Google's Magic Cue: A Leap Forward in Smartphone AI Assistance

What is Magic Cue on the Google Pixel 10?

Over the last few years, Google's entire schtick with the Pixel lineup has been AI, AI, and a bit more AI. Usually, that's been heavily focused on the cameras. However, with the Pixel 10 lineup, Google is broadening its focus and is sprinkling its AI magic into how you use your phone. The Pixel 10 series arrives with a feature called Magic Cue, and it might just be the most futuristic take on contextual AI that I've seen on a phone so far. So much so that it feels like the natural evolution of how smarter phones should behave. Magic Cue isn't a voice assistant waiting for a voice prompt or a replacement for Gemini. Instead, it is a contextual pop-up that watches what you are doing on your phone, uses on-device AI to figure out the best way to accelerate the task, and nudges you with just the right amount of information at the right time. The tool is all about surfacing contextual information at the right time using the power of the Tensor G5 chip and Google's Gemini Nano AI model built right into the phone. Here's everything you need to know about it. How Magic Cue integrates into everyday use Fast, private, on-device As part of its Made by Google launch event, Google demonstrated a wide range of use cases for Magic Cue. Of these, one that made immediate sense was pulling up information from your email. Suppose you are on a call with an airline. You'll likely be juggling between the dialer, email app, and then search to pull up a flight booking. Magic Cue trims down that process by multiple steps. It can recognize that you are making a flight-related call and can pull the booking information right there on your screen using contextual cues. That's pretty fantastic. Not only does it facilitate easy communication, but it also makes it easier to bring in contextual information without constant juggling of apps. That's just one aspect of Magic Cue demonstrated by Google. In case you are texting friends about making dinner plans, Magic Cue can pull restaurants that you might've searched for recently and can even share Google Maps locations with a single tap. Not only does it facilitate easy communication, but it also makes it easier to bring in contextual information without constant juggling of apps. Magic Cue uses contextual cues to connect the dots across apps. So, for example, when you opt in, Magic Cue can look through Gmail for confirmation emails, Calendar for upcoming events, Google Maps for recently searched locations. It can even tap into your Google Photos library for recent photographs and more to pull in information points that it can surface when needed. All this data stays on your phone and is processed using the on-device Gemini Nano LLM. Not only does this guarantee privacy, but it also keeps things running fast. Moreover, Magic Cue never auto-replies or adds in, say, photos on your behalf. It only gives you helpful suggestions that you can accept or deny, which is critical to avoiding wrong information or, worse, information you don't want to go out. What's Magic Cue capable of? On-device processing brings benefits and constraints At launch, Magic Cue will work best with Google's first-party apps. As part of the Google Pixel 10 launch, the company demonstrated the AI add-on working across Google's first-party apps like Gmail, Messages, Calendar, Photos, and more. However, Google has also confirmed that it will be opening the door to third-party developers to build integrations that can tie into Magic Cue. For markets where messaging apps like WhatsApp are more relevant than standard text messaging, support for Magic Cue will be a game-changer. The cues that you see are only on your device and won't transfer or sync to other Pixel devices or even the Pixel Tablet. Since this is based on on-device intelligence, Magic Cue has certain limitations. The cues that you see are only on your device and won't transfer or sync to other Pixel devices or even the Pixel Tablet. Similarly, it is not entirely rolled into Gemini and operates as its own distinct AI assistant on your phone. Why Magic Cue might be the future of assistance on phones While it's easy to see Magic Cue on the Pixel 10 as little more than a bunch of shortcuts linked together, in practice, it is so much more than that. Magic Cue represents a shift from AI as an assistant that you call on to an AI that proactively points you in the right direction and becomes a part of your daily workflow. From messaging to calling, managing calendar appointments, and more, Magic Cue uses on-device intelligence to supercharge productivity in a way that we haven't seen before. It's fast and private and offers a big step beyond text rewriting and image generation. This is still the first version of Magic Cue, and I expect the functionality to grow significantly after third-party support rolls out. Still, even in its first iteration, it sets the tone for where AI-enhanced smartphones are heading. And if it works as well as demoed, it might be the first smartphone AI feature that I could call a system seller.

