Google announces its AI-powered Pixel 10 smartphone series

Google has debuted its latest line of Pixel smartphones that prominently feature the Gemini assistant as artificial intelligence increasingly becomes the battleground where device companies compete.

The Alphabet company announced the Pixel 10 family of smartphones, saying the devices can use Google’s AI to do smart tasks, like quickly surfacing the address of an Airbnb when someone sends a text asking for it.

The Pixel 10 series includes several models and incorporates new AI and camera features.

The baseline model, the Pixel 10, starts at USD$799 and is available in several colours. A more powerful Pixel 10 Pro starts at USD$999, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL with a larger screen and 256GB of base storage starts at USD$1199. Google is also releasing an updated version of its folding phone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, that starts at USD$1799.

Google’s Pixel phone launch comes before Apple is expected to announce new iPhone models in September.

While the Pixel typically has single-digit market share — far behind brands like Samsung, Motorola and Apple — the devices enable Google to release cutting-edge Android features without going through third-party hardware makers.

The Pixel line of devices also allows Google to showcase how it believes its Android software compares with that of the iPhone.

The latest series of smartphones also have the potential to serve as a funnel for Google’s artificial intelligence services and subscriptions.

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis previously described a vision for a universal assistant that “can seamlessly operate over any domain, any modality or any device.”

Hassabis told employees at an all-hands meeting last year that “the products themselves are going to evolve massively over the next year or two.”

Google’s Gemini models are considered by critics to be more advanced than the models underpinning Apple Intelligence, the iPhone’s built-in AI suite.

Earlier this year, Apple delayed a big update to Siri until 2026, creating an opening for Google to secure a lead among AI-eager customers with its well-respected Gemini assistant, which can already hold a natural conversation and manage calendars and other apps.

A Google Pixel 10 ad released earlier this month poked fun at Apple’s Siri delays.

“If you buy a new phone because of a feature that’s coming soon, but it’s coming soon for a full year, you could change your definition of soon, or change your phone,” the Pixel ad said.

Among the Pixel 10′s key AI features is “Magic Cue,” which Google said is an AI product that “brings a new level of personalized intelligence and helpfulness.”

If calling an airline, Magic Cue surfaces flight details “as soon as you dial,” the company says, adding that it is meant to anticipate the users’ needs and suggest “relevant information and helpful actions based on the context on your phone.”

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold, meanwhile, has the largest inner display among devices with foldable screens at 8 inches, Google said. The screen is built with two layers of anti-impact film for added drop protection. It also has a new “high-strength” hinge that the company says can handle over 10 years of folding.

Google touts the Fold’s “split screen” abilities which allows users to navigate to different apps on the two screens.

“Imagine planning a trip with friends by comparing flight details in one app and checking hotel availability in another,” the company said.

Already, Samsung appears to be gaining momentum with its line of foldable Galaxy Z Fold 7 phones. Analysts say Apple is expected to release its first foldable-screen iPhone as soon as 2026.

The Pixel series also incorporates Gemini Live, a Google product that allows back-and-forth chat about what the phone is “seeing” on its screen in real time. It’s built on Google’s image recognition prototype Project Astra, which the company announced last year.

For the smartphone camera, Google announced a new assistant called “Camera Coach,” that can describe the scene of a photo, offer suggestions, and recommend the best angle and lighting. It can also find and combine similar photos into one “where everyone looks their best.”

The Pixel 10 Pro phones come with a one-year subscription to Google’s “AI Pro” plan, which is typically $19 a month and gives users some extra Gemini features, priority access to AI products like NotebookLM and Veo 3 as well as extra storage.

Despite Google’s unique smartphone offerings, there haven’t been major signs that artificial intelligence has yet become a key driver of smartphone sales, or that users are deciding to switch from Apple’s platform to Android due to AI offerings.

No major manufacturer has claimed the features have significantly boosted sales. But analysts say that eventually, Google could crack an AI feature that catches on among users and starts to erode Apple’s installed base.