Google unveils Pixel 3 smartphones, new tablet and Home Hub
The tech giant has refreshed most of its flagship hardware lines.
Google has unveiled its new flagship smartphones, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, as it looks to keep pace with Apple’s iPhone.
The two new phones were announced alongside a range of new products, including the Pixel Slate tablet and a new screen-enabled smart home speaker, the Google Home Hub.
The Pixel 3 comes with a 5.5in display and the XL with a 6.3-in screen.
Google said the new devices were built around improved camera systems powered by artificial intelligence, including the new Top Shot feature, which can identify the best images taken in a burst.
The phones also feature improved low-light photography capabilities, and a new Group Selfie camera capable of capturing wider angle images from the front-facing camera, traditionally used to take selfies.
The company claimed the feature can capture 184% more of a scene than the front-facing camera of the new iPhone XS.
The cameras also house Google Lens, which uses AI to identify objects, landmarks and words seen through the camera.
The two phones will go on sale in the UK on November 1, with the Pixel 3 starting at £739 and the XL at £869.
Also announced at the event in New York, the new Google Home Hub smart speaker responds to voice commands like other smart home devices but also features a display from which users can access news and weather information visually, as well as watch YouTube videos, use Google Maps and control other smart home devices.
The tech giant’s Diya Jolly said the company also made a conscious decision not to include a camera to respect user privacy.
It will go on sale at the end of October, costing £139.
The Hub is Google’s answer to the Echo Show, Amazon’s smart speaker with a built-in display which was introduced last year.
Google also announced a new tablet, the Pixel Slate, which runs on the company’s own Chrome OS and has an attachable keyboard.
The device contains virtual helper Google Assistant and will be released in the UK later this year, Google confirmed.
It will go on sale at the end of November, starting at £549.
