Google unveils latest Pixel hardware and AI: Gemini Live challenges GPT-4o
All you need to know about Made by Google 2024
In an unexpected move, Google held its “Made by Google 2024” event on August 13th, earlier than its traditional October slot. The tech giant unveiled its latest Pixel hardware lineup and, more importantly, a significant upgrade to its AI capabilities.
(Later that day, xAI released Grok 2, and OpenAI rolled out an updated version of GPT-4o.)
The hardware showcase included the Pixel 9 series smartphones (Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and the foldable 9 Pro Fold), along with new Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Watch 3. However, the real star of the show was Google’s enhanced AI offering, centered around the upgraded Gemini assistant.
Gemini Live: real-time AI interaction
The new Gemini upgrade, powered by the lightweight, multimodal Gemini Nano, now supports 45 languages and is available in over 200 countries. It can interact with a wider range of apps, including Calendar, Tasks, Google Keep, and YouTube Music, offering a more integrated and productive user experience.
One of the most exciting announcements was Gemini Live, a direct competitor to GPT-4o’s voice capabilities. This real-time voice interaction capability allows users to engage with their devices in a natural, human-like manner. Unlike GPT-4o’s limited beta, Google has made Gemini Live’s English version immediately available to all paid Android users, with iOS and additional language support coming soon.
Over 10 new AI features
The Pixel 9 series is packed with AI-driven features designed to enhance everyday convenience.
The new Weather App uses AI to deliver more accurate forecasts, predicting rain start and end times and generating personalized weather reports. New tools like Call Notes, which automatically generates conversation summaries, and Pixel Screenshots, which helps users easily organize and find screenshots, showcase Google’s commitment to making AI practically useful.
Google also introduced Pixel Studio, an AI-powered image creation app that leverages the local diffusion model on the Tensor G4 chip alongside the cloud-based Imagen 3 text-to-image model. Pixel Studio allows users to create and edit images with natural language prompts, adjust styles, and even design personalized stickers. The Magic Editor feature enables users to expand image frames, move objects, change backgrounds, and more—all with just a few simple commands. Additionally, the “Add Me” feature lets users insert themselves into photos with augmented reality, making group photos more flexible and fun.
Further enhancing the Pixel experience, Project Astra interacts with Gemini to provide real-world application by showcasing the environment through the camera, while Research with Gemini is designed for advanced tasks like planning and research. It creates multi-step research plans, integrates complex information from the web, and automatically generates well-structured reports. Both Project Astra and Gemini Research are expected to debut in the coming months.
Google’s AI extends beyond smartphones. The Pixel Watch 3 brings AI-driven health monitoring features, such as sleep tracking and pulse detection, making it a comprehensive tool for personal wellness.
Google’s AI ambition: ready to compete
By moving its event earlier and immediately rolling out these AI features, Google is clearly positioning itself to compete with Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 series and its Apple Intelligence AI. The company is also likely responding to the buzz created by OpenAI’s projects like “Q” and “Strawberry.”
Rick Osterloh, SVP of Google’s Platforms & Devices team, set the tone with a subtle jab at competitors: “There have been so many promises, so many coming soons, and not enough real-world helpfulness when it comes to AI, which is why today we’re getting real.”
As the AI race heats up among tech giants, Google’s latest offerings demonstrate its commitment to staying at the forefront of AI innovation in both hardware and software. The coming months will reveal how these advancements stack up against competitors and whether they can capture the imagination of consumers in an increasingly AI-driven market.