Google's Pixel Fold: Continued Sales and Future Innovations

Google to continue selling original Pixel Fold

According to GSM Arena, this decision comes after the Pixel 9 family, including the new foldable device, was officially introduced earlier this week. Initially, the Google Store marked the Pixel Fold as "no longer available" following the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's announcement, leading to speculation that the original foldable might be discontinued. However, Google has since clarified that the Pixel Fold will indeed return to the market after the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold hits stores on September 4. For those who missed out on the original Pixel Fold before its brief disappearance, this news is likely to be a welcome relief. According to GSM Arena, the device is set to be available again starting in early September, providing another opportunity for enthusiasts and potential buyers to get their hands on the innovative foldable phone. While Google has yet to confirm any price adjustments for the Pixel Fold, it's possible that the company might introduce a discount in line with industry practices. A reduction of around USD 100 could be on the horizon, as per GSM Area. This movie may make the older model more appealing to cost-conscious consumers, though it may not significantly impact overall sales. Google showcased its latest advancements in artificial intelligence and hardware at the ninth annual Made by Google event. Held on August 13 in Mountain View, California, the event highlighted the tech giant's commitment to integrating AI across its product ecosystem, from smartphones to wearables, and revealed the new Pixel 9 series alongside other innovations, according to The Verge. In a blog post summarizing the event, Google emphasized its vision for AI to enhance everyday life, stating, "We believe that AI can make day-to-day life more productive, open up new ways to learn, and create ways for people to express themselves. This is especially true when AI is built into the devices that people carry around with them everywhere." Google's CEO Sundar Pichai also shared his excitement about the launch in a post on X. "Today at #MadebyGoogle, we're sharing how we're bringing AI advances to mobile across the Android ecosystem. We also introduced our latest Pixel devices, including Pixel 9 phones built with Google Tensor G4 -- our fastest and most efficient silicon yet," he wrote. The event was telecasted live on Google's official YouTube page 'Made By Google'. Google's approach encompasses innovation at every layer, from research and model development to the integration of AI into Android OS and custom hardware. Central to the announcement was the introduction of Google's Gemini AI, which now includes a multimodal model called Gemini Nano. This AI model is designed to analyze text, images, and speech, underscoring Google's push to make advanced AI capabilities accessible across its product range. The Pixel 9 series marks a significant expansion in Google's smartphone lineup, with four distinct models: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Each device introduces updated designs, powerful new processors, and a suite of AI-driven features. According to The Verge, the Pixel 9 models boast a refreshed design language. The standard Pixel 9 now features a larger 6.3-inch display and a reimagined rear camera bar that protrudes from the back. In contrast, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a larger 6.8-inch screen, positioning it as a premium option within the series. The Pixel 9 Pro, bridging the gap between the standard and XL models, includes most of the advanced features found in its Pro counterparts. A notable update across the series is the inclusion of the new Tensor G4 processor. This chip enhances on-device AI performance, which is crucial for the advanced features introduced in these models. All three Pro models come equipped with 16GB of RAM, while the standard Pixel 9 has 12GB. This substantial memory upgrade is designed to support the demanding AI functionalities that Google has integrated into the devices. The Pixel 9 series introduces several new AI features, particularly focused on photography and productivity: - 'Magic Editor': This tool allows users to "reimagine" scenes within their photos, transforming parts of an image using text prompts for a new creative look. - 'Add Me': A feature designed to facilitate group photos, allowing users to insert themselves into an existing photo by taking an initial shot, stepping into the frame, and using AI to merge the images seamlessly. - 'Recall-Like Ability': A new function that helps users catalog and retrieve information from screenshots, operating exclusively on-device. Moreover, the Pixel 9 series will be the first Android phones in the US to offer Satellite SOS, an emergency feature similar to Apple's satellite connectivity, providing vital assistance when outside conventional phone reception areas. This feature is expected to roll out with Android 15 later this year. On the camera front, the Pixel 9 series maintains the 50-megapixel f/1.7 main camera found in previous models, but with updated ultrawide cameras across the range. The Pro models feature a new 42-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus, enhancing selfie quality. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while trailing slightly in camera specs compared to its Pro counterparts, benefits from an improved inner screen that is now brighter and larger, making it more functional for various uses. One of the most anticipated aspects of the Pixel 9 series launch is its debut in India. This marks the first time Google's foldable Pixel device will be available in the world's second-largest smartphone market. The Pixel 9 series will be sold through offline retail chains such as Croma and Reliance Digital, in addition to online partner Flipkart, according to Tech Crunch. The new devices will also be supported by three new walk-in service centres to enhance after-sales support. Pricing for the Pixel 9 series in India starts at Rs79,999 for the standard Pixel 9, with the Pixel 9 Pro priced at Rs 1,09,999 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at Rs 1,72,999. Pre-orders for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will commence on August 14, with sales beginning on August 22. Details regarding the Pixel 9 Pro's availability will be announced later in the year. Here's a breakdown of the specifications for each model in the Pixel 9 series: Display: 6.3-inch Actua OLED with 1080 x 2424 pixels resolution and 60-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, and 10.5MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 4,700mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Software: Android 14 with seven years of OS and security updates. Display: 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED with 1280 x 2856 pixels resolution and 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto, and 42MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 4,700mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Special Features: Ultra-wideband chip for precise spatial orientation. Display: 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED with 1344 x 2992 pixels resolution and 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto, and 42MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 5,060mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Special Features: Ultra-wideband chip for enhanced spatial orientation. Alongside the Pixel 9 series, Google introduced the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. These devices complement the new AI capabilities showcased during the event. The Pixel Watch 3 features enhanced health tracking and connectivity, while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 offers improved sound quality and integration with Google's AI features. The new Pixel 9 series, with its innovative features and expanded global availability, represents a significant leap forward for the company's hardware and AI strategies. (ANI)

