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Google Goes Global With 10 Events for New Pixel Phones

Google Goes Global With 10 Events for New Pixel Phones

By Reuters | Updated: 9 October 2018 13:50 IST

Google Pixel 2 XL

Highlights

Google will unveil new Pixel phones at 10 media events across the world
Android software operates most of the world's smartphones
Company branched into hardware three years ago

Alphabet's Google will unveil the third edition of its Pixel smartphone at 10 media events across the world on Tuesday, a hint that it is prepared to expand geographic distribution of a device it hopes someday is as popular as Apple's iPhone.

Google's free Android software operates most of the world's smartphones. But the company three years ago branched into hardware to have products where, like Apple, it could have full control of the performance of its applications and the revenue they generate.

Though Google has succeeded in selling lower-priced devices such as smart speakers and home routers, the phones have been a tougher sell.

Google shipped 2.53 million Pixel 2 and 2 XL devices through the nine months ended June 30, garnering less than 1 percent of the global market for smartphones, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.

The first Pixel devices reached 2.4 million shipments in the nine months ended June 30, 2017, the firm said.

Limited adoption has reflected Google's hesitancy to go as wide and big in distributing and marketing the Pixel as Apple, which launched its last two iPhone line-ups in about 50 countries.

Going from a small experiment to a polished product backed by large sales, support and technical teams has been part of Google's challenge.

Last year's Pixel 2 arrived with bugs that prompted user complaints about unwanted noises during calls, a crashing camera app and an unexpected screen tint.

Google initially sold the Pixel 2 and its larger-sibling, Pixel 2 XL, in six countries, including the United States, Australia, Germany and India, after an unveiling in San Francisco.

This year, Google is hosting events for the Pixel 3 in cities such as New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and Singapore, spokesman Kay Oberbeck said.

Google Assistant, the signature virtual helper feature on the Pixel that was available in six languages a year ago, now supports 16.

Privacy and security features also could be top talking points about the Pixel 3 as Google and other big US tech companies try to bounce back from recent data breach scandals.

A US regulatory filing points to Google's matching on Tuesday rivals Amazon.com and Facebook with a smart speaker that has a display to show visual responses to voice commands.

Amazon shipped 21.5 million smart speakers, including those with displays, in the year ended June 30, compared with 18.3 million for Google, according to research firm Canalys.

© Thomson Reuters 2018

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Google Pixel 3

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS
Variants

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Excellent build, comfortable to handle
Intuitive software features
Very good cameras
HDR capable display
Excellent stereo speakers

Bad
Expensive

Read detailed Google Pixel 3 review

Display 5.50-inch

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

Front Camera 8-megapixel + 8-megapixel

Rear Camera 12.2-megapixel

RAM 4GB

Storage 64GB

Battery Capacity 2915mAh

OS Android 9.0

Resolution 1080x2160 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

Choose a variant

Google Pixel 3 XL

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS
Variants

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Excellent build
Intuitive software features
Very good cameras
HDR capable display
Excellent stereo speakers

Bad
Poor notch design
Expensive

Read detailed Google Pixel 3 XL review

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

Front Camera 8-megapixel + 8-megapixel

Rear Camera 12.2-megapixel

RAM 4GB

Storage 64GB

Battery Capacity 3430mAh

OS Android 9.0

Resolution 1440x2960 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

Choose a variant

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