The Pixel 10 feature that remembers everything for you

I'm giving the Pixel Watch 4 a chance, and I've got Samsung to thank for it You switch apps at the check-in desk, but cannot find your booking confirmation. Or a friend texts, "What's the address again?" and you dig through emails, messages, and calendar invites for one detail. Your phone holds everything, but the information is scattered across many apps. Every day, you pay a mental tax for that disorganization. What if your Google Pixel phone organizes itself and helps before you even ask? That's the promise of Magic Cue, the standout feature of the new Google Pixel 10 series. Magic Cue shifts assistants from reactive to proactive Over the past decade, assistants like Siri and Google Assistant have been reactive. They wait for commands. They're powerful, but you still have to know what to ask and when. Magic Cue is the next step. It's a proactive intelligence layer that connects information across your phone. It anticipates what you need before you ask. You call an airline to change your flight. When the call connects, Magic Cue shows your flight number and confirmation code on screen. While on hold, you don't need to dig through your inbox. When your friend texts asking for the Airbnb address for the weekend. As you start typing, Magic Cue finds the confirmation email, extracts the address, and offers it as a one-tap suggestion, ready to send. Your phone notices what you're doing, predicts what you'll need next, and acts. Like any AI and machine learning algorithm, Magic Cue should give you more frequent and accurate results as you use your phone. However, hands-on testing will be necessary to assess its efficacy, as Google notes that some results may be inaccurate. Tensor G5 powers Magic Cue on the Pixel 10 series So, how does it all work? It comes from the Tensor G5 chip and Google's on-device AI approach. For years, AI assistants have relied on the cloud. Ask a question, and your phone sends it to a data center, which processes it and returns an answer. It's powerful but slow. It needs an internet connection and sends your data off the device. Tensor G5 runs Google's advanced AI models, like the Gemini Nano, directly on the device. This on-device approach has three benefits. First, it's fast. Suggestions appear instantly because no data makes a round trip to the cloud. Second, it's reliable. Magic Cue works on a plane or underground with no signal. Third, it's private. Because analysis happens on Tensor G5, your sensitive data -- conversations, flight details, calendar -- stays on your phone. It's not sent to Google's servers or used to train models. You remain in control. A simple settings panel lets you choose what Magic Cue can access. You can turn it on or off, or grant permission to see your calendar but not your messages. It's nice that Google follows a playbook similar to Apple Intelligence and treats trust as a requirement. Where Magic Cue works at launch and where it could go next At launch with the Pixel 10 series, Magic Cue works across a range of Google apps, including Gmail, Calendar, Screenshots, Messages, and more. As it matures, it will likely integrate with more Google or third-party apps. I'm looking forward to seeing what's possible. Imagine leaving the office and seeing your Google Maps flag the commute home. Magic Cue can prompt your Google Home routine, adjusting the thermostat, turning on the lights, and starting your favorite playlist before you arrive. On the road, a quick text from a partner asking for groceries wouldn't mean switching between apps. Magic Cue could recognize the request, check your route in Google Maps, and suggest a one-tap detour to the nearest store. Even in smaller moments, like reaching the train station, it could surface your transit pass from Google Wallet. The best Google features are often the quietest The real benefit isn't saved minutes but reduced mental load. Those small, frustrating searches are finally over. That's why I appreciate Google so much. Its best features are often quiet, working in the background without fanfare. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Gemini, and large language models are impressive in their own way. But this is what the future of AI should look like, and it makes my relationship with technology feel more human. Google Pixel 10 SoC Google Tensor G5 Display type Actua display Display dimensions 6.3 inches Display resolution 20:9 $799 at Amazon $799 at Best Buy $799 at Google Store $799 at AT&T Expand Collapse

