Three weeks before its Pixel launch event, Google released a teaser for the Pixel 9 Pro. The video didn't focus on the phone's camera, or the larger display option on the 9 Pro XL, or the power of the Tensor G4 processor. Rather, it touted one key capability: AI.
That 30-second teaser shows Gemini AI writing a "breakup letter" to someone's current phone. It's emblematic of Google's primary focus, even as the company released a handful of new hardware on Tuesday, including the Pixel Watch 3 and Buds Pro 2. The video closes out with a quick shot of the Pixel's pill-shaped camera module, with the words "Oh hi, AI" looming behind the device.
Not even the Pixel's renowned camera can get a standalone shot without AI hovering in the background.
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When Tuesday's Made by Google keynote rolled around, the tech giant dedicated the first half hour to talking up Gemini, even going so far as to demo AI updates on other Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra -- before finally unveiling the Pixel 9 lineup. Welcome to hardware reveals in the age of AI, where highly anticipated gadgets take a back seat at their own party.
Over the last two years, virtually every major tech company, from Apple to Google to Microsoft, has been caught up in an AI arms race. Apple debuted its Apple Intelligence suite of features during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, including a smarter Siri and ChatGPT integration. In 2023, Google rolled out its Bard AI chatbot, which was later renamed Gemini and now encompasses functions like drafting messages and summarizing emails. And Microsoft teamed up with OpenAI to build Copilot, an AI assistant in Windows 11 and Bing that can similarly generate text, summarize documents and answer questions.
These companies along with others, including Amazon, Samsung and Meta, have dedicated a significant portion of their recent keynotes to touting the latest AI achievements -- sometimes ad nauseam. During its I/O keynote in May, AI was Google's biggest "product," especially in the absence of the usual hardware announcements. But even with Tuesday's Made by Google event being the launchpad for its Pixel 9 series, the company still found a way to make AI the centerpiece.
And perhaps that's for good reason, since there aren't many other features that really stand out about this year's Pixel lineup. Yes, the Fold is back, with a new naming convention: the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. But the cameras, at least on paper, are largely similar to the ones on last year's model. Other specs like battery capacity don't vary much, either. It is notable, though, that this year's iteration includes a larger, 6.3-inch display, compared to last year's 5.8 inches.
See also: AI Was Google's Biggest 'Product' at I/O. Tech Keynotes Will Never Be the Same
The Made by Google keynote featured the usual boasts about the Pixel's triple rear camera system, along with the upgraded 42-megapixel front-facing camera on the Pro 9 and Pro 9 XL. There was talk of the Tensor G4 processor powering higher performance and facilitating AI commands, and smaller details like the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro Fold sporting a higher peak brightness of 2,700, while the 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL hit 3,000 nits. But that's not much to run and tell your friends about.
There's the welcome addition of satellite connectivity, which lets Pixel owners send texts to emergency services when there isn't a regular signal. But while this is the first time satellite SOS is coming to Android phones in the US, and it is exciting, it's more a game of catch-up than a complete innovation. After all, Apple rolled out its Emergency SOS feature for iPhones in 2022.
Add Me is a notable new feature that uses augmented reality to meld together two images, so the person taking a group photo can be digitally added to the shot using an overlay. It sounds like a convenient enough feature (though it may raise further concerns about the authenticity of digital images and editing), but it's probably not enough to sway someone to get a Pixel 9 phone. (And wouldn't it just be easier to ask someone to take the group photo?)
Gemini offers more opportunities to be impressed. A new Live feature lets you choose an AI voice and have a natural-sounding, back-and-forth conversation, so you can brainstorm an idea or practice for a job interview, for instance. You can also interrupt or change topics, and Gemini will follow along. This feature will roll out first to Gemini advanced subscribers, but Google says people who buy the Pixel 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL or 9 Pro Fold will get a year of the Google One AI Premium plan for free to access Gemini Live. (Sorry, Pixel 9 buyers: You don't get the free year of AI Premium.)
Gemini can also play a more active role in helping you plan your day-to-day by looking at a snapshot of an event flier, for instance, checking your calendar and making sure you're free that day and time. You can then ask Gemini to create tasks like setting a reminder to check ticket prices, or adding an item to your shopping list.
An AI-powered Screenshots app for Pixel will help you sift through and organize your many screenshots, and Gemini will summon the information you need from them, like the apartment code for your Airbnb or the Wi-Fi password that's buried somewhere deep within your gallery.
At a time when annual phone upgrades tend to feel predictable and marginal, AI -- as tired as we may be of hearing the phrase -- offers an opportunity to stir up some excitement and facilitate various tasks. That's the angle everyone from Apple to Samsung to Google appears to be taking. On the one hand, the companies may be releasing flashy, somewhat gimmicky features like Genmoji on the iPhone, Sketch to Image on the Galaxy and Best Take on the Pixel. But they're also touting more practical applications, like making it easier to converse with a virtual assistant, edit an image or draft a message.
As the shock factor and novelty of AI wanes, it seems those understated, AI-powered updates may end up grabbing the biggest spotlight.