more premium look and feel this year – but continues to highlight that prominent camera bar on the back side of the phone, which has become made Pixel phones easy to spot.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is thinner and lighter than before, with a 6.3 inch screen on the outside and a whopping 8 inch screen on the inside when you open it up. Google says this is the largest inside display of any foldable yet.
You’re going to pay for it, though – the Pixel 9 Pro Fold still starts at $1800.
The phones got loads of new AI features. The foldable gets a fun feature called Made You Look, which puts animated characters on the outside screen to help make your kids smile for a picture.
All of the phones are getting helpful new AI tools, including a call notes feature, which listens to your phone calls and sends you a summary when you hang up. You do have to enable the feature, which alerts both parties, and Google says all processing is done on the device and not in the cloud for privacy.
A new Pixel Screenshots is like a notes app but using screenshots to remember stuff. You can search through your screenshots and even click them to go back to the original link.
A new photo feature called Add Me lets you add yourself to group shots by taking two photos and merging them with AI.
Zack says they put “a lot of focus on image quality, video quality across the devices.”
The Pixel 9 phones also have Satellite SOS built in, so you can text for help even without a cellular signal. The first two years are free. Apple introduced a similar feature with the iPhone 14, Samsung is yet to do this.
Pricing starts at $799 for Pixel 9, $999 for Pixel 9 Pro, and $1099 for Pixel 9 Pro XL. Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL will be in stores on August 22, and Pixel 9 Pro will be available on September 4.