Google to continue selling original Pixel Fold

Tech giant Google has decided to continue selling the original Pixel Fold alongside the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold, clarifying that the original model will return to the market after the new release on September 4. Google's focus on AI integration across its product range was highlighted at the recent Made by Google event, showcasing advanced AI capabilities in the new Pixel 9 series.Tech giant Google has announced that it will continue to offer the original Pixel Fold for sale, even with the recent unveiling of its successor, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. According to GSM Arena, this decision comes after the Pixel 9 family, including the new foldable device, was officially introduced earlier this week. Initially, the Google Store marked the Pixel Fold as "no longer available" following the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's announcement, leading to speculation that the original foldable might be discontinued. However, Google has since clarified that the Pixel Fold will indeed return to the market after the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold hits stores on September 4. For those who missed out on the original Pixel Fold before its brief disappearance, this news is likely to be a welcome relief. According to GSM Arena, the device is set to be available again starting in early September, providing another opportunity for enthusiasts and potential buyers to get their hands on the innovative foldable phone. While Google has yet to confirm any price adjustments for the Pixel Fold, it's possible that the company might introduce a discount in line with industry practices. A reduction of around USD 100 could be on the horizon, as per GSM Area. This movie may make the older model more appealing to cost-conscious consumers, though it may not significantly impact overall sales. Google showcased its latest advancements in artificial intelligence and hardware at the ninth annual Made by Google event. Held on August 13 in Mountain View, California, the event highlighted the tech giant's commitment to integrating AI across its product ecosystem, from smartphones to wearables, and revealed the new Pixel 9 series alongside other innovations, according to The Verge. In a blog post summarizing the event, Google emphasized its vision for AI to enhance everyday life, stating, "We believe that AI can make day-to-day life more productive, open up new ways to learn, and create ways for people to express themselves. This is especially true when AI is built into the devices that people carry around with them everywhere." Google's CEO Sundar Pichai also shared his excitement about the launch in a post on X. "Today at #MadebyGoogle, we're sharing how we're bringing AI advances to mobile across the Android ecosystem. We also introduced our latest Pixel devices, including Pixel 9 phones built with Google Tensor G4 -- our fastest and most efficient silicon yet," he wrote. The event was telecasted live on Google's official YouTube page 'Made By Google'. Google's approach encompasses innovation at every layer, from research and model development to the integration of AI into Android OS and custom hardware. Central to the announcement was the introduction of Google's Gemini AI, which now includes a multimodal model called Gemini Nano. This AI model is designed to analyze text, images, and speech, underscoring Google's push to make advanced AI capabilities accessible across its product range. The Pixel 9 series marks a significant expansion in Google's smartphone lineup, with four distinct models: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Each device introduces updated designs, powerful new processors, and a suite of AI-driven features. According to The Verge, the Pixel 9 models boast a refreshed design language. The standard Pixel 9 now features a larger 6.3-inch display and a reimagined rear camera bar that protrudes from the back. In contrast, the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers a larger 6.8-inch screen, positioning it as a premium option within the series. The Pixel 9 Pro, bridging the gap between the standard and XL models, includes most of the advanced features found in