Google Unveils Pixel 8 Pro with On-Device AI, Challenging iPhone Dominance
Google has announced its latest premium smartphone, the Pixel 8 Pro, which features powerful on-device artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The tech giant aims to lure buyers away from Apple’s latest iPhone models by offering AI functions that run independently on the device itself, without relying on cloud data centers.
The Pixel 8 Pro is equipped with a cutting-edge chip that enables it to carry out AI tasks directly on the device. This eliminates the need for heavy bandwidth transfers to cloud servers, resulting in faster and more efficient AI processing. Rick Osterloh, SVP of devices and services at Google, highlighted that the company’s AI teams have managed to distill AI models into a version efficient enough to run on their flagship Pixel smartphone.
The on-device AI capabilities of the Pixel 8 Pro offer significant enhancements to existing features. For instance, the phone’s AI tools can seamlessly remove blemishes and unwanted intrusions from photographs, providing users with high-quality images. Google plans to expand this on-device AI ability to other features in the future.
One notable addition to the Pixel’s AI arsenal is an AI-amped assistant that resembles Google’s ChatGPT-style Bard. This advanced assistant will be able to provide real-time help in various scenarios, such as recommending the best hiking trail, managing emails effectively, or planning a birthday party. Users can interact with the assistant through spoken commands, on-screen prompts, or by feeding it images.
Monika Gupta, Vice President of Product Management at Google, emphasized that the Assistant with Bard combines personalized help with reasoning and generative capabilities. This integration takes AI-powered assistants to a new level and enhances the user experience.
The launch of the Pixel 8 Pro comes during a hardware release season where AI enhancements have been a recurring theme. Several tech giants, including Amazon, have teased significant upgrades to their AI-powered offerings. Google’s announcement demonstrates their commitment to staying at the forefront of AI development.
In a surprising move, Google revealed that the Pixel 8 Pro will also be equipped with a temperature reader, pending approval from US regulators for its use in measuring body temperature. This feature could potentially expand the functionality of the phone and provide users with additional health-related capabilities.
While many of these AI features are still in the early stages and will be gradually improved, Google’s efforts to integrate powerful on-device AI into their flagship smartphone highlight their intention to compete fiercely with Apple’s iPhone series.
The announcement has stirred up excitement among tech enthusiasts, who eagerly await the release of the Pixel 8 Pro. As the battle for smartphone dominance intensifies, Google’s innovative AI capabilities may present a formidable challenge to Apple’s iPhone.