Magic Cue will save the Google Pixel 10

If you watched the Made by Google 2025 event, you realize the Pixel 10 isn't the most earth-shattering hardware upgrade we've ever seen. It's nearly identical in design to the Pixel 9 devices, and the Tensor G5 isn't a massive performance upgrade. Yes, the phones feature larger batteries, which is always welcome, but there's little to excite you with Google's new hardware. However, all is not lost. I'm still more excited about the Pixel 10 than I was for the Pixel 9, and it's all thanks to the software. Magic Cue has the potential to change the way I think about AI. Previously, it was an annoyance, something I didn't want to hear companies discuss, and I despised it being used to sell smartphones. Magic Cue on the Google Pixel 10 changes the way AI is approached, and I love it. Here's why you should, too. Magic Cue is a smart clipboard on steroids Pulling up context when you need it I understand there's a long road ahead, and I was shown pre-planned demos. However, if everything checks out, Magic Cue is the AI I've been waiting for. It's a contextual clipboard that inserts itself when needed throughout the user experience. If I'm on a call with an airline about an upcoming flight, Magic Cue makes sure all the information is on the screen. I know I can never find confirmation numbers for things I order. Whenever I call a company about a shipment or a damaged item, I struggle to find the order details. With Magic Cue, that information is presented during the call, saving the scramble to get to my computer or swipe up to search through emails on my phone. Google doesn't want people to have to know which tool to pull up or which query to ask the assistant. It's also helpful in more casual situations. If I have plans with friends, Magic Cue will recognize when I'm talking about an upcoming event or reservation. I have a golf outing coming up. If there's a problem with the tee times or with someone who is invited, Magic Cue will pull up the number for the golf club, allowing me to make changes or send information to a friend, without having to leave the app I'm in. It's nothing groundbreaking, but if it works properly, it's the first time I'll feel AI is enhancing my experience on a smartphone. AI as an assistant, not a replacement There's a mindset shift with Magic Cue I cringe every time I hear about multimodal functionality on smartphones. It sounds fantastic on paper, being able to access and interact with several apps from the same query, but the reality is painful. I'm having trouble using it on my Galaxy S25 Ultra because I constantly have to alter prompts and repeat commands, yet I still don't get the desired output. When it's easier for me to pull up my calendar and add an event myself, I don't have a need for AI. What I love about Magic Cue is that I don't have to activate anything. I don't have to pull up Google Gemini or know which apps I want to get information from -- it's all happening in the background. It's something Google emphasized, and it's a line I heard multiple times from the reps at my hands-on with the Pixel 10 phones. Google doesn't want people to have to know which tool to pull up or which query to ask the assistant. The company just wants it to work. It's what's been missing from AI on smartphones, and I'm glad Google's finally made the switch. I don't want AI to do things for me. I despise feeling like AI is doing the thinking or taking action in my place. Instead, Magic Cue supports what I'm already doing myself, and that's a significant difference. I don't live in a fantasy world We still need plenty of protection With the Pixel 10, Magic Cue processing happens on the device. It limits the amount of your information going out into the cloud, but there are obvious security concerns. To its credit, Google provides granular control over which apps Magic Cue can pull from. If you don't want Magic Cue to have access to a particular email or texting app, you can limit access. It's not perfect, but it's something. Unfortunately, we're in a position where this information is out there whether we like it or not. It's nearly impossible to use a modern smartphone and be off the grid, so if I have to live with an overall lack of privacy, I'd rather that information be used to aid in the user experience and not just for advertising purposes. Other helpful Gemini enhancements Magic Cue is the AI feature I'm most excited about on the Google Pixel 10, but there are others. Camera Coach will help with your photo composition efforts, and Live Translate on-device was impressive during the demonstration I received. There's plenty of wait-and-see, and it's natural to have a healthy skepticism. Still, if everything comes out the way Google intends, Magic Cue will change the way you think about on-device AI.

