Google unveils two new smartphones

IF timing is everything, Google’s decision to release two new phones today under its own brand had it all.

In the wake of the Samsung fiasco of the exploding Note7 batteries and the backlash of Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 opens up an opportunity for Google.

They are offering options that the two giants of the smartphone world can’t: all the ports without the burning stigma.

Google began its Google keynote event in San Francisco today with a video from the show Silicon Valley, with lots of jokes about Google keynotes.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said we’re at a “seminal moment” of computing and recalled the big shifts of computing dating back to the 1980s with the birth of the personal computer, then the birth of the 90s in the web and the advent of smartphone 10 years later that led to the explosion in mobile computing.

“It’s profoundly changing people’s lives,” he said. Now we’re going from mobile first to artificial intelligence first, he said.

Mr Pichai said the goal is to build a “personal Google” for everyone.

A video explained the advantages of the Google Assistant which will know you want local sports scores or will remember the combination for your bike lock.

Google’s ability to identify a photograph correctly and caption it has now reached an accuracy of nearly 94 per cent, which is approaching the accuracy of a human. Two years ago, the caption accuracy of Google’s system was 89.6 per cent.

Mr Pichai said Google’s ability to translate text and give more natural text to speech was continually improving.

“It’s early days but we’re committed to this vision,” Mr Pichai said.

Rick Osterloh, head of hardware for Google, said “this is the right time to be focused on hardware and software.”

“Our devices just work for you,” Mr Osterloh said using a phrase that sounds like it was borrowed from an Apple script.

“Phones are the most important device we own — they rarely leave our side.”

Google announced two new phones called Pixel. It has a metal case and “no unsightly camera bump” Mr Osterloh said with a dig at the Apple iPhone.

Mr Osterloh lists key features of the Pixel phone: it is the first phone with the Google Assistant built in; it boasts a “terrific photography experience”; relies on the cloud so you don’t run out of space; it’s made for virtual reality which suggests Google is about to announce an update to the Google cardboard VR headset.

Brian Rakowski, head of software for Pixel phones, ran though the smart digital assistant features of the phone. If you touch and hold the home button, it activates Google Assistant or you can activate it with a voice command.

In a demo, Mr Rakowski showed how the Assistant recognised that a text message referenced a restaurant and included information for that restaurant. The Assistant follows the flow of a message thread to understand a conversation that talks about a concert and includes mention of a restaurant knows you will need to get from one to the other.

Mr Rakowski shows that the Pixel camera received a higher rating from an independent source than the iPhone 7, although the graph he shows does not mention the twin lens of the iPhone 7 Plus.

The features of the phone include Smart Burst, which takes continues frames and then shows you the best shot of a series. Google also highlighted a feature which it calls HDR+ which it uses by default with “zero shutter lag”. Mr Rakowski says the Pixel phone has a faster shutter speed than any smartphone camera “we tested”.

The camera has a 12.3 megapixel sensor and the video has image stabilisation.

“We think that people are going to use this camera a lot,” he said.

The Pixel phone comes with free storage of full resolution of videos and photos in the Google Photos app. You can download Google Photos on any smartphones, but it does not normally store your photos in full resolution.

Sabrina Ellis, from the Pixel product management team, explained some of the other features of the Pixel phone, including Google Duo with is a Skype-like video chat that works on both Android and iOS phones.

The Pixel phone has a quick charging feature which gives up to 7 hours of battery life with 15 minutes of charging. And, recognising a weakness with many Android phones, the Pixel phone will automatically update to the latest Android version.

Google is offering a 24/7 customer care chat service through the phone and a new range of cases for the phones.

The phone comes in 5inch and 5.5-inch (12.7cms to 14cms) and, in another dig at Apple, comes in Quite Black, Really Blue and Very Silver.

Other specs include fingerprint sensor, aluminium body, USB-C charger, a headphone jack and a 12.3 megapixel camera with a f/2.0 aperture.

