Google on Tuesday launched its Pixel
smartphone with built-in assistant as the tech giant made a direct
challenge to the iPhone with its own branded, premium-priced handset.
The unveiling of Google’s in-house
designed phone came as part of an expanded push into hardware by the US
firm, which also revealed details of its new “home assistant,” virtual
reality headset and Wi-Fi router.
The San Francisco event marked a shift
in strategy for Google, which is leading a major push of its artificial
intelligence software, Google Assistant, centered around its new
smartphones and other devices.
“We are building hardware with the
Google Assistant at its core,” said Rick Osterloh, head of a new
hardware division at the California-based internet giant.
