Google debuts Pixel 8 smartphones with an AI boost
Google (GOOG, GOOGL) unveiled new AI-powered devices including Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. The tech giant looks to compete with rival Apple (APPL) who unveiled their new devices 2 weeks ago. Yahoo Finance Tech Editor Dan Howley joins the live show to discuss all the new features and capabilities of Google's latest release.
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Video transcript
JULIE HYMAN: Well, Google unveiling new smartphones and a watch at an event in New York City today. The tech giant flexing its muscles with the new product just weeks after Apple launched the iPhone 15 and Series 9 watch. Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley is here with the details on the new devices and whether they can gain some more traction for Google.
DAN HOWLEY: Yeah, Julie, that's a good question because these aren't exactly market leaders as far as market share goes. But they are really impressive devices. You say it every time Google comes out with a Pixel, it's all about the software. And that's what they're doing here as well.
Let's give you some rundown. There's the $699 Pixel 8 and the $999 Pixel 8 Pro. The difference between the Pixel 8 and the 8 Pro, basically, comes down to the difference between the iPhone Pro and the iPhone 15. Though they both have the same processors unlike Apple's 15 and 15 Pro.
The Pro on the Pixel gets a better camera, gets a better display, and it also offers a thermometer on the back that they're working to get FDA clearance for. So you may be able to measure your body temperature with it. Right now you can use it to measure the temperature of the asphalt, if you want to make sure your dog's not putting its tootsies out on some hot concrete. Or you can measure how hot your coffee is before you want to drink it.
Not something that I necessarily thought that I would want. Still don't really want, but if it can work by measuring temperature. Maybe I can fake a sick day.
The main things that I think come into play here are the AI capabilities and the camera. They upgraded the camera. The cameras on the Pixel line have been great because of the software. They add a night mode that was blowing away everyone else until they finally caught up. And so what they're doing here is just adding more AI capabilities as far as your ability to edit photos and enhance them. In fact, they're going to have a feature coming called-- I'm not lying about this-- zoom enhance.
So if you remember from any sci-fi show, it was always zoom in, enhance. Literally, what this is going to do is where you will zoom in. The image will look pixelated. And then enhance it so that it actually looks clear. Sounds awesome.
There's also the ability to magic edit, which is a feature where you could say-- one example they showed was a boy who was standing, shooting at a basket, you know, about five years old. You want to make him look like he's slam dunking. You can move him up into the photo. Look like he's dunking. And then move his shadow as well and it'll fill in the back. So they're doing a ton of AI stuff. And that's really what they're going for with this is generative AI and AI in general.
- And Dan, what do these new products mean for AI in consumer tech?
DAN HOWLEY: Yeah, I mean, look, they're pointing this is the first generative AI phone. It's running their foundational models on the phone itself, which is unheard of. And so you can imagine that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we're going to see moving forward.
But for Google, they have been about AI on their devices. They were never about really trying to outmaneuver the likes of Samsung or Apple as far as hardware goes. They're getting there though. Now, especially with that 999 price tag. But it's always been about AI and they're just-- I mean, doubling, tripling, quadrupling down on it right now.