Unlike the Samsung and Apple phones, it is not water resistant.

It costs $US649 but the Pixel phones will be Australia starting at $1079 and the Daydream

View at $119.

Telstra is the exclusive Australian retailer for the Google Pixel phone.

Telstra says the advantages of the Pixel phone include: the latest 4G technology for the fastest mobile speeds in Australia of up to 200Mbps in 4GX areas.

The Blue version of the phone will not be available in Australia. The choice will be either the Very Silver or Quite Black in 32GB or 128GB.

The phones are available on a range of Telstra plans, such as the 5-inch (12.7cms) 32GB Pixel on a $95 monthly plan.

Google’s VR head Clay Bavor explained what Google is doing with its Daydream VR technology.

The Pixel phone is “Daydream Ready”, which means they are comparable with the new Google VR headset: Daydream View.

“We obsessed over the details of the design,” Mr Bavor said. “It doesn’t quite look like other VR headsets. That’s because in designing it we weren’t inspired by gadgets.”

The headset is covered in soft materials. Mr Bavor said Google worked with clothing makers to make its headset feel “cosy”.

The headset is designed to fit comfortably over spectacles.

“You just want to put your phone in and be in VR. That’s the way Daydream View works.”

The headset and phone connect wirelessly and has an auto alignment system that puts the phone in the right place.

It comes with a controller that has a touchpad and two buttons and it has sensors that follow your movements.

The controller “snuggles” into your headset when you’re finished with it so you don’t lose it.

“We wanted you to be able to make it yours.”

Mr Bavor said the headset will work with other “Daydream ready” phones by other manufacturers. It will come in Snow, Slate and Crimson.

Google announced the first content with Daydream VR includes a tie in with the new Harry Potter adventure Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, along with other titles including Netflix, educational and entertainment titles.

There is also Google movies to watch, Google Streetview and a virtual reality YouTube viewer.

The Google VR headset will be released in November for $US79. No details yet on Australia pricing and release dates.

Google announced a Google WiFi router which lets you manage the wi-fi access for your kids. You can pause your teenager’s devices at dinner time. It will ship in December in the US for $US129. Not details on Australian pricing and availability.

Google also announced a new generation Chromecast called Chromecast Ultra, which lets you watch streaming content through your TV.

Chromecast Ultra supports 4K and HDR content and is 1.8 faster to load content than the previous version.

It will be available in November for $US69 and in Australia for $99.

There is also more information on the smart digital assistant speaker Google Home announced earlier this year.

The good news about the smart speaker is that it has a mute button, so it won’t listen to everything you say.

A demo of Google Home shows the abilities of the speaker. You can ask for it to play a song and say turn it up or down. It supports YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora and other streaming services - but not Apple Music.

You don’t have to know the song title, just a reference to a lyric and artist will work.

You can ask it questions like you would with a Google search, from “can dogs eat chocolate?” To “how do you get wine starts out of a rug?”

Other features of Google Home include the ability to set up multiple timers when you’re cooking, flip a coin or ask for My Day, which will let you know your appointments and the weather. You can ask it how to say a phrase in another language, like ordering a beer in Spanish.

If you have Chromecast, you can use voice commands to control your TV.

It will also work with smart devices around the house, such as lighting.

Google Home will be available in stores in November for $US129. Not details of Australian pricing or availability.

Scott Huffman, lead engineer for Google Assistant, calls the digital assistant an extension of what people come to Google for: wanting to know information.

“In many cases I’m not just looking for information. I know what I want to get done, I just want Google Assistant to do it for me.”

Huffman said Google is working on improving “conversation actions”, partnering with services and apps that will respond to a voice command. An example is saying “I want a Uber” and Google Assistant will then launch a voice-activated version of the Uber app.

Google will release next year a Google Assistant SDK, which will allow app developers to integrate Google Assistant into their apps.

Rod Chester travelled to San Francisco as a guest of Google