its Pro counterparts. A notable update across the series is the inclusion of the new Tensor G4 processor. This chip enhances on-device AI performance, which is crucial for the advanced features introduced in these models. All three Pro models come equipped with 16GB of RAM, while the standard Pixel 9 has 12GB. This substantial memory upgrade is designed to support the demanding AI functionalities that Google has integrated into the devices. The Pixel 9 series introduces several new AI features, particularly focused on photography and productivity: Moreover, the Pixel 9 series will be the first Android phones in the US to offer Satellite SOS, an emergency feature similar to Apple's satellite connectivity, providing vital assistance when outside conventional phone reception areas. This feature is expected to roll out with Android 15 later this year. On the camera front, the Pixel 9 series maintains the 50-megapixel f/1.7 main camera found in previous models, but with updated ultrawide cameras across the range. The Pro models feature a new 42-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus, enhancing selfie quality. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, while trailing slightly in camera specs compared to its Pro counterparts, benefits from an improved inner screen that is now brighter and larger, making it more functional for various uses. One of the most anticipated aspects of the Pixel 9 series launch is its debut in India. This marks the first time Google's foldable Pixel device will be available in the world's second-largest smartphone market. The Pixel 9 series will be sold through offline retail chains such as Croma and Reliance Digital, in addition to online partner Flipkart, according to Tech Crunch. The new devices will also be supported by three new walk-in service centres to enhance after-sales support. Pricing for the Pixel 9 series in India starts at Rs79,999 for the standard Pixel 9, with the Pixel 9 Pro priced at Rs 1,09,999 and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold at Rs 1,72,999. Pre-orders for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will commence on August 14, with sales beginning on August 22. Details regarding the Pixel 9 Pro's availability will be announced later in the year. Here's a breakdown of the specifications for each model in the Pixel 9 series: Display: 6.3-inch Actua OLED with 1080 x 2424 pixels resolution and 60-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM and up to 256GB storage. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, and 10.5MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 4,700mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Software: Android 14 with seven years of OS and security updates. Display: 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED with 1280 x 2856 pixels resolution and 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. RAM/Storage: 16GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto, and 42MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 4,700mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Special Features: Ultra-wideband chip for precise spatial orientation. Display: 6.8-inch Super Actua OLED with 1344 x 2992 pixels resolution and 1Hz-120Hz refresh rate. Processor: Google Tensor G4 SoC with Titan M2 security coprocessor. RAM/Storage: 16GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. Camera: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto, and 42MP selfie camera with autofocus. Battery: 5,060mAh with IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Special Features: Ultra-wideband chip for enhanced spatial orientation. Alongside the Pixel 9 series, Google introduced the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. These devices complement the new AI capabilities showcased during the event. The Pixel Watch 3 features enhanced health tracking and connectivity, while the Pixel Buds Pro 2 offers improved sound quality and integration with Google's AI features. The new Pixel 9 series, with its innovative features and expanded global availability, represents a significant leap forward for the company's hardware and AI strategies.

Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold Might Be a Sequel That Actually Delivers

