Google Pixel 10 launch event
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Google didn’t just give the Fitbit app a makeover. It said that coaching and AI were at the core of the redesign, and that the “entire app was rebuilt so the health coach can understand your goals, build your plan, contextualize your metrics and bring insights at the right moments.”
Of course, Google’s latest Pixel lineup is far from an existential threat to Apple’s iPhone. According to research firm Canalys, Apple’s iPhone made up 49% of US smartphone shipments in Q2. Samsung accounted for 31%, while Motorola had 12%. Google devices made up just 3% of shipments.
Four years after launching the original Pixel Buds A-series, Google’s back with the Pixel Buds 2A. The new budget buds are $30 more expensive at $129.99, but add some notable updates like an upgraded chip, Gemini access, a replaceable battery, and most importantly, active noise cancellation.
Google is bringing contextual AI actions and suggestions to all of its popular apps like Messages, Gmail, Photos and more. It will quietly suggest actionable steps, or bring up the information someone is asking for.
To nobody’s surprise, there’s a new Tensor G5 chip, with a 35% faster CPU, powering everything. The Pixel 10 comes with 12GB of RAM standard and two storage options (128GB and 256GB). And for the first time on any Pixel phone, there’s built-in Satellite SOS, which works more or less the same as it does on newer iPhones.
For likely the first time ever, security researchers have shown how AI can be hacked to create real world havoc, allowing them to turn off lights, open smart shutters, and more.
The move by Google and Oracle signals a future in which AI is no longer locked to a single provider’s platform.
As kids return to school, some teachers are embracing AI tools to assist them in the classroom. NBC News’ Jesse Kirsch explains how a school is utilizing Google’s Gemini AI tool to enhance learning for high school students.