Pixel 10 debuts the proactive 'Magic Cue' and Google Now-like 'Daily Hub'

For the Pixel 10 series, Magic Cue is one of the tentpole AI features, with Google believing that proactive contextual suggestions will change how you use a phone. Powered by the latest version of Gemini Nano running on Tensor G5, Magic Cue is aware of information in your Gmail, Google Calendar, Keep, Messages, and Screenshots. It then surfaces those details as relevant as you're using Google Messages, Phone, Pixel Weather, and search in various apps, as well as notifications and Gboard's suggestions strip. For example, if a friend asks you in Google Messages about the address for tonight's event, Magic Cue will appear at the bottom of the conversation as a Smart Reply-like suggestion with a rainbow outline. A single tap will insert the address from a Gmail confirmation email or Calendar event. If somebody asks if you're free on a certain day, Magic Cue will show a shortcut to open Google Calendar. It can also surface photos to share if a friend asks you to send shots from a specific event. Another example is calling an airline and having the Google Phone app surface your flight confirmation number and details from Gmail over the in-call screen. This also works with hotels and other reservations. An integration with Pixel Weather, which gets larger place cards in a small redesign, shows the weather for upcoming calendar events on the homepage with personalized AI weather reports that take into account what activity you're doing. The other way you can view Magic Cue suggestions on the Pixel 10 is by swiping to the Discover feed from your homescreen and selecting a "Daily Hub" card at the top. This gives you a feed that is Google Now and Assistant Snapshot reincarnated. It starts with a greeting and weather forecast. You get a line about what's on your calendar, and "some points to remember." Daily Hub can show music and podcast suggestions Users can control what sources of information (Gmail, Calendar, etc.) Magic Cue has access to when making suggestions.

This is the one Pixel 10 feature that proves Google is light years ahead of Apple on AI

Magic Cue on Pixel 10 shows just how far behind Apple is in the AI wars With all the apps on my phone, I still often wish the device would just "get" me, you know? I'm talking about not just knowing I don't mean "duck" or "he'll" when I'm texting, but something that truly feels intelligent. Something that feels more like a true assistant. Enter Google's new Magic Cue. Debuting yesterday (August 20) at Made by Google, Magic Cue for the Pixel 10 phones is Google's boldest attempt to make the smartphone truly intelligent. It's already making Apple's AI efforts look behind the curve. Where Siri still feels like a digital assistant waiting for directions, Magic Cue is much more of a proactive sidekick. It sees what you're doing, anticipates what you might need next and then serves it up -- contextually, intelligently and instantly without you ever needing to ask. In other words, Magic Cue gets it. Magic Cue is Google's latest on-device AI feature, powered by the new Gemini Nano model running on the Pixel 10's upgraded Tensor G5 chip. But it sets itself apart from other AI assistants and AI chatbots because it is a context-aware feature that watches your apps like Gmail, Calendar, Messages, Chrome and even your photo gallery. Magic Cue then surfaces relevant actions in real-time, across whatever app you're using. For example, let's say you're texting a friend who asks for your flight details. Magic Cue will read the context of that conversation and automatically suggest sharing your itinerary pulled from Gmail. We're talking no digging around for the email in your inbox and no copy and pasting needed. If you're on hold with an airline, it might bring up your confirmation number on its own. It's just that smart. Unlike Apple's reactive approach to Siri or even iOS's suggested actions (such as Writing Tools), Magic Cue is built to predict your needs in the moment. You don't have to switch apps. You don't have to think of the right command. It simply shows up when it's helpful. If you're like me and are skeptical about how Magic Cue just knows or even wonder if it will be too intrusive for the sake of being "helpful," we can probably chill with our concerns. Google has accomplished this "magic" with tight ecosystem integration, deep contextual understanding and fast on-device processing; so you're not waiting on cloud servers to do the thinking. The feature is built on Gemini Nano, Google's most efficient AI model yet, and it runs entirely on-device for privacy and speed. Apple Intelligence similarly emphasizes on-device processing using the Neural Engine in its latest chips, but many of its more advanced tasks still rely on Private Cloud Compute. The difference with Magic Cue is that it already delivers seamless cross-app integration and real-time assistance, while Apple's system is still early in rollout and more limited in context. Magic Cue is positioned as a core part of the Pixel 10 experience. Like Smart Reply or Live Translate in the past, this feature is designed to be subtle, helpful and privacy-conscious while running on-device. Magic Cue may pop up when composing emails, coordinating plans in text threads and even during voice calls when making reservations or chatting with a doctor. Unlike Siri or Alexa, there's no "Hey Google" required. You also do not need to prompt Magic Cue: the awareness and assistance just exists, wherever and whenever it's useful. This is probably the closest thing we've seen yet to the holy grail of smartphone AI and Google's the closest one yet to deliver it. To be clear, Apple is investing heavily in AI, and features like Siri's planned upgrades and Apple Intelligence show promising groundwork. But the experience still feels fragmented and early-stage. For example, while Apple teased smarter email management in iOS 18, with features like priority summaries, auto replies and email rewriting, these tools are mostly confined to the Mail app itself and don't yet extend across multiple apps the way Google's Magic Cue does. They also require you to manually initiate actions (like asking for a summary), rather than offering timely, automatic suggestions in the flow of conversation. In contrast, Magic Cue works across apps, pulling in relevant info from Gmail, Calendar, Messages, Chrome and more to anticipate your needs in real-time. Whether you're replying to a text, composing an email or on a phone call, it's always watching in the background and surfacing the right prompt at the right time, without being asked. So while Apple's features are modular and app-specific, Google's approach is deeply integrated and contextual. The Pixel 10 sets a new bar with Magic Cue for what proactive, intelligent smartphone assistance should feel like. Until Apple can deliver something that matches this level of contextual fluency, Google's Pixel remains light years ahead.

