Alphabet-owned Google announced a host of new products at its Made by Google 2024 hardware event on Tuesday, as the company wrestles with technology giants such as Apple and Samsung for a share of the consumer technology market.
The company launched its latest Pixel 9 smartphones line-up, which includes a new foldable phone with one of the largest screens on a foldable device, a smartwatch, earbuds and upgrades to its generative AI tool, Gemini.
Shares dropped slightly after the closing bell on Tuesday, giving the company a market value of $2.03 trillion.
Overall, Alphabet's stock has remained strong in 2024, having risen nearly 19 per cent in the year so far.
The National explores the new launches and delves into their latest features.
Pixel 9 series gets smarter and more user-friendly
Based in Mountain View, California, Google has launched its new smartphone series – Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. They are powered by the company's latest Tensor G4 chip and offer improved AI capabilities and superior performance.
The new 9 series has a sleek design with a refined camera bar and premium materials, providing a luxurious feel, Google said.
The Pro models come in two sizes (6.3-inch and 6.8-inch) and feature a 42-megapixel front camera and super actua displays (a high-performance screen technology) for brighter, clearer visuals. Pixel 9’s 6.3-inch display is 35 per cent brighter than its predecessor Pixel 8.
The cameras across the series have been upgraded, with features such as magic editor and video boost for better photo and video quality.
The new devices also introduce the Satellite SOS feature for communication with emergency responders without mobile service. This feature will be available first in the US on Pixel 9 devices, regardless of carrier plans. For the first two years on Pixel, it will be available at no extra cost, the company said.
The new call notes feature sends users a private summary and full transcript of their phone call shortly after they hang up. To protect privacy, the new feature runs fully on-device and everyone on the call will be notified if users have activated the feature.
All devices offer seven years of operating system and security updates.
Pixel Watch 3 goes big on health and fitness
Google unveiled its latest smartwatch, Pixel Watch 3, that comes with advanced health tools to boost users’ well-being. It introduces loss of pulse detection, a potentially life-saving feature that can sense when the heart stops beating and automatically contacts emergency services, and shares an automated message with critical context, along with the location.
It also offers fitness tracking with new tools such as daily readiness, cardio load, and target load that provide personalised insights into users’ fitness and recovery.
Coming with all-day battery life, the new watch is just like a running companion on the wrist, providing real-time feedback and audio guidance to users when their warm-up is done, when they are off pace, when they are over their heart rate target, or when it is the time to take a break.
Google’s bigger attempt to take a bite of foldables market
Google also announced its latest foldable phone, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which combines a sleek, durable design with AI technology.
Coming up with the largest display ever on a Pixel device, the new foldable device features a super actua flex display that is 80 per cent brighter than its predecessor.
Powered by Google’s Tensor G4 chip, the new phone comes with enhanced AI-driven functionalities, including multi-tasking with split screens, advanced photography features like magic editor and Macro Focus, and an ultra-thin triple back camera system.
“It’s the thinnest foldable phone and has the biggest inner display ever seen on any mobile device,” said George Hwang, Google’s product manager for Pixel, adding that the camera system is the “best on any foldable phone.”
Google’s latest chip to boost AI performance
Google Pixel 9 phones are powered by the company’s latest in-house chip, Tensor G4.
“It is our most efficient chip yet and was designed to improve everyday use cases, like opening apps more quickly or browsing the web,” said Brian Rakowski, vice president for product management at Google.
Tensor G4 was designed with Google DeepMind, an AI research lab that Alphabet acquired in 2014, and is optimised to run the company’s most advanced AI models. It will be the first processor to run Google’s generative AI tool Gemini Nano that helps the phone to understand text, images and audio.
Improved earbuds
Google’s latest earbuds, Pixel Buds Pro 2, also use the Tensor A1 chip for improved audio performance, better noise cancellation, and increased battery life. They are 24 per cent lighter and 27 per cent smaller than the previous model and come with a twist-to-adjust stabiliser and four different eartip sizes.
They integrate Google’s generative AI for hands-free assistance and support spatial audio with head tracking for realistic sound during movies and shows.
Android 15 coming to Pixel phones
Google will ship its latest Pixel 9 series phones with the Android 14 operating system installed. However, it is expected to offer over-the-air update of Android 15 to its users in September or October.
The company has not announced any fixed date for that yet. Pixel 6 and later models will be eligible for the update.
Typically, Google launches its latest mobile operating system alongside its devices, but this year, it has moved its hardware launch event up by nearly two months, potentially causing a delay in the software update.
Gemini Live to humanise AI interactions
Google also announced Gemini Live, a feature that allows users to interact with its generative AI tool, Gemini, in a conversational way, just like speaking to somebody over the phone. This hands-free tool is designed to transform AI from a static assistant into a more responsive and integrated experience.
Initially available on Android smartphones in English language, Gemini Live will expand to Apple’s iOS and other languages in the coming weeks, Google said.
To gain access, users need to subscribe to the Google One AI premium plan that costs $19.99 a month.
The move bolsters Google's stance in the competitive generative AI market, strongly positioning itself against rivals like OpenAI's ChatGPT, industry experts said.
Prices and availability
Customers can place orders for all devices, including smartphones, smartwatch and earbuds, from Tuesday
Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL will be on shelves at the Google Store and its retail partners on August 22, while Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be on shelves on September 4.
Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Watch 3 will be available from September 26 and September 10, respectively.
Pixel 9 – $799
Pixel 9 Pro – $999
Pixel 9 Pro XL – $1,099
Pixel 9 Pro Fold – $1,799
Pixel Buds Pro 2 – $229
Pixel Watch 3 – starting from $349.99
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Mountain%20Boy
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