Google's announcement follows the releases of Motorola's Razr and Razr Plus and Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6. Meanwhile, overseas, Honor announced one of the thinnest and lightest book-style foldables, the Magic V3, only for Xiaomi to match those superlatives with the Mix Fold 4. Of all the companies releasing foldables, Google has the trickiest path to navigate. The 9 Pro Fold has to address and improve on the original Fold's numerous shortcomings while also being competitive. And from what Google showed me, I think it has a good chance of doing both. This is not the Pixel Fold 2. No, no - it's the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. It's not the most catchy name, but it kind of doubles as a mission statement. In the same way that Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 was like a foldable clamshell version of the Galaxy S24, Google seems to be positioning this new Fold as a Pixel 9 Pro that folds in half. And in some ways, that seems true. It has Google's new Tensor G4 processor, 16GB of RAM and the same new AI features as the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro (more on that later). Compared to the original Fold, which had a Tensor G2 chip and 12GB of RAM, this should be one heck of a performance upgrade. But in other ways, the 9 Pro Fold isn't quite living up to the "pro" in its name: The camera specs seem like a step down from the Pixel 9 Pro and the battery is smaller than the first Fold's. The 9 Pro Fold weighs nearly an ounce less than last year's Fold, and that's noticeable from the moment you pick it up. (Though it's still heavier than the Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open.) And when you open up the 9 Pro Fold, you can really notice just how svelte Google made things. It's just 5.1 millimeters thick, which is ridiculously thin. Compared to the original Pixel Fold, it feels like a completely different phone. While the 9 Pro Fold isn't the thinnest foldable - that would be the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 or Honor Magic V3 - it is the thinnest book-style foldable you can get in the US. In terms of displays, the cover screen grew half an inch and is now 6.3 inches, the same size as the Pixel 9 Pro's screen. The 9 Pro Fold's cover screen has a 60-120Hz variable refresh rate and now has a higher peak brightness of 2,700 nits, a dramatic improvement over last year's 1,550 nits. All this, along with a higher contrast ratio, should make the new outer display easier to see outdoors on a bright day. The interior screen also got a glow up. It's 8 inches compared to the Pixel Fold's 7.6-inch display and uses an LTPO panel, which gives it a variable refresh rate of 1-120Hz. The internal display's brightness is also 2,700 nits and the contrast ratio has also been doubled, like the cover screen, to 2,000,000:1. This should help make reading, writing, scrolling social media and watching videos so much better. The cover glass and back glass are made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and the rear gets a lovely matte finish. The 9 Pro Fold comes in Obsidian or Porcelain colors. Pixel phones are known for their swanky camera tech, and the new Fold's cameras get some improvements. On the back, there's the same 48-megapixel main camera and 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto camera as last year's model. But the ultrawide has a new 10.5-megapixel sensor, but this is one area where it falls behind the Pixel 9 Pro, which has a 48-megapixel ultrawide. The selfie camera and internal screen cameras also get upgrades. I'm keen to test these out as the original Pixel Fold had the best all-around camera system found on any foldable we tested in 2023. I'm curious to see if the image quality improves enough to be on the same level as Google's Pixel Pro slab phones. Being a foldable phone, Google has also added some extra camera modes that are just for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, such as Made You Look. Like Motorola, this lets you display a fun animation on the cover screen while taking a photo so that you can get the perfect pic of your kid looking at the camera. The animations also react when the subject of the photo is smiling. The cameras have a new AR-powered feature called Add Me that's designed for group shots where the person taking the photo can add themselves in. Basically you take one photo of the group and AR on the screen helps line up the photographer in the same locale for another photo which the phone merges together with the first. It seems absolutely wild and like it could be kind of useful. It's kind of amazing that I made it this far without mentioning AI, but this phone is packed to the gills with it. The Magic Editor gets more AI tools and can now expand the frame of a photo you took and generate a fill to match the edges. Magic Editor can also suggest crops and ways to reframe photos you took. There's also a new Reimagine feature that lets you transform your photo by entering a prompt. For example, you might have it make the grass in the image greener. Or you can change what's in the photo entirely. When CNET's Lisa Eadicicco tried this feature, she was able to transform the ground in a photo to a sandy beach by typing that in as a prompt. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold can use AI to improve videos shot at night or in low light - and that's just the cameras! Google Gemini is everywhere on this phone. What's great is you get a year of the Google One AI Premium Plan when you buy a 9 Pro Fold. Google has also sprinkled AI throughout the user interface in more practical ways. There are AI-generated weather summaries in the Weather app, for example, and a Pixel Screenshots app, which lets you search for information stored in screenshots. One spec I'm a little worried about is the battery. Last year's Pixel Fold had a 4,821 mAh battery and mostly made it through a day on a single charge. The 9 Pro Fold has a smaller 4,650 mAh battery, which makes me wonder how long it will last. Maybe the new Tensor G4 chip is more efficient and will make up for the smaller battery? We'll see once we can test it. I've saved two of the best new features for last: Google now has Satellite SOS to help you connect with emergency services even when you don't have a cell signal. Google also guarantees seven years of OS, security upgrades and Pixel feature drops. That means a 9 Pro Fold should be running just as securely and safely in the year 2031 as it does today. Google made all of these changes while keeping the price the same: The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $1,799. If this is indeed a Pixel 9 Pro that folds in half, you're paying $800 just for the folding part. For more on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, check out the specs chart below.

