Credit: Shutterstock photoFor years, Apple (AAPL) has been successful at the high end of the smartphone market, pushing away most hardware entrants with the exception of Samsung. However, this is about to change with Google's new Pixel and Pixel XL.
At a product event this week in San Francisco, Google (GOOG, GOOGL) unveiled its Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, the first time Google -- and not one of its partners -- brainstormed, designed, built and tested a phone in-house.
With smartphones being a mature product category, Google focused on software as its differentiator against its competition, with particular emphasis on the camera. The camera, which has HDR+ technology, received a score of 89 from camera reviewers, DxOMark, earning the highest score ever. If that alone isn't enough to entice buyers, the Pixel phones have free storage for photos and videos, so you'll never have to delete a photo ever again.
Additionally integral to the phones is the role of artificial intelligence.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai discussed moving from a mobile-first world to an AI-first world. Accordingly, Google Assistant, Google's answer to Siri, is built into the phones, which start at $649. "Our goal is to build a personal Google for each and every user," Pichai said during the eventt.
Company executives also talked about how the Pixel is "simple" and "easy to use," again, clearly aiming their focus straight at Apple. They added references to how people want more than just "a 1,000 songs in your pocket" (a famous Steve Jobs line) and a product that just works for you, another nod to Jobs.
Pixel also comes with the new version of Android, Nougat 7.1, which will give owners access to new features like pro camera effects and instant chat support that have been traditionally harder to get because of the tethered roll-out of Android to various smartphone partners, like Samsung, HTC and LG.
The Pixel phones will also be able to charge in a short amount of time, getting 7 hours worth of battery in just 15 minutes, providing another beneficial feature for people who are always concerned about battery life.
Mountain View, Calif.-based Google is also going to sell accessories for the new phones, including cables and cases, further pitting its services against those of Apple.
Google is entering the $400 billion smartphone market with its Pixel phones, which come in three colors (really blue, very silver and quite black), firmly entrenching itself at the high-end.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
