Google launches Pixel 9 Phones, Pixel Watch 3 in renewed push to sell AI

ALPHABET’S Google is rolling out upgraded smartphones, watches and earbuds, aiming to take on Apple and Samsung Electronics and offer more ways to use artificial intelligence.

Google is touting the products – unveiled weeks ahead of Apple’s newest gadgets – as the best way to experience its latest AI technology. The hardware also has outward changes, with Google moving away from the curved design it has used for several years on its Pixel phones.

Dominant in Internet search but long an underdog in tech devices, Google has been working to more tightly integrate its hardware and software. After putting devices chief Rick Osterloh in charge of Google’s Android platform earlier this year, the company is betting that this more unified approach can turn its hardware business into an engine for AI growth.

The new devices include the Pixel 9, 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL phones, as well as an upscale folding model called the 9 Pro Fold. Google also unveiled a Pixel Watch 3 in two sizes and the Pixel Buds Pro 2. 

The phones will feature an upgraded version of Google Assistant with the company’s Gemini generative AI, making it capable of more sophisticated responses, such as providing a cooking recipe after seeing a photo of ingredients. The company is offering a choice of sizes with its high-end Pro model, including a 6.3-inch version, a 6.8-inch edition and a foldable option with an 8-inch inner display.

The standard Pixel 9 starts at US$799 and will go on sale Aug 22. The US$999 and US$1,099 Pro versions include better cameras and higher-end materials. The company said that its Pixel 9 phones are twice as durable as the models they are replacing. The foldable edition also sports a new design, adopting a more square shape when open. It starts at US$1,799 and reaches stores on Sept 4.

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The new Pixel Watch line includes an XL option, measuring 45 millimeters across, and improved displays that provide a larger active area and can be twice as bright as prior models. Google promises 24 hours of battery life with the always-on display, and the watch will let users interact with delivery people via the company’s Nest Doorbell. The device can be used to control a connected Google TV set as well.

The watch starts at US$349 and ranges up to US$499 for the larger size with built-in cellular connectivity. It goes on sale Sept 10.

Google acquired Fitbit in 2021 and has been integrating the fitness company’s technology into its products. As part of the announcements on Tuesday, Google is offering a selection of Peloton Interactive classes to users who subscribe to the premium version of Fitbit’s service. 

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The Pixel Buds are now 27 per cent smaller and 24 per cent lighter, Google said. The $229 earbuds include a new A1 chip for audio processing and will get as much as eight hours of battery life on one charge in noise-canceling mode.

The announcements come at an unusual time, as Google has typically updated its flagship Pixel devices in October. This year’s move jumps the company ahead of Apple’s September debut of its iPhone 16 line. Apple is also planning an update to its watches and AirPods. Samsung, meanwhile, recently rolled out the Galaxy Watch Ultra alongside new, pricier Galaxy Fold and Flip models.

Google has shown recent signs of progress after years of struggling to compete with Apple, Samsung and Chinese brands. Pixel holds 4.6 per cent of the US market, according to research firm IDC, up from 3.6 per cent in 2022. But Apple controls more than 50 per cent of the market in the US.

In May, Google rolled out a lower-end Pixel 8a phone and cut the price of its tablet, aiming to make further inroads. BLOOMBERG