Google Goes Head-To-Head With Apple and Amazon With New Hardware

Google announced on Tuesday a new Pixel smartphone, a smart speaker for the living room called “Home”. A slew of new consumer electronics products for the home were also available.

The announcement is a clear indication that the company plans to contend head on with Apple, Amazon, and even manufacturers of phones using its own Android operating system.

Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh said that if they can work on hardware and software together, they could innovate much better. This is very much like Apple’s established philosophy of tighter integration between hardware and software.

Google designed and developed the Pixel phones from the beginning, unlike previous efforts under the Nexus brand. However, they awarded the manufacturing contract to HTC Corporation of Taiwan.

Echoing another of Apple’s strategy, Google said it would operate exclusively with a single carrier in the United States. The Pixel will launch under Verizon Communications much like Apple’s deal with AT&T when the original iPhone launched. The agreement gave Apple unmatched influence over the look of the phone and how it worked.

The phone comes in two sizes and, according to industry analyst Patrick Moorehead, aside from the high-end camera, the Pixels are very similar to Samsung and iPhone seventh generation phones.

Analysts added that Google’s new phones obviously intended to compete with the iPhone, though promoting its own hardware would likely confound its relationship with Android licensees such as Samsung and LG.

Google’s voice activated AI system

Google opened the event Tuesday by flaunting the Google Assistant. The company’s answer to Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri is a voice-activated artificial intelligence system. It can make a restaurant reservation with just a few phrases spoken into the phone. The presenter demonstrated this feature during the event.

The assistant is being positioned as the focal element in a line of integrated hardware and software products. It will be embedded into the Pixel and Home products.

The “Home” speaker system is very much comparable to Amazon’s Alexa-powered Echo home speaker system, likely having many similar features.

Meanwhile, Google’s Daydream View virtual reality headset sets the company against Facebook’s Oculus. The device, which will be available in November for $79, is far cheaper and simpler.

Home will also be available in November for $129.

Other products unveiled during the event included a new version of Google’s Chromecast digital media player and a wifi router called Google Wifi.

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