Google on Tuesday unveiled its next generation of Pixel phones, providing the maker of Android software a head start on the next iPhone in the race to bring more artificial-intelligence services to devices that have become people's constant companions.
The showcase held near Google's Mountain View, California, headquarters took place two months earlier than when the company typically rolls out the next models in its Pixel phone lineup, which made its debut eight years ago.
Although Pixel phones still represent a sliver of worldwide smartphone sales, they are still closely watched because they serve as Google's platform for demonstrating the latest advances in the Android operating system that powers virtually every phone not made by Apple.
And Google left little doubt that the Pixel 9 phones are meant to be a vessel for the AI technology that is expected to reshape the way people live and work, just as smartphones in general have done over the past 15 years.
"We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people," Rick Osterloh, a Google senior vice-president who oversees the Pixel phones, said Tuesday.
That's similar to the theme Apple is accentuating as it prepares to make AI a centrepiece of the iPhone.
That moment is expect to arrive shortly after Labor Day when Apple traditionally takes the wraps off its next iPhone. The next model, the iPhone 16, is expected to be a big attraction because it will be equipped with the special chip needed to run a suite of AI features. Those features are designed to make Apple's virtual assistant Siri smarter and perform a wide variety of other tasks that the company is promising will bring more joy to people's lives, while still protecting their privacy.
But Apple's plans for AI remain hazier than Google's vision, and Google is also rolling it out more broadly, including on Samsung phones powered by Android, said Emarketer analyst Grace Harmon. That may increase the pressure on Apple next month when it unveils the next iPhone.
Not surprisingly, the Pixel 9 lineup is also packed with AI technology, a shift that the Google began last October when it released that year's model. This generation of phones will be the first centred around the Gemini technology that's become the focal point of its push into AI.
Just as Apple is aiming to do with Siri, Google has designed its Gemini assistant to be more conversational, providing it with a range of 10 different human-like voices. It's able to handle even more tasks, especially if users are willing to give it access to email and other documents.
In another move mirroring Apple, Google is equipping the Pixel 9 lineup with a special chip enabling many AI-powered services to be handled on the device instead of remote data centres, with the aim of boosting personal privacy and security.
In on-stage demonstrations Tuesday, the Gemini assistant speaking in a voice called "Ursa" was able to come up with helpful ideas for a fun way to use invisible ink when asked to come up with creative ideas.
But the Gemini assistant also stumbled when shown a picture of a poster for singer Sabrina Carpenter, and when asked to let the questioner know when she was performing a concert in the area. After coming up blank on the first two requests, the Gemini assistant provided the requested information.
The Pixel 9 phones also will feature "Magic Editor," AI technology capable of completely transforming pictures by quickly and seamlessly adding a person who wasn't in the original photo, or by altering the photo's landscape or background.
The more advanced Gemini Assistant will require a US$20 monthly subscription that will be free for one year for all buyers of the next Pixel 9 phones, which will begin shipping Aug. 22 before becoming more widely available next month. The $240 benefit that Google is offering with a free one-year subscription to its Gemini Advanced service makes it more likely Apple won't be able to charge for its suite of AI services, Emarketer's Harmon said.
The standard Pixel 9 will sell for US$800, a $100 increase from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will sell for $1,000 or $1,100, depending on the size. The next generation of a foldable Pixel phone that Google introduced last year will sell for $1,800.
The event also signalled that Google intends to conduct business as usual even as its internet empire is being threatened by a judge's recent decision declaring its dominant search engine to be an illegal monopoly.
The landmark ruling will trigger another round of court hearings to determine the measures that Google must take to create a more competitive market -- a process that could result in Google being banned from engaging in some deals or, in the drastic scenario, being ordered to spin off its Android software or relinquish other key pillars bolstering the nearly US$2 trillion market value of its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc.
Besides its latest phones, Google also took aim at several other popular Apple products with its next Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
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B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
The Calgary police paid tribute to a trio of Calgarians who saved the life of Lanny McDonald at the airport in February, 2024.
Abuse of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has left a group of carpenters from Jamaica 'destitute' after an Ottawa company refused to pay them for nearly half a year of work.
Quebec tabled a bill on Thursday that would regulate how merchants determine suggested tips, forcing businesses to calculate them based on the price before tax. Restaurant staff and management are divided on the policy.
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
Once a favoured holiday destination for Queen Victoria, and reputedly described in one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the Villa Palmieri is steeped in history and could now be yours – if you have more than €50 million (US$55 million) lying around.
The Liberals have no intention of using procedural tactics to delay the Conservatives' promised non-confidence motion, and they have no plans to prorogue Parliament to hold onto power, according to Government House Leader Karina Gould.
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
The Calgary police paid tribute to a trio of Calgarians who saved the life of Lanny McDonald at the airport in February, 2024.
Abuse of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has left a group of carpenters from Jamaica 'destitute' after an Ottawa company refused to pay them for nearly half a year of work.