Google's Gemini AI-powered Pixel 9: Can it challenge iPhone 16? By Investing.com

Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) this week launched its latest smartphones -- the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro/XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold -- marking its first set of devices with Gemini AI integrated from the start. The rollout comes roughly a month before the rumored launch of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 16. The Pixel 9, priced at $799 in the US, is aimed at a broad audience with its 6.3-inch "Actua" display, Tensor G4 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and a dual-camera system featuring a 50 MP main sensor. It also boasts enhanced durability with Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The Pixel 9 Pro, starting at $999, is positioned as a premium option with two display sizes -- 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch "Super Actua." It offers 16 GB of RAM, a triple rear camera system, and a significant front camera upgrade to 42 MP. The Pixel 9 Pro XL shares most features with the Pixel 9 Pro but includes a larger 6.8-inch display and a bigger battery. The flagship Pixel 9 Pro Fold, priced at $1,799, features an 8-inch Super Actua Flex inner display and a 6.3-inch external display. Key camera enhancements, such as Video Boost, Night Sight Video, and Super Res Zoom for Video, are exclusive to the Pro models, mirroring Apple's strategy of differentiating its premium offerings. The Gemini AI introduces "Gemini Live," a feature that allows users to interact with the AI assistant in more conversational ways, which could significantly enhance the user experience by integrating AI more seamlessly into daily tasks. Despite Google's substantial marketing efforts, its market share in the smartphone sector remains modest, and the company is banking on these new flagships to boost sales and increase Gemini AI's presence among consumers. According to Counterpoint Research, the tech giant's presence in the US smartphone market is "still relatively small and is predicted to plateau." The company is also facing challenges as the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are underperforming compared to the Pixel 7 series in the US, based on sell-through launch-to-date figures from Counterpoint Market Share Tracker. "It will require substantial marketing efforts to reverse this trend in a critical market for flagship smartphones," Counterpoint Research noted in a recent blog post. These headwinds may intensify with the increasing anticipation surrounding the upcoming AI-powered iPhone 16. In other regions, Google's expansion has been gradual, Counterpoint notes. Japan continues to be a key market, but recent gains have largely been driven by the mid-range Pixel A series rather than the flagship models. In Europe, Google faces increased competition from Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi and HONOR, posing a significant challenge. In the foldable segment, Google has taken a bold step with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. However, while foldables are gaining traction, they still represent a niche market, accounting for only a small portion of overall smartphone sales. Counterpoint Research projects that foldables will remain below 3% of total smartphone shipments in the coming years.

Why Google Pixel 9 is More Than Just a Smartphone

At the crossroads of artificial intelligence and fine design, the Google Pixel 9 truly does set the all-new standard for mobile devices. It comes styled with smart features built in to make everything easier, a nice design developed for perfect ergonomic use, and a user-centric experience of innovation with seamless integration into the world of Google. As innovations kept pushing the frontier of what technology could do, the Pixel 9 is proudly in possession of a behemoth of technological advancement, all designed with the user in mind. The Pixel 9 features advanced Google Assistant capabilities, AI-enhanced photography, and adaptive battery and performance management, all designed to streamline user interactions and improve efficiency. 2. How does the design of the Pixel 9 differ from previous models? The Pixel 9 introduces a modern design with a glass and aluminum build, a larger 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and an ergonomic form factor that enhances both aesthetics and comfort. 3. What makes the Pixel 9's camera unique? The Pixel 9's camera utilizes machine learning to automatically optimize photo settings and includes the Magic Eraser feature for effortless photo editing, making it a powerful tool for capturing high-quality images. 4. How does the Pixel 9 ensure user privacy and security? The Pixel 9 incorporates the Titan M2™ security chip, provides regular software updates, and includes new privacy features for managing app permissions, ensuring robust protection for sensitive data. 5. Is the Pixel 9 competitively priced? Yes, the Pixel 9 is priced competitively, offering premium features and advanced design at an accessible price point, with various pre-order and trade-in options available to enhance its value proposition.

Exclusive: How the Tensor G4 chip inside the Pixel 9 could redefine the 'AI phone'