Pixel 10's 'Magic Cue' Is Google's Way to Turn AI Into a Helpful Little Assistant

For example, if a friend texts and asks about a party's address, Google can find the info in your calendar and suggest sharing the details right away Google just announced its new Pixel 10 lineup at the Made by Google 2025 event in Brooklyn, NY. -- other than the new Tensor G5 chip made using TSMC's 3NM processes, there's one thing that's all over the new line of smartphones. And that's AI. There's Gemini in the photos app, there's Gemini in the image editor, there's AI voice translation, and it's also sprinkled across the entire interface. AI on smartphones so far has been about chatbots and prompts and actions. Google wants to bring a more proactive approach to things using the new system that it's calling Magic Cue. Magic Cue uses the Tensor G5 chip and local LLM (Google's Nano models) to automatically surface information in the right context. Here's Google's pitch. Your friend texts to ask the address for tonight's event. Pixel can pull the information from Gmail and bring up an option to share your reservation and address quickly. It can work for flight details too. This also works across many Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Screenshots, Messages and more. As shown as a demo in the event, Google Pixel can help you do some other tasks as well. For example, if your partner asks you for a photo of your dog, it will show an option to bring up Google Photos showing just the photo of your dog. This is what's meant by "contextual quiet computing." It only shows up when it has some information to share, or an action to suggest -- otherwise, it doesn't bother you. Google says that you can control the data that Magic Cue has access to, and you can disable it at any time. Magic Cue will also show up in Daily Hub, which you'll find in your Discover feed. This new feature brings up a personalized digest showing what's coming up in your calendar, relevant topics, playlists, emails, meetings, and more. All in one page.