Two people are dead after being rescued from a burning Atlantic Ave. building early Saturday morning. Winnipeg police say the fire was suspicious and the homicide unit has taken over the investigation.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
The U.S. State Department has rejected claims of CIA involvement in an alleged plot to kill Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro, after Venezuelan authorities said they had arrested six foreigners, including a U.S. Navy SEAL.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
Once a favoured holiday destination for Queen Victoria, and reputedly described in one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the Villa Palmieri is steeped in history and could now be yours – if you have more than €50 million (US$55 million) lying around.
Another night of torrential rains pounding Central Europe forced massive evacuations in the hardest hit areas in the Czech Republic, where floods reached extreme levels on Sunday.
Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance did not back away on Sunday from the false claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets, even as the state's GOP governor and other officials insist there is no evidence of such behavior.
As Prince Harry turns 40 on Sunday, royal commentator Afua Hagan charts the prince's path which has been defined by significant milestones and challenges from his time at Kensington Palace to his current life in his California mansion.
The federal government is expanding a measure that bans tens of thousands of Iranian officials from entering Canada.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre signaled the Liberals' carbon price and the economy will remain his prime target when Parliament resumes this week.
The Liberals have no intention of using procedural tactics to delay the Conservatives' promised non-confidence motion, and they have no plans to prorogue Parliament to hold onto power, according to Government House Leader Karina Gould.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique that has been used for hundreds of years to treat a wide variety of conditions, according to an Ottawa expert.
As we head into another respiratory illness season, here’s a look at where Ontario stands when it comes to COVID-19 and what you need to know.
The experience of 23-year-old Muskoka, Ont., resident Robyn Penniall, who recently had a stroke, comes as concerns are being raised about the future of health care in her community.
A billionaire spacewalker returned to Earth with his crew on Sunday, ending a five-day trip that lifted them higher than anyone has traveled since NASA's moonwalkers.
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, never experienced a ruinous population collapse, according to an analysis of ancient DNA from 15 former inhabitants of the remote island in the Pacific Ocean.
Stuck-in-space astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said Friday they appreciated all the prayers and well wishes from strangers back home.
Taylor Swift capped a headline-grabbing week that included her endorsement of Kamala Harris for president and seven trophies from the MTV Video Music Awards by showing up at Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Being on a red carpet is a dream for most. For Neil Diamond and Joanne Robertson, it has become a reality with the premiere of their film: So Surreal: Behind The Masks.
'Shogun,' 'The Bear' and 'Baby Reindeer' at the topo of the queue as the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards arrive on Sunday.
Economists anticipate that Canada's annual inflation rate in August fell to its lowest level since March 2021.
When it comes to plant-based alternatives, Canadians have never had so many options — and nowhere is that choice more abundantly clear than in the milk section of the dairy aisle.
China’s economy softened in August, extending a slowdown in industrial activity and real estate prices as Beijing faces pressure to ramp up spending to stimulate demand.
If you have beef with your neighbour and you feel it's gone too far, what should you do? A personal injury lawyer has some advice.
Quebec tabled a bill on Thursday that would regulate how merchants determine suggested tips, forcing businesses to calculate them based on the price before tax. Restaurant staff and management are divided on the policy.
Over the past 20 years, injuries related to dog walking have been on the rise among adults and children in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. Fractures, sprains and head trauma are among the most common.
Hunter the Lynx, mascot for the Edmonton Oilers, was recently ranked as the fourth-worst Canadian NHL mascot – or fifth best, depending on how you look at it.
Jose Berrios allowed two hits over seven innings to win a seventh straight start and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. registered his 500th career RBI as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Saturday.
The NCAA has given full approval for Gallaudet’s football team to use a helmet designed for players who are deaf or hard of hearing for the remainder of the season.
Stellantis’ Windsor Assembly Plant has given a first look at the new Dodge Chargers coming off the line. It is preparing for the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona production launch.
Vehicles used to come with a "full-sized" spare tire, but about 30 years ago, auto manufacturers moved to a much lighter, smaller tire, sometimes called a "donut spare." But now, depending on the car you have, it may not have any spare at all.
Hyundai and General Motors have agreed to look for ways to work together on developing new vehicles, supply chains and technologies in an effort to cut costs and move more quickly.
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
A Facebook post has sparked a debate in Gimli about whether to make a cosmetic change to its iconic statue.
A Pokémon card shop in Richmond is coming off a record-setting month, highlighted by a customer opening a pack to discover one of the most sought-after cards in the world.
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
Perhaps Saskatchewan's most famous encounter with Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP/UFO) – "The Langenburg Event" is now being immortalized in the form of a collector's coin.
It's been 420 days since 22-year-old Abbey Bickell was killed in a car crash in Burnaby, a stretch full of heartbreak for her family as they not only grieved her death, but anxiously waited for progress in the police investigation. Wednesday, they finally got some good news.
A Simcoe, Ont. woman has been charged with assault with a weapon after spraying her neighbour with a water gun.
The dream of a life on water has drowned in a sea of sadness for a group of Chatham-Kent, Ont. residents who paid a Wallaceburg-based company for a floating home they never received.
