Google unveiled new Pixel smartphones with higher quality cameras, a radar sensor to track hand gestures and a faster virtual assistant on Tuesday.
But the devices had no surprise features to set them apart from rivals and justify their price.
The Pixel 4 phones, in two sizes, led a New York event at which Google also announced its first moderately priced laptop, first wireless earbuds and upgrades to its to well-reviewed Wi-Fi router and burger-sized smart speaker.
Google started developing hardware about four years ago, thinking it could introduce artificial intelligence into devices faster and better than rivals and that consumers would clamour for such features.
The strategy has produced mixed results. But the world’s largest search company is pushing forward, not wanting to concede ground to Amazon, Facebook and other competitors, which are investing in hardware to make users spend more time on their services.
Google’s lower-priced devices have been top sellers but are far from being major profit drivers.
Higher-priced devices, such as the Pixel phones, have gained little traction compared with those of industry leaders such as Samsung and Apple because of limited marketing. Consumers are also holding on to their devices for much longer.
People are “starting to look for more affordable smartphone options instead of going for a high-end, premium smartphones for $800 [Dh2,938]", said Maurice Klaehne, a devices analyst at technology market researcher Counterpoint.
That has been good news for the Pixel 3a, which was launched in May starting at $399, Mr Klaehne said.
It will remain available in the dozen countries, including Japan and Germany, where the Pixel 4 will go on sale. India has yet to approve the Pixel 4’s radar chip.
The Pixel 3a boosted Google’s smartphone sales to 4.1 million in the first half of 2019, compared to 4.7 million for all of 2018, technology research company IDC said.
But Google accounted for less than 1 per cent of smartphones shipped during the second quarter.
Google’s product introductions have been slow and deliberate, but the company said just having the devices in the market was good for its brand.
The fourth-generation Pixel starts at $799 for a 14.5cm display and $899 for a 16cm display, and for the first time all four major US wireless carriers will offer the smartphones, starting on October 24.
A new feature based on radar technology enables users to skip songs or issue other commands by waving their hands above the screen.
The phones include a telephoto lens and improved software to take photos of the night sky. Google Assistant has been deeply integrated into the device to reduce response times.
Sherry Lin, a Pixel product manager, said Google tried adding 5G network technology but found that it “just didn’t work very well if trees and buildings got in the way".
“We are working with carriers and need them to put in the infrastructure before we pass on the cost to everyone else,” Ms Lin said.
The new 85.6-centimetre touchscreen Pixelbook Go laptop, starting at $649, features a textured bottom panel, meant to make it easier to grip with one hand while working in transit.
It follows the Pixelbook, which was released in 2017 with a starting price of $999. It has barely made a dent on the market, to the point that some researchers do not track it.
Google slashed costs for Pixelbook Go by shifting to a magnesium casing from aluminum and removing hinges and wiring that enabled the earlier model to be used like a tablet, said product leaders Ben Janofsky and Matt Vokoun.
It also improved the design of parts such as the trackpad to cut manufacturing mishaps and therefore costs.
But the company still included a 15 per cent larger battery and reduced the overall weight of the device to 1.04 kilograms from 1.08kg.
Pre-orders for the Pixelbook Go, which runs Google’s ChromeOS operating system, began on Tuesday in the US and Canada.
Google also announced Pixel Buds, wireless earbuds with hands-free access to Google Assistant, to be launched next spring in the US for $179.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA
Price, base / as tested Dh150,900 / Dh173,600
Engine 2.0L inline four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 211hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 1,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
MEFCC information
Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Second leg:
Monday, Azizi Stadium, Tehran. Kick off 7pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Notable Yas events in 2017/18
October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)
December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race
March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event
March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