There's a reason why Google moved up its Made by Google event date to August, although the company never offered an official explanation. It's clear that Google wants the early Pixel 9 launch to steal some thunder from the upcoming iPhone 16. To do that, Google demonstrated a wide range of Pixel 9 AI features, including Add Me for inserting someone to a photo after the fact to Call Notes for recording and summarizing phone calls. And the Google Pixel Screenshots feature can help you dig up details using natural language queries. All of this is powered by the new Tensor G4 chip, which was explicitly designed to run Google's most advanced AI models. In fact, it's the first processor that can run Gemini Nano with multimodality, which means the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold can all understand text, images and audio. To get a deeper look at Google's secret AI weapon I spoke with Jesse Seed, group product manager for Google Silicon, and Zach Gleicher, product manager for Google DeepMind, about what the Tensor G4 chip can do and how it stands out. Jesse Seed: I think the biggest innovation that we made this year was being the first silicon and the first phone to run Gemini Nano with multi-modality. And that unlocks some very cool use cases, one of which is Pixel Screenshots. That's very handy if you're trying to remember things. Another feature not related to the Gemini Nano model but I really love is the Add Me feature. Those of us who are the photographers of our our family or crew will definitely appreciate being able to go back in dynamically add the photographer in. And that's something that we worked a lot on to tune over 15 different machine learning models, and also using the Google Augmented Reality SDK. Zach Gleicher: At DeepMind we collaborate with a whole bunch of teams across Google, and we want to make sure that we're building Gemini models that meet the needs of all Google products. So as we were developing Gemini in collaboration with Android and Pixel, we realized that there was this need for on-device models. We saw this as a challenge because on the server side everyone was pushing for more capable models that were potentially bigger. And we, on the other hand, had all these interesting constraints that weren't present before on memory constraints, power consumption constraints, etc. So in partnership with the Tensor team and Pixel, we were able to come together and understand what, what are the core use cases for these on-device models, what are the constraints for these on-device models, and we actually co-developed a model together. Which was a really exciting experience and made it possible to build something that was so capable and able to power these use cases. Seed: So improving what we call fundamentals like power and performance are very important for us. The Tensor G4, which is our fourth generation chip, is our most efficient and our most performant. And so we believe users will see that in everyday experiences like web performance or web browsing, as well as app launch and just overall snappiness of the user interface. I think it's a really smooth experience. You'll see it with things the web performance being 20% faster on average and app launch being 17% faster. Seed: So in our testing, we actually have seen both improved peak and sustained performance in gaming and common games that run on the platform. Seed: We improved power efficiency on a lot of everyday use cases. So things like capturing video, taking a photo, scrolling through social media -- all of that is consuming less power than the prior generation, That's all contributing towards that 20% extra battery life that you saw mentioned in the keynote. So nearly 20% better battery life, Tensor G4 is contributing to and hitting that. Gleicher: Some of the main motivations that we see for the Tensor team and Pixel team coming to us for on-device use cases is better reliability. So the fact that you don't have to rely on a internet connection, the experience can be reliable and work no matter where you are. Another thing we think about is privacy. If developers don't want the data to actually leave the device and be fully processed on device, that's possible with having a on-device LLM. In terms of AI features I'm excited about, Pixel screenshots is a really great one. I think that really showcases how we are able to get these multi-modal features that are working on device that can work as you can see in the demos. It was really snappy, low latency, but it's also a super capable model. And all this information and data is stored locally on your device and can be processed locally. So we're really excited that Gemini nano can enable experiences like that. I think we're seeing traction for summarization use cases and smart reply. Seed: One of the ways we protect user privacy is by having a capable on-device model. So that the analysis that's being done on that screenshot, none of it leaves the device. So that's one way that we're able to address that privacy concern. I think the other thing is just empowering users to decide what they want to do, like how they want to use something like Gemini. And what use cases they feel comfortable interacting with and what they don't. So I think it really comes down to to user choice. But in the case [of] Pixel Screenshots in particular, that is a fully on-device use case. Seed: I think it really all comes down to real-world use cases. Like how does this thing actually perform in hand? So I do think that things like how fast the web browsing response is, how fast apps are launching, the quickness and the responsiveness of the user interface, those are all sort of everyday use cases. Those are good standard things to look at. Gleicher: As we think about benchmarks for LLMs and Gemini, and especially as we think about Gemini Nano, we've seen the industry put a large focus on academic benchmarks. And academic benchmarks like MMLU are great, as it gives a common metric. But they could be gameified and people can optimize for them. And it might not capture what you really care about. For an on-device model, we don't really care that it knows history questions. We think like that's probably a better use case for a server-side model. What we care about are use cases like summarization. We also have to think about constraints like battery consumption. We have to make sure the model performs well and doesn't consume too much battery. And that also the latency is good. So we actually partner with the Tensor team to profile our models as we're co-designing these models together to make sure that we are getting an architecture that works well. Seed: It's not just about traditional maybe metrics of performance, but also quality. So if you look at things like the quality of responses coming out of the model, or even things like quality of the photo. That's what real-world users in hand are going to care more about than some number on the side of a box.