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
One person is dead after a car was found on fire in the parking lot of a rec centre in Coquitlam, B.C., Sunday morning, local Mounties confirmed.
The northern British Columbia coast was rattled by two earthquakes below the ocean floor on Sunday.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
One person has been taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a vehicle rollover in Etobicoke on Sunday afternoon, say paramedics.
Sixteenth Avenue reopened to vehicle traffic Sunday, as the city continues to wrap up work on the Bearspaw feeder main.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
Around 2,000 people laced up for the 44th annual Terry Fox Run in Calgary Sunday, raising funds for cancer research and bringing hope to survivors and their families.
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) marked 84 years since the Battle of Britain in a ceremony on Sunday at Beechwood National Military Cemetery.
Hundreds of Ottawa residents gathered in front of Parliament Hill to mark the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death and to renew calls for change in Iran.
Two drivers are facing impaired driving charges after being caught allegedly driving under the influence in two separate incidents Saturday night in Ottawa, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
Around 50 protestors gathered outside of the Jewish General Hospital on Sunday, objecting to Quebec's French-language law's impact on the health care sector.
A fundraising walk in Montreal was held in support of those with emotional dysregulation such as borderline personality disorder.
CTV News Montreal at Six for Sunday, Sept. 14, 2024 with anchor Matt Gilmour.
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.
A man is dead after being found seriously injured in the river valley in south-central Edmonton on Saturday.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
After much back-and-forth between the provincial and federal governments, Nova Scotia has moved forward with mitigation work on the Chignecto Isthmus, but the province’s premier says the federal government will have to cover the bill.
Hundreds gathered on the apron at 12 Wing Shearwater Sunday morning in a ceremony to remember Canada’s contribution to the Battle of Britain.
Nine cities across Canada put on demonstrations over the weekend in support of migrant rights as they call for change to happen at a government level.
Two people are dead after being rescued from a burning Atlantic Ave. building early Saturday morning. Winnipeg police say the fire was suspicious and the homicide unit has taken over the investigation.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
Hundreds of sneakers hit the pavement and grass in Assiniboine Park on Sunday morning. The annual event, inspired by Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope more than four decades ago, raises money for cancer research in Canada.
It was the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4 – an occasion that saw hundreds gather in Fort Qu'Appelle.
The City of Regina has big plans for one of its oldest trees that was cut down last year.
Regina fire crews were at the scene of a porch fire Saturday evening.
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
A 19-year-old man has been taken to hospital after a shooting in Cambridge.
Charges laid after a neighbour was sprayed with a water gun, a man-made island appears in the Grand River, and bikers flock to Port Dover for Friday the 13th.
Saskatoon’s 44th annual Terry Fox run took place on Sunday, uniting the community, and country in a shared goal of raising funds for cancer research.
Police have laid charges in relation to the suspicious death of a 28-year-old man on Beardy's and Okemasis' Cree Nation.
There’s more out-cry about a proposed temporary shelter in Saskatoon's downtown core. This time it's from professionals who run a children’s mental health clinic next door, servicing thousands of vulnerable kids each year.
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre signaled the Liberals' carbon price and the economy will remain his prime target when Parliament resumes this week.
The Liberals have no intention of using procedural tactics to delay the Conservatives' promised non-confidence motion, and they have no plans to prorogue Parliament to hold onto power, according to Government House Leader Karina Gould.
The spirit of Terry Fox took over Springbank Park in London Sunday, as hundreds laced up for the annual Terry Fox Run.
Norfolk OPP say they were on the scene of a five vehicle collision on Blueline Road in Port Dover on Saturday evening at around 6:00 p.m.
The eleventh annual ‘Power of Golf Fore Charity’ tournament at Caradoc Sands Golf Club on September 10 raised $80,000 to support a future hospice in Strathroy.
A search is underway in Penetanguishene for a youth who went missing while swimming at Huronia Park on Sunday.
The Simcoe-Muskoka region raised more than $100,000 in support of cancer research, as thousands took part in their nearest Terry Fox Run on Sunday.
One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Mulmur township Saturday afternoon.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
On Wednesday, the Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM) gave MPPs Andrew Dowie and Lisa Gretzky a look into the effect of the $152,800 grant that they received.
A Windsor councillor has raised concerns about traffic congestion on the east end of the city.
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities” for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
More than a year after a missing Kamloops, B.C., woman’s body was found, her son has been arrested and charged with her murder, Mounties announced Friday.
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Kelowna, according to authorities.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Lethbridge police have located and arrested a man wanted on a number of outstanding warrants.
Lethbridge police say a 28-year-old man is facing charges of attempted murder following a frightening attack on a woman inside her home this week.
A police operation in near Vauxhall, Alta. has ended.
Ontario does have a new millionaire after Friday night’s historic $75 million Lotto Max draw – but they only won $1 million. The record-breaking jackpot was not won meaning the prize money will roll over into the next draw.
The creation of a new transmission line into Sault Ste. Marie has some residents upset due to a proposed route the line would take.
Ontario Provincial Police advised they had concluded their investigation in the Town of Chapleau shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
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