Google's Most Delightful Feature Just Put Apple on Notice--And Solved the Worst Thing About Travel

Last week, Google unveiled its latest Pixel 10 lineup, as well as a new Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds. The hardware is nice, as Google's hardware usually is. Pixel smartphones may have a relatively small share of Android devices, but it isn't because it isn't making good devices. These models come with faster chips and better cameras -- but what caught everyone's attention wasn't the shiny new phones. It was, as you might expect, a handful of new AI-powered features. The lineup includes the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and 10 Pro Fold. All of them bring sharper displays, better cameras, and new AI features. Google highlighted upgrades like real-time call translation, Camera Coach for better photos, and new content credentials to prove whether an image is authentic. On the wearable side, there's the Pixel Watch 4, which promises better battery life, more accurate health tracking, and even satellite SOS for emergencies. Google also announced Pixel Buds 2a, a more affordable set of earbuds with noise cancellation and Gemini integration. And then there's Gemini for Home, which replaces Google Assistant on Nest speakers and smart displays with a more conversational AI that doesn't need constant wake words. It's Google's biggest push yet to show that its devices are built not just on hardware specs but on software intelligence. The company is making a big bet: if you make the phone do more of the work for you, people will notice. One of those features is called Magic Cue, and it might be the clearest example of that yet. Magic Cue is one of those ideas that feels obvious once you see it. If you've ever scrambled to find your flight confirmation number while navigating an airline's phone tree, you know the pain. You're put on hold, frantically switching apps, digging through your email or your calendar, trying to copy-paste a string of random letters and numbers before the agent comes back on the line. Google says Pixel 10 will now do that work for you. Here's how it works. When you're in a text message, and your friend asks you what time your dinner reservation is for, Magic Cue will surface that information from your email or calendar, and prompt it as an autoreply. Similarly, when you're on a call with an airline, Pixel recognizes the number and surfaces your flight details right on the call screen. Instead of bouncing between apps, you'll see your reservation details, flight time, and confirmation code in one place. It seems like a small thing, but it solves a problem that every traveler has faced. And it might be the single most delightful feature Google showed off. Look, plenty of AI features can feel like gimmicks. Do you really need your phone to suggest rewriting your texts in a "professional" tone? Magic Cue, on the other hand, feels like it's solving a thing that actually matters in everyday life. Travel is stressful enough without fumbling through apps for your boarding pass or reservation number. The real genius of Magic Cue is its timing. It doesn't just index your information so you can search for it-Magic Cue actually surfaces it when you actually need it. That's a shift from "your phone has everything" to "your phone knows when to give you what matters." It's the kind of intelligence that Apple has long promised with Siri but rarely delivered. You can imagine why this would be incredibly helpful-especially if Google can extend it beyond flights. You call a restaurant and your reservation info pops up automatically, for example. Or, you call a customer service number and your order information pops up. Done well, this changes the way we interact with our devices. Of course, the key here is if it's done well. Google has a history of showing off features that don't always work as advertised -- or that quietly disappear a year later. Magic Cue relies heavily on Google correctly matching the call with the right reservation. What happens if you booked through a third-party site? Or if the airline uses a different callback number? Then, there's privacy. For Magic Cue to work, Google has to parse your email and calendar for flight information, then tie it to an incoming call. Google insists this processing happens locally on the Tensor G5 chip, but that doesn't really matter if people don't trust Google. Still, it's easy to see the potential. If Magic Cue consistently delivers the right information at the right moment, it would be a delightful improvement for smartphone software. Apple, for its part, has spent the past year touting "Apple Intelligence" -- on-device generative AI that can rewrite emails, summarize notifications, and help with image editing. Those features are powerful, but they're largely about creating or managing content. What Apple hasn't shown yet is the kind of contextual intelligence that makes Magic Cue shine. Apple has an obvious advantage in tight ecosystem integration. Imagine if an iPhone could pull up your Delta flight automatically when you call, with Wallet, Calendar, and Mail all feeding into the system. Apple has all the pieces, but it hasn't connected them in a way that solves a problem as tangible as Magic Cue does. At least, not yet. That's why Google's demo matters. If it works in practice, it's the type of feature that makes people rethink what "smart" in smartphone should actually mean. And it puts Apple on notice that it's going to have to deliver more than just summaries of your text messages. Like this column? Sign up to subscribe to email alerts and you'll never miss